How Does Your School's Culture Impact Student Performance? John Nori, Program Development, NASSP norij@nassp.org Patti Kinney, Middle Level Services, NASSP.

How Does Your School's Culture Impact Student

Performance?

John Nori, Program Development, NASSP  norij@nassp.org

Patti Kinney, Middle Level Services, NASSP  kinneyp@nassp.org

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT CHAIN LETTER

Simply send a copy of this letter to six (6) other schools that are tired of their principals.

Then bundle up your principal and send him/her to the school at the top of the list.

In one week you will receive 16,436 principals. One of them should be dandy.

Believe this…one school broke the chain and got its own principal back.

Good Luck!

The WHY of School

Improvement

What is school culture?

““The way we do things The way we do things around here.”around here.”

Audience Poll: Select 3 factors that most impact the culture at

your school? Collaboration Teacher practices Community involvement Demographics Parking Lot Discussions Teaming Budget Organizational structures Staff-Staff relationships Student-Staff relationships The principal Unions

Student performance on state tests

Accountability Requirements Staff and other resource

reductions Staff and student recognition Collegiality School “reputation” Media Relations Contract Negotiations Student behavior Special populations Community’s Socio-Economic

Status

Changing culture is the Changing culture is the only road to significant only road to significant

and lasting school and lasting school improvement.improvement.

“Culture eats strategies for breakfast.”Peter Drucker

Culture, Conversation & Change Culture is the sum of our collective

assumptions which we carry in our minds about ourselves, other people, our craft; every aspect of school life.

These assumptions shape how we act.

They are often untested, unexamined, and unchanging.

Conversation (dialogue) is the only way to disrupt assumptions and bring about change.

Truths Related To Culture Culture is more powerful than any single

individual.

Culture is often invisible, below the conscious level, shaping the way we do things.

Culture, for better or worse, is perpetuated to new members.

Power of School Culture

A sense of community increases student A sense of community increases student performance and engagement.performance and engagement.

A positive culture increases the staff’s A positive culture increases the staff’s sense of efficacy and engagement in sense of efficacy and engagement in teaching & learning.teaching & learning.

~Bill Simmer, Independent School Management~Bill Simmer, Independent School Management

The Layers of CultureObservableObservable

Staff handbook, logo, types of meetings, Staff handbook, logo, types of meetings, grouping of students, daily schedule, grouping of students, daily schedule, celebrations, signs, announcements, public celebrations, signs, announcements, public roles.roles.

Values & BeliefsValues & BeliefsVision, what we believe about teaching, learning, Vision, what we believe about teaching, learning, schooling, education, children and parenting schooling, education, children and parenting expressed in what we say and do.expressed in what we say and do.

Collective AssumptionsCollective AssumptionsTaken for granted understandings about what’s Taken for granted understandings about what’s worth doing; the hidden psychological level. worth doing; the hidden psychological level. *Greatest leverage for change is here*Greatest leverage for change is here

What kind of a culture positively impacts student

performance?A culture that is collaborative, supportive, reflective, creative, and safe…and where every day, teachers and students feel invigorated, challenged, engaged and empowered.

Re-culturingA change in beliefs and a willingness to rethink old beliefs and assumptions that underlie stuck behaviors.

A shift in point of orientation from outward to inward.

The creation of new mental models that serve us better.

Structural Change

≠ Cultural Change

Structural Changes Interdisciplinary TeamsInterdisciplinary Teams Small Learning CommunitiesSmall Learning Communities AdvisoriesAdvisories Flexible SchedulesFlexible Schedules Flexible GroupingFlexible Grouping Ninth-Grade AcademiesNinth-Grade Academies RTIRTI Elementary DepartmentalizationElementary Departmentalization Inclusion ClassesInclusion Classes DetrackingDetracking Common Planning TimeCommon Planning Time Professional Learning CommunitiesProfessional Learning Communities

Common Set of BeliefsCommon Set of Beliefs Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and

GoalsGoals Heightened ExpectationsHeightened Expectations Honest Examination of “reality”Honest Examination of “reality” New Ways of InteractingNew Ways of Interacting

Cultural Changes

Do Teachers:Do Teachers:

•believe in it

•have skills to do it

•have supportive school climate for teaming

•engage in teaming practices

Structural Elements Necessary but not sufficient…

•flexible scheduling

•shared students

•common planning time

•common team areas

Citation: Stevenson, C., & Erb, T. (1998). How implementing Turning Points improves student outcomes. Middle School Journal, 30(10), 51-52.

Example: Effective teams – the proof is in the

doing!

Breaking Ranks: The Comprehensive Framework for

Improving Schools Too often, when implementing improvement initiatives, schools neglect to focus on the importance of altering school culture. This alteration in school culture can allow improvements to take hold, flourish, and be sustained. Changing culture requires more than being the first person with a great idea.

Transformations do not take place until the culture of the school permits it—and no long-term significant change can take place without creating a culture to sustain that change.

The question for education leaders at all levels is this: How can we foster these cultural changes within schools so that we can lead improvement and enhance student learning?

