Steve Gruenert & Todd Whitaker SCHOOL CULTURE REWIRED: How to Define, Assess, and Transform It
What influences everything at your school? The culture you
allow. That is a bold and mighty
statement, and as a school leader, somewhat alarming. Although it was this
thought that propeled me forward in each of the authors Gruenert & Whitaker
purposeful chapters.
Exactly how does a school leader transform a school culture for
the purpose of equitable student achievement? Gruenert & Whitaker offer
advice first by defining it. "Culture is not a problem that needs to be
solved, but rather a framework that can be used to solve problems" (pg.
6). Chapter two outlines "culture busting strategies" for developing
a positive mindset about the culture and climate you strive to create at your
school.
"If you want to BUST
a culture...."
Ask teachers why they like snow days.
(It's all about the WHY. John Maxwell)
Celebrate Mondays. (Rather than Fridays)
Praise and compliment risk taking. (Take
note.)
Have fun in meetings that aren't suppose
to be fun. (Laugh!)
Ask educators why cultural change takes
so long. (Go slow to go fast.)
Try new teaching strategies. (Think
Hattie and Marzano.)
Visit other effective schools. (What
Works?)
Push the boundaries of culturally
acceptable behaviors. (Good is the Enemy of Great. Jim Collins)
Encourage the development of a subculture
of your most effective teachers. (How we do things around here.)
Ask who will keep us from
improving. (Avoid the blame game.)
Ask people to explain the elephant in
the room. (We have choices.)
Gruenert & Whitaker also provide tools to "start the conversation"
with staff about your school culture. The School Culture Typology Activity will
"reveal their current cultural type" (pg. 66) and it's strengths and
weakness. The School Culture Survey can be used to determine how collaborative
your school culture is. Not just how well teachers work together, but the
"existence of trust, peer observations, a compelling mission, and so on
(pg. 80). There are additional tools that will help your school team "jump
start" and "lead by example" by seeking out the "leverage
points" to transform a culture. "After all, we don't want our schools
just to be different; we want them to be better" (pg. 166).
