Objectives

School climate and school culture are critically related to school success. the students can
improve attendance, achievement, and retention and even rates of graduation, School climate
has 9 strategies. This 9 strategies of school climate can help educators identify key areas to focus
on to create safe and supportive climates in their schools.

School Climate School climate is the feel of the school (the schools’ attitude), the behaviors and
points of view exhibited and experienced by students, teachers and other stakeholders. Freiberg
and Stein (1999) describe school climate as “the heart and soul of the school,” the feeling that
either encourages teachers and students to engage, love the school, and to want to be a part of it,
or to reject the school and disengage from it. It is the outcome of the school’s norms and values,
the way in which people at the school relate to and interact with one another, and the way
systems and policies manifest. According to the National School Climate Center, “school climate
includes major spheres of school life such as safety, relationships, teaching and learning, and the
environment as well as larger organizational patterns (e.g. from fragmented to shared; healthy or
unhealthy).” These dimensions not only shape how students feel about being in school, but
“these larger group trends shape learning and student development” (National School Climate
Center, 2013).
Appropriate strategies for creating a positive school climate and atmosphere include:
 Building effective communication within the school
 Catering for individual needs
 Creating a health promoting physical environment
 Developing democratic processes
 Enhancing self esteem
 Fostering respect for diversity
 Fostering inclusive and respectful language Developing appropriate communication
between home and school
 Developing a school approach to assessment
School Culture School culture is the way thing are done in the school (the personality of a
school), the underlying norms and values that shape patterns of behavior, attitudes and
expectations between stakeholders in the school. Deal and Peterson (1998) define school culture
as “norms, values, beliefs, traditions, and rituals built up over time.” A school’s culture is always
at work, either helping or hindering learning. It influences every decision and action in a school,
from the leadership style of the principal to the way teachers choose curriculum materials and
interact with students.

Reference
https://aesimpact.org/school-climate-and-culture/
Evaluation

1. __________ is the feel of the school (the schools’ attitude), the behaviors and points of view
exhibited and experienced by students, teachers and other stakeholders. - School climate
2. ___________ is the way thing are done in the school (the personality of a school), the
underlying norms and values that shape patterns of behavior, attitudes and expectations between
stakeholders in the school. - school culture
3-10. Give atleast 8 strategies for creating positive school climate and culture.

1. Building effective communication within the school

2. Catering for individual needs
3. Creating a health promoting physical environment
4. Developing democratic processes
5. Enhancing self esteem
6. Fostering respect for diversity
7. Fostering inclusive and respectful language
8. Developing appropriate communication between home and school
9. Developing a school approach to assessment

Objective

This topic can help improving schools stresses the importance of all school employees working
together to help students succeed – everyone from principals, custodians and bus drivers to
teachers, nurses, administrators, security and food service workers.

the role/importance of school culture in learning

School culture and school climate are intangible, but essential elements within a school
environment. These terms are frequently used interchangeably and school culture and school
climate will be defined, with school culture being the adopted term throughout this paper.
Climate is more relational; it is illustrated by the attitudes and behaviors of the school staff and is
focused on the style of the school’s organizational system. Whereas, culture is a deeper level of
reflection of shared values, beliefs, and traditions between staff members. School leaders play a
vital role in developing and enhancing the school culture. Positive school cultures provide a safe,
supportive, encouraging, inviting, and challenging environment for students and staff, which in
turn allows students’ academic achievement to evolve. Interventions and strategies for creating a
positive school culture will be recognized and discussed. This paper will supply an overview of
characteristics that make up a positive school culture as well as a toxic school culture, will
discuss the importance of school leaders, and will examine strategies and interventions for
creating a positive school culture. This paper will also discuss an Adlerian perspective on school
culture and review implications for school counselors.

1. Create meaningful parent involvement

Generating clear, open communication with the parents of your students can help you avoid
misunderstandings and remove feelings of mistrust or hostility.
To involve parents in your school culture, give them a platform for feedback on classroom
activities or school programs. Ask them about their hopes or concerns regarding their children’s
education. Go beyond parent-teacher meetings and organize workshops where teachers and
parents can discuss homework, study skills, and tests.

2. Celebrate personal achievement and good behavior

This means more than the occasional “good job.”
Complimenting kids helps them to feel that they are cared for individually. Both you and your
staff play a huge part in this aspect of your school culture.
One way to generate more positive reinforcement from your staff is to set goals for the number
of compliments each member has to give during the day or week. Encourage them to give
specific compliments that highlight what each individual student has done well.

3. Establish school norms that build values

Your school and classroom rules should be clear to all students, and should be well-regulated.
However, this doesn’t mean that you need to establish rules for every possible situation.
Instead, create school norms that focus on building positive values in your class. This helps kids
to learn, not just what they should and shouldn’t do, but why they should or shouldn’t do it.

4. Set consistent discipline

When rules are not followed, discipline must be administered. However, broadening the range of
discipline methods can help encourage a positive school culture.
Instead of constantly putting out fires, trying a more proactive approach to discipline. Giving a
student detention after bad behavior teaches him that he did something wrong. But giving him a
task that helps correct the wrong teaches him what he should’ve done instead.