Chapter 1Chapter 1

Breaking Ranks: The Comprehensive Framework for

Improving Schools Too often, when implementing improvement initiatives, schools neglect to focus on the importance of altering school culture. This alteration in school culture can allow improvements to take hold, flourish, and be sustained. Changing culture requires more than being the first person with a great idea.

Transformations do not take place until the culture of the school permits it—and no long-term significant change can take place without creating a culture to sustain that change.

The question for education leaders at all levels is this: How can we foster these cultural changes within schools so that we can lead improvement and enhance student learning?

Chapter 1Chapter 1

The WHAT of School

Improvement

Breaking Ranks: The Comprehensive Framework for School Improvement

1996 2004 2006 2009 2010 2011

The Breaking Ranks Framework

Why does your school need to improve?

What needs to improve?

How do we improve our school?

Who? Do YOU and YOUR TEAM have what it takes to create a culture for change?

The “WHAT” of the Breaking Ranks® Framework

Collaborative Leadership

Personalizing your School Environment

Improved Student

Performance

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Culture

Leadership

Professional Development

Organization

Equity Relationships

Assessment

Instruction

Curriculum

9 recommendations

8 recommendations

12 recommendations

Cornerstones Core Areas Recommendations

Collaborative Leadership

Involve others in the change process through collaboration, review of data, and professional development.

Personalization

♥ Provide opportunities for students to build relationships with adults and peers, and between themselves and what they learn.

Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment

Build relationships between students and ideasRigorous & Essential LearningsStudent-centeredApplied to real worldEngaging

An integrated approach…

Collaborative Leadership

Personalizing your School Environment

Improved Student

Performance

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Culture

Leadership

Professional Development

Organization

Equity Relationships

Assessment

Instruction

Curriculum

9 recommendations

8 recommendations

12 recommendations

The How of School

Improvement

Change

“The only person who likes change is a baby with a wet diaper.” - Mark Twain

The road from “what” to “how”

Collaborative Leadership

Personalizing your school

environment

Improved Student

Performance

Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment

“You have to change quickly enough so that gravity cannot drag you back.”

~ Theodore Sizer

Leading Change

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S IMPORTANT

THEN EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT

IF EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT

THEN YOU TRY TO DO

EVERYTHING

IF YOU TRY TO DO

EVERYTHING

THEN PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO DO

EVERYTHING

AND IN TRYING TO PLEASE

EVERYBODY

THEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO

DETERMINE

WHAT’S IMPORTANT

Arthur Combs Teacher College Record

1978

WHAT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANTIMPORTANT

FORFORYOU?YOU?

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S IMPORTANT

THEN EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT

IF EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT

Audience Poll: Which quote best illustrates an experience you’ve had with change?

When you are through changing, you are through. ~Bruce Barton

If you want to make enemies, try to change something.  ~Woodrow

Wilson

Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.  ~ Irene Peter

In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. ~ Eric Hoffer

This bridge will take you halfway there - the last few steps you will have to take yourself. ~ Shel Silverstein

A Process Circle for Guiding Change

A Process for Leading Change Carefully examine data from a wide variety of sources to

determine priorities Based on the data, explore possible solutions that will

lead to improved student performance Determine what must be in place to implement the

needed changes and build capacity to address these needs

Establish goals for an improvement plan designed to improve student performance and ensure clear communication with all parties

Implement, determine regular check points to monitor progress, collect and analyze additional data, make adjustments

Change

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

- Albert Einstein

The Who of School

Improvement

Undergraduate school Graduate school On the job experience Making mistakes Mentoring program Informal mentoring Professional development Professional organizations Role modeling from others

Audience Poll: Select the experiences that helped you get to be as good as you are.

“10 Skills” is about…

Resolving Complex Problems

Communication Developing Self & Others

Educational Leadership

How do you get to be better?

Build on your strengths – Manage your weaknesses

Lead with your strengths

Descriptors of PracticeBehavioral Indicators

Articulates a vision related to teaching and learning

Articulates high performance expectations for self and others

Encourages improvement in teaching and learning Sets clear measurable objectives Generates enthusiasm toward common goals Seeks to develop alliances outside the school to

support high-quality teaching and learning Acknowledges achievement or accomplishments Seeks commitment to a course of action

How Does Your School's Culture Impact Student Performance?Culture… determines WHY schools need to

continuously improve. determines WHAT needs to change

in each school. determines HOW schools can go

about making changes. determines WHO will be equipped

to make changes.

Why does your school need to improve?

To provide equal opportunity to each student

To hold each student to the same high standards and challenge each one equally

To make learning personal for each student

To enable each teacher to reach each student

To engage each family in meaningful interaction with the school

What does your school need to address?

Collaborative Leadership

Personalizing your School Environment

Improved Student

Performance

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

Culture

Leadership

Professional Development

Organization

Equity Relationships

Assessment

Instruction

Curriculum

9 recommendations

8 recommendations

12 recommendations

How will your school improve?

Who will bring about the improvement?

Available June 2011

www.nassp.org

Contact Information

Patti KinneyMiddle Level Serviceskinneyp@nassp.org1-703-860-7256

John NoriProgram Developmentnorij@nassp.org1-703-860-7263

NASSPwww.nassp.org