A positive school culture is paramount to school reform. Peterson defines school culture as "...the set of norms, values and beliefs, rituals and ceremonies, symbols and stories that make up the “persona”of the school." A school is in need of "reform" when there is a disconnect with how its culture correlates with achievement. This brings to light the conversation of a positive school culture.
Schools are because of the need for the masses to be educated. Our society has dictated benchmarks or targets for which the development of the human being should be met. There is also a timeline for which humans are to undergo said development. We are learners by nature, it is the needs of the communities that delegates when we need to learn specific information. In essence, or growth and development is accelerated based on that of the communities of which we live. Our schools are the environments dedicated to guiding and monitoring that controlled development. For the school environment to be successful, a set of norms, values and beliefs, rituals and ceremonies, and symbols need to be established for the masses to follow. Without these things being put in place in a positive manner, there is no controlled or directed order.
Schools cannot be successful without a positive vision, mission, and perspective upon implementation. It is the negativity that has plagued our societies and hindered our increased level of achievement. The development and implementation of positive school reform will allow for positive outcomes. Poor instruction yields poor performance.
Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, said it best...
“First thing is to get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats, then figure out how to drive the bus.”
Collins does make a good point about getting the right people on the bus and into the right seats. What is so interesting is that this quote is often referenced without the last part--"then figure out how to drive the bus." And, isn't that the hard part--knowing what the gears are and when to shift them while keeping your eyes on the road and steering the bus in the right direction. Principals and school leaders need to know how to drive their work and get everyone to the intended goals. It is a special skill set!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, but isn't that one of the skills you look for in an effective leader? How has that individual been successful in driving the organizations or components of an organization for which they were responsible? Too many times leaders accept credit for the work those under them have done. In many cases, it is a core group that may have "held down the fort" because of incompetent or self-centered leadership. That core group is often under appreciated, but continue with what they do because they have that shared vision and know what the light looks like at the end of the tunnel. I definitely agree that it is a rare and special skill set.
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