Developing a positive school culture focused on student achievement

Telling Stories, Rituals and Celebrations, Symbols and Artifacts, Traditions, Heroes and Heroines, and Physical Environment can all be used to develop a school culture focused on student achievement. It is important to tell stories of students who achieved. These would be hero and heroine stories. Have rituals and celebrations for students that achieve. The hallways would have bulletin boards celebrating achievement. The announcements would have names of students that achieved. Perhaps even student who have gone on to college, or who received scholarships or other honors, etc who attended this school before. These “hero stories” would define success for the current students.

Both climate and culture are important to student learning. Culture is an expression of shared values. In the school, the shared value is learning.

There are, of course, other shared values. I heard of a teacher who was asked what she taught. She responded, “Manners mostly”. I thought that was cute, but also telling of what our other job is, that is the socializing of students to function in our society. All of these are elements of the culture of our school.

I have been most interested in the work of David N. Aspy He wrote a book called, “Kids Can’t Learn From People They Don’t Like” and he has the research numbers to prove it. I have ordered several of his books. Although they are older and some are out of print, they are still very interesting to me on the subject of School Climate.

I am happy to see that someone has done this research. He has proven with research numbers, the importance of the climate in the school. Having a respectful and positive climate in the school is highly correlated with successful learning.