5. Model the behaviors you want to see in your school

You have a list of qualities and values that you want to see in your teachers and students.
But how well do you present those same aspects of your school culture?
All changes have to start from the top. That means when you interact with teachers and students,
you need to be an example of the behavior that you want to see in your school.
6. Engage students in ways that benefit them
When in school, your students are learning more than just secular instruction. They’re also
developing their social skills, and learning how to become successful adults.
Schools that help students develop essential social skills are preparing them on an even deeper
level for their future after graduation.
One way to engage students and develop these types of skills is through social-emotional
learning (SEL). Throughout the day, encourage teachers to include activities that help students
develop qualities such as empathy, reliability, respect, concern, and a sense of humor.

7. Create rituals and traditions that are fun for students and teachers
The school day — and school year — should be punctuated with time for fun. This helps
students engage with each other in positive events and builds morale in school.
For example, one school created a weekly event called ‘Fabulous Friday’, which opened students
up to a variety of fun activities. 

8. Encourage innovation in the classroom

Innovation in the classroom starts with you — the school leader.
When talking with teachers, encourage them to try new methods of teaching. You can even set
up regular meetings to discuss new research on teaching methods or new teaching tech, and how
these can be implemented in your school.
These meetings will help the whole teaching staff to brainstorm and implement new ideas,
bringing teachers into the process of building your school culture.

9. Professional development for teachers

Students are not the only people in your school who should be learning. Helping your teachers to
develop their skills will encourage a positive school culture by giving them the ability to improve
their craft.

10. Maintain the physical environment of your school

Surprisingly enough, the physical surroundings of students and teachers has a huge impact on the
culture of your school.

11. Keep tabs on your school’s culture, and make adjustments when necessary
Unfortunately, creating a positive school culture isn’t just a matter of following a checklist. As a
school leader, you need to stay informed of what’s going on in your school, and understand the
attitudes and atmosphere that permeate the hallways and classrooms.
Evaluation

Column A Column B

________1. Your school and classroom A. Create a Meaningful Parent Involvement

rules should be clear to all students, and
should be well-regulated.

________2. Complimenting kids helps them

to feel that they are cared for individually. B. Establish School Norms that Build
Both you and your staff play a huge part in Values
this aspect of your school culture.

________3. You have a list of qualities and

C. Celebrate Personal Achievement and
values that you want to see in your teachers
Good Behavior
and students.

________4. Generating clear, open

communication with the parents of your D. Set Consistent Discipline
students can help you avoid
misunderstandings and remove feelings of
mistrust or hostility.

________5. When rules are not followed, E. Model the behaviors you want to see in

discipline must be administered. However, your school

broadening the range of discipline methods

can help encourage a positive school culture.
 Complimenting kids helps them to feel that
they are cared for individually. Both you and
your staff play a huge part in this aspect of
your school culture.
One way to generate more positive
reinforcement from your staff is to set goals
for the number of compliments each
member has to give during the day or week.
Encourage them to give specific
compliments that highlight what each
individual student has done well.

3. Establish school norms that build

values
Your school and classroom rules should be
clear to all students, and should be well-
regulated.
However, this doesn’t mean that you need to
establish rules for every possible situation.
Instead, create school norms that focus on
building positive values in your class. This
helps kids to learn, not just what they should
1. Create meaningful parent involvement and shouldn’t do, but why they should or
Generating clear, open communication with shouldn’t do it.
the parents of your students can help you
avoid misunderstandings and remove 4. Set consistent discipline
feelings of mistrust or hostility.
When rules are not followed, discipline must
To involve parents in your school culture, be administered. However, broadening the
give them a platform for feedback on range of discipline methods can help
classroom activities or school programs. Ask encourage a positive school culture.
them about their hopes or concerns
Instead of constantly putting out fires, trying
regarding their children’s education. Go
a more proactive approach to discipline.
beyond parent-teacher meetings and
Giving a student detention after bad
organize workshops where teachers and
behavior teaches him that he did something
parents can discuss homework, study skills,
wrong. But giving him a task that helps
and tests.
correct the wrong teaches him what he
should’ve done instead.
2. Celebrate personal achievement and
good behavior
This means more than the occasional “good
job.”
5. Model the behaviors you want to see in
your school
You have a list of qualities and values that
you want to see in your teachers and
students.
But how well do you present those same
aspects of your school culture?
All changes have to start from the top. That
means when you interact with teachers and
students, you need to be an example of the
behavior that you want to see in your school.
https://education.cu-
portland.edu/blog/curriculum-teaching-
strategies/positive-school-culture/
https://www.uvm.edu/~wfox/ClassNorms.h
tml
https://core.ac.uk/dowmnload/pdf/812128
47.pdf
https://www.nde-
ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/e
xploring.php
https://prezi.com/9banberfu49n/12-norms-
of-school-culture/