Identifying the Positive and Negative Aspects of School Culture

At Cholla Middle School, the principal wanted to change the underperforming label at the school. When she started at the school, she quickly realized that her biggest challenge was changing the status quo and culture of the school. Everyone was acting with the attitude of “mediocrity was enough”. It was a mindset issue among the teachers, the students, and the community. There was always an excuse for their underperforming results. 

If only the students would change their behavior. If only the school leadership would change policies. If only the teacher would change teaching methods. Everyone was looking to blame other parties thinking that “If only the ___ would change ___, we will be better”. 

As she assessed the situation, there was inadequate support for the challenges of their urban school with high poverty. Teachers did not want to share their classroom data. They did not want others to see their performance. Much of the informal teacher talk was focused on what students could not do vs what students could do. The principal wanted to create an environment of collective efficacy and excellence. She understood that things needed to change if she wanted to achieve those goals.

School Culture As a Possible Root Cause

One area that often impacts results is school culture. Every school has a unique culture, and it affects how the whole organization acts and responds. It is made up of traditions, routines, expectations, interactions, and conversations that happen. These factors reflect the mission and values of the community inside and outside of the classroom. 

It is important to realize that culture is something that influences your outcomes. Culture is created by a community and isn’t dictated by a leader. However, a leader can lead and influence the skills, goals, and strengths of the students and staff. They can model a nurturing environment which promotes consistent interactions among all members of the school. 

The most effective principals focus on building community in a solution-oriented, no-blame, encouraging professional environment. These are the leaders who show commitment to building a student success culture. They involve everyone in activities that focus on developing professional relationships and creating a nurturing environment. They build trust which sets the stage for collaborative efforts that can impact student success and achievement. 

If you would like more information on how to improve your school culture, reread my series on 3 Building Blocks for a Student Success Culture (Part 1 of 4) (debradurma.com).

If you are concerned about the school culture, this list of reflective questions will help identify positive and negative elements in your school culture. A word of caution to tread lightly when proceeding with these questions. Not everyone will be ready to openly discuss questions about the culture, especially the negative aspects. 

Start with your administrative team and work your way to conversing with the other members of the staff. You can do this in order to filter out and let them immerse in the process slowly. When staff feel safe talking about their data and the school, you can be more open in asking the more intricate questions.

Example of school reflection questions

For the Administrative Team:

• What does the staff talk about in the lounge, workroom, on the sidewalk, etc.?
• Do you hear positive or negative responses when teachers talk about their students?
• Do these comments contribute to a positive or negative school culture? 
• Do these comments reflect the actual positive and negative aspects of the school?

For Teachers:

• What do you and your coworkers talk about in the lounge, workroom, on the sidewalk, etc.?
• Do you feel comfortable talking to your coworkers? Why or why not?
• How do you feel about discussing data? Do you like to talk about data? Why or why not?

Since the principal identified school culture issues at Cholla MS, she immediately began building relationships and connecting with staff and students. She paid close attention to what was being discussed informally and worked with staff to problem-solve issues. She also developed a vision for student achievement and reinforced that vision in all conversations.

When I started working with the principal and leadership team at Cholla MS, we simplified their data and focused on what would make the most impact. The principal used data to help staff identify and reflect on teaching concepts. We trained the teachers on how to analyze data to identify root causes in instruction for low performance. She continually reinforced the “No Judgement – Just Analysis! What do we need to do differently to help students achieve success?” mindset on the team.

As teachers started trusting each other, they began to openly ask questions. This helped them identify what concepts were doing well and which concepts needed support. As they dug deeper into instruction and data, they quickly realized that they needed a new program to teach reading. This prompted the principal to introduce a research-based program with a proven history of results in urban areas. 

It wasn’t just a program, but a structure that brought equity to every student across the board. It enabled the staff to work together and develop strong strategies. The principal held teachers accountable for implementation and continued to support their needs. Outside consultants helped the principal and the staff stay focused and solve problem issues.

As they started seeing results, it built momentum and excitement among teachers and students. The process all started with addressing school culture issues. Then the data guided them to make the instructional changes needed for success. There were challenges and bumps along the way, but everyone continued moving forward. School leaders, teachers, and staff worked together to solve problems and help students. The best part - the school overcame those challenges and transformed from an underperforming school to a highly performing school!

*School name is fictionalized. School staff and the results are real.

If you are interested in more information on using your data to change your school culture, request a FREE consultation call with me.  Fill in the Contact Form Link: https://debradurma.com/contact-us Type in “Yes” for “Are you Interested in STAR Leadership Data Solutions?” You will receive a follow-up email with the next step to schedule a phone call to discuss your needs and questions.