Building and Maintaining Positive School Culture

https://www.williamdparker.com/2019/03/06/pmp144-building-and-maintaining-positive-school-culture/ PMP:144 Building and Maintaining Positive School Culture Leave a reply Audio Player 08:59 28:39 Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS Cultivating a positive school culture is a lot like tending a garden. Photo by Gabriel Jimenez – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@gabrielj_photography?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit When you have tilled the soil, pulled the weeds, and watered your plants, your work is not finished. You will need to take the same steps again soon in order to keep a healthy environment for growth. School culture requires the same care. In order to build and maintain a positive school culture, you must identify challenges and promote positives. In the book, You’re the Principal, Now What? Strategies and Solutions for New School Leaders, author Jen Schwanke shares three kinds of school cultures to keep in mind: two negatives to combat and one positive to promote: A Culture of Isolation A Culture of Distrust A Culture of Confidence, Understanding, and Teamwork This week, Jen Schwanke joins Principal Matters Podcast to co-host a new series on Strategies and Solutions for New School Leaders. During this episode, we discuss the following strategies: 1. Gauging the past: This includes researching your school’s history and staying impartial when gathering information. 2. Building from the ground up: This requires establishing trust, showing appreciation, staying positive, leading by example, asking the right questions, taking one step at a time, and not expecting perfection. 3. Keeping momentum: Throughout the year, you must relentlessly take stock, be visible, make a goal of “every kid, every teacher, every day”, get personal, and be personable. Let’s Wrap This Up No matter what time of the year, cultivating positive school culture involves promoting work within and outside the classroom, gathering people together, seeking ideas and input from others, building teams, and rewarding evidence of positive culture. As you do the consistent work of building a culture of confidence, understanding, and teamwork, you promote a healthy environment for student growth. Listen-in to this week’s podcast conversation to learn more! Now It’s Your Turn What is one step you can take today to engage “every student and every teacher” in a positive school experience? Whether you increasing visibility or sharing out student happenings on social media, keep cultivating the “good soil” of your school culture this week. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address below, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together!