The Nature & Importance of Positive School Climate

1. The Nature & Importance of Positive School Climate Jonathan P. Rasbach

2. Why We’re Doing It • SJHS teachers overwhelmingly viewed improving school climate as an essential goal for our building. • We felt that a positive school climate—a learning community that was inviting, empowering, and inclusive—was key to student achievement and success. • We understood that creating/maintaining a positive school climate would require concerted effort, particularly as SJHS students became increasingly “diverse.”

3. What Research Says • We were right: There’s a strong correlation between positive perceptions of school climate & student achievement. • Though different researchers have used different terminology to describe the attributes of school climate, fundamental agreement exists among experts regarding the substance of positive school climate…

4. School Climate Research - 1 Figure 1: Lewis et al., Schaps & Lewis, Halawah compared to CSSE “School Climate Summary”

5. School Climate Research - 2 Figure 2: Laursen’s “Seven Habits of Culture Building” (extended) arranged according to Figure 1.

6. What Is Positive School Climate? Erik Laursen’s “Seven Habits of Culture Building” • C—Core Values • U—Use of Symbols, Architecture, and Artifacts • L—Language Shared by All • T—Traditions, Rituals and Ceremonies • U—Universal Design • R—Roles and Responsibilities • E—Evidence-Based Practices Laursen, Erik K. "Respectful Alliances: Rather Than Just Managing Surface Behavior, Positive Peer Culture Transforms Climate." Reclaiming Children and Youth: Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Problems XVII, no. 1 (Spring 2008): 4-13.

7. C—Core Values Laursen’s “Core Values” parallel (Lewis et al., 1996)’s “Attention to social and ethical dimensions of learning,” (Schaps & Lewis, 1998)’s “Deep regard for self and others…Personal commitment to justice and caring…[and] Civil and considerate interactions with others,” and (Halawah, 2005)’s “Student Behavioral Values.” According to Laursen, the knowledge/dispositions/skills that are the “Core Values” are generically defined as “Positive relationships and enduring connections… Strengths and challenges… Change is the only permanent thing… Caring and helping… [and] Cultural and linguistic competence” (Laursen, 5-6). These all are different ways of expressing the MDE “Core Democratic Values” that form the basis of good citizenship. What they mean are respect for the LIFE, LIBERTY, and property of self and others; dedication to the COMMON GOOD, JUSTICE, and EQUALITY; and “communicat[ing] a celebration of DIVERSITY and an awareness and respect of the values, beliefs, traditions, customs, [etc]…of other people” (Laursen, 6). The first part of creating a positive school climate is teaching and practicing good citizenship. At the very least, the CDV’s need to be taught across the curriculum. “Teaching,” though, must be meaningfully integrated and involve far more than recall of the names and meanings of our Core Democratic Values.

8. The Basis of Responsible Citizenship Core Democratic Values

9. Life • CDV: “The individual’s right to life should be considered inviolable except in certain highly restricted and extreme circumstances, such as use of deadly force to protect one’s own life or the lives of others” (MDE). • Essence: Sanctity/Protection of One’s Physical Person • Application: • School/Local—e.g., “Zero Tolerance” Bullying Policy, • State/National—e.g., debating bioethical issues (abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning, etc.) in science, • World/Global—e.g., debating militarism/interventionism, WMDs, “collateral damage,” China’s one-child policy, the 2nd Amendment &c

10. Liberty / Pursuit of Happiness • CDV: “The right to liberty is considered an unalterable aspect of the human conditions…[and] includes personal freedom…political freedom…and economic freedom. / As long as you don't interfere with others you have the right to seek happiness in your own way” (MDE). • Essence:Individual Voice & Choice, Mutual Respect • Application: • School/Local—e.g., give students bigger say in school policy (survey), • State/National—e.g., do current events on Friday, register senior students to vote, • World/Global—e.g., study human rights abuses, past and present, and have students compose newsmagazine reports or Op-Ed pieces,

11. Common Good • CDV:“The commitment and motivation [of individual citizens]…to promote the welfare of the community and to work together with other members for the greater benefit of all” (MDE). • Essence:Cooperation & Generosity • Application: • School/Local—e.g., community service opportunities/requirements, • State/National—e.g., educate students about poverty; debate solutions to social/economic disparities (welfare, affirmative action), • World/Global—e.g., discuss global warming and environmental stewardship, emphasize Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

12. Justice / Equality • CDV:The fair treatment of people “in the distribution of the benefits and burdens of society, the correction of wrongs and injuries, and in the gathering of information and making decisions.” / Everyone has the right to the same treatment regardless of race, sex, religion, heritage, or economic status. • Essence:Fairness & Impartiality, Nondiscriminatory Rules • Application: • School/Local—e.g., develop a Student Court, • State/National—e.g., examine the social/economic disparities between B.H. and St. Joe; investigate the 2003 “Race Riots,” • World/Global—e.g., include Cry, the Beloved Country (about Apartheid in South Africa) and/or other civil rights books in ELA

13. Diversity • CDV:“Variety in culture and ethnic background, race, lifestyle, and belief is not only permissible but desirable and beneficial in a pluralist society” (MDE). • Essence:Informed, Empathetic Knowing of “Others” & Incorporating “Other” Perspectives into the Broader Understanding of a Community • Application: • School/Local—e.g., more world languages; multicultural studies; inviting students, parents, and community members to share their cultural artifacts (including Western/European culture, not just Eastern/non-European culture) in class; hiring (recruiting?) persons of color for administration, faculty, and staff, • State/National—e.g., develop comprehensive units on America’s Civil Rights Movement; develop lessons in non-Social Studies areas to incorporate the contributions of minorities to the disciplines; move beyond tokenism with regard to Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, • World/Global—e.g., partnering with “sister schools” in foreign countries

