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School culture presentation by Linda Nelson of NCAIS at SAIS New Teacher Institute 2009.
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Linda S. NelsonExecutive Director
North Carolina Association of Independent Schools
UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL CULTURE
BeliefsValuesTraditionsPatterns of BehaviorClimateEnvironment“The Way We Do Things”
WHAT IS SCHOOL CULTURE?
Expressed Culture vs. Observed Culture
Are they the same?Should they be?
WHAT THEY SAY vs.
WHAT THEY DO
THREE LEVELS OF CULTURELevel One
What you might see on your first visit – first impressions
Level TwoValues, beliefs, “the way things
should be done”These are “testable” in the physical
environment
Level ThreeFundamental beliefs about school,
students, etc.Reason for being
BOARDBroadly defines through Mission
and Vision
It’s the head’s role to translate and communicate that “definition” of culture. Heads do not have a choice about whether they communicate; everything they do is a communication. They only have a choice about how and what and how consistently they will communicate.
THE HEAD OF SCHOOL IS THE CULTURAL LEADER– LIKE IT or NOT…
The primary methods available to leaders to allow them to shape culture are:
Paying attention to some aspect of school life
Choosing to measure some aspect of school life
AS CULTURAL LEADER…If a head is consistently interested in one thing, it will become a centerpiece of school culture. If a head is inconsistently interested in many things, unclear in communicating with employees, or inconsistent in decision-making or defining priorities, people will spend a lot of time trying to figure out what’s going on. The head’s inconsistency will become a central feature of the school culture. (Understanding School Culture, Michael Thompson
HEAD OF SCHOOL IS:Symbol of CulturePotter who shapes the
CulturePoet who uses language to
describe the CultureActor who plays out the
values and visionHealer who presides over
life transitions in the community
HEAD HAS A KEY ROLE IN DETERMINING IF EXPRESSED
CULTURE AND OBSERVED CULTURE MATCH
Supporting CastWatchdog vs. Enablers
ROLE OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSETEvery school has skeletonsThese skeletons become a
part of the culture – good or bad
The way a community deals with these “skeletons: speaks volumes about its “culture” and commitment to self-improvement
Independent Schools as institutions most closely resemble families and churches
Everyone related to the school has a vested interest in what is going on and has strong opinions
Personal and Professional lines can become blurred
Strategic thinking, visioning, values can quickly become “situational”
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY
WHERE DO “NEWBIES” FIT IN?
Good Question… “Does the Shoe Fit?”
Fresh EyesBroader Perspective
QUESTIONS…FINAL THOUGHTS