14. Racial Identity & Social Equity It is very important that each of us understands his or her “roots”—i.e., where he or she “came from.” It’s imperative that we, as teachers, do as much as we can to educate ourselves in the heritage of each of our students and to help them embrace the shared ideals that make us Americans while helping them to hold onto the cultural distinctives that make them unique. Diversity strengthens America…

15. Truth • CDV:“[The people] should expect and demand that the government not lie to them; and the government should disclose information to the people. The government and its people should not lie.” (MDE). • Essence:Transparency, Honesty, and Openness • Application: • School/Local—e.g., consider “family time” once every 1-2 weeks, host student/community forums where questions to the teachers, administrators, and school board will be answered, etc. • State/National—e.g., get news from a wide variety of sources/perspectives; vote liars out of office, impeach the president ;) • World/Global—[this is impossible to enforce/achieve…]

16. Popular Sovereignty • CDV:“The citizenry is collectively the sovereign of the state and holds ultimate authority over public officials and their policies” (MDE). • Essence: Accountability of public servants (including teachers) to the people… • Application: • School/Local—e.g., > community involvement in policymaking; better reporting by teachers to parents concerning their work as educators, • State/National—e.g., as voters, we need to be more active in educational policy decisions—we can’t keep letting politicians and standardized testing companies control education and work against the best interests of our students • World/Global—e.g., debate warrantless wiretapping, security vs. privacy, internationalism vs. nationalism, states’ rights ,etc.,

17. Patriotism • CDV:“Virtuous citizens display a devotion to their country, including devotion to the fundamental values and principles upon which it depends. They should exhibit a reasoned commitment to the core democratic values in their words and deeds” (MDE). • Essence:Pride in belonging to something bigger than you! • Application: • School/Local—e.g., involvement in athletics, fine arts, clubs &c • State/National—e.g., Jr. ROTC

18. U—Use Symbols, Architecture, Artifacts • “The places youth gather and interact with one another and with adults have a powerful impact. The environment affects the sense of security as well as emotions and it sends messages about what is important” (Laursen, 7). • Moreover, “Adults who are committed to creating respectful places for youth think purposefully about the symbols in the organization. Examples may include t-shirts designed by youth, the display of student artwork on the walls, posters or paintings illustrating the organization’s values, [etc.]” (ibid). • Creating a physically and aesthetically inviting place and giving students choice in the look/feel/arrangement of some of as many places in the school as possible improves “school climate” and enhances student learning. • “Core values” should be displayed, along with student work—especially applications of civic virtues from the local school room to the wide world.

19. L—Language Shared By All • Physical safety in the learning environment is, of course, a basic need of both students and staff. Safety encompasses respectful and inclusive speech, though, too—not just cracking down on weapons, drugs, and physical assaults. • “Words have the power to include and exclude” (Laursen, 7)—a truth known all too well by administrators, students, and staff, but far too infrequently addressed. • Teachers and administrators must be examples in their speech, as well as their actions, in leading an educational institution that features a positive climate. • Finding a vocabulary that is inclusive and empowering, positive and unifying—this is the meaning of “Language shared by all.”

20. T—Traditions, Rituals, Ceremonies • Rites of induction into the school community are hugely important for incoming students (and staff). • Rituals must welcome newcomers and communicate the values/traditions of the community into which they are being inducted. • Ceremonies to recognize student growth and rites of passage affirm both progress and belonging in the community.

21. U—Universal Design • The subjective sense of inclusion in the learning community rests on an accurate consideration of student “strengths and challenges” and an effective implementation of accommodations (where needed) to ensure that learning situations are equally accessible to all students. This is “Universal Design.” • An accessible and inclusive learning environment is led by staff who function as “designers, stewards, and teachers…responsible for building organizations where people continually expand their capabilities to understand complexity, clarify vision, and improve shared mental models about life and the future” (Laursen, 8). • Laursen continues, “With the caring and emotional support given by others, youth acquire the belief that their lives have meaning and that they are in control of their own fate” (ibid).

22. R—Roles and Responsibilities “Roles and responsibilities” is about getting every student “plugged in” to both the school and the larger community. It is about having a significant place in something that is larger than oneself. It is about belonging with a purpose. Responsibilities can be developed through various roles students take on in the classroom and the community. “[C]ommunity service and debates enhance the learning environment by providing students opportunities to actively participate in the learning process and construct their own knowledge of social and government systems (Torney-Purta, 2002; Youniss et al., 2002)” (CSEE “Summary,” 2). Service and volunteerism, which apply and reinforce commitment to the COMMON GOOD (CDV) are integral to role and responsibility development. This much overlooked component of a holistic educational program becomes indispensible in the quest to educate and develop the whole child. “Helping the community”—either in school or (more specifically) outside of school—“also promotes students’ self-worth, develops higher order thinking skills, and provides authentic learning experiences. Most importantly, students begin to think of someone besides themselves” (Laursen, 8).

23. E—Evidence-Based Practice • Curriculum and instructional decision-making must be based on research; they must be data-driven; they must be “Evidence-based” practices. • There has to be strong evidence—as there is linking the importance of school climate and the dimensions that engender positive school climate—undergirding our practice. • We must constantly collect data, self-assess, and modify our practice, bringing it into conformity with “best practice,” recognizing that “change is the only permanent thing” and that we’ve got to adapt and evolve if we hope to reach every child.