October, 2009

Seminar to Address Building a School Climate and Culture that Promotes Student Achievement

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The MSU Good Schools Resource Center has scheduled its first seminar of the new school year for Thursday, November 19 from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm. The focus of the program will be on identifying ways to improve your school’s culture to support student achievement. This topic was rated as high priority on a Needs Survey completed by Detroit principals last Spring.

Both Good Schools and Good Neighborhood schools principals will receive an invitation by email along with an RSVP form to return to the MSU Good Schools Resource Center. 

The seminar presenter will be Diane Jackson, Director of Program Development for the Michigan Principals Fellowship, part of Michigan’s Statewide System of Support for high priority schools.  Dr. Jackson brings to the program a wealth of experience in urban education through her work as a program supervisor and peer coach with Detroit Public Schools and as a national trainer for education and human services organizations with the Efficacy Institute.

For resources, tools and readings pertaining to building a collaborative and positive school culture that supports student achievement, visit the MSU Good Schools website http://msugoodschoolsdetroit  and click on the tab labeled School Culture.

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MSU Good Schools Resource Center Website

In April, the Good Schools Resource Center launched its interactive website, www.msugoodschoolsdetroit.org. The website includes materials from the professional development seminars and the application and proposal writing workshops, including video and PowerPoint files in multiple formats.  You will find links to Good Schools partner organizations and many tools, resources and materials focused on the Good Schools Indicators.

This fall, the website will include opportunities for Good Schools’ educators to interact in on-line professional learning communities.

Look for Snippets in Your Email

"Snippets" is a weekly publication of the MSU Good Schools Resource Center (MSU GSRC).  The purpose of the communication is to provide MSU GSRC news and
information and links to practical tools and resources for implementing the Good Schools Indicators of Success.  Please share/forward these weekly mini-newsletters with others in your school community.

2009 Good Schools Guide Available

The 2009 Good Schools Guide, which features stories about innovative new high schools in the Cody/Rouge and Osborn neighborhoods, a middle school’s emphasis on science and math, and full reports on 76 Detroit Good Schools is now available. It’s full of essential information for Detroit families.  Click on the links below to download the Good School Guide, or request a copy from the Skillman Foundation by calling 313-393-1185

2009 Good Schools Guide, part one
2009 Good Schools Guide, part two
2009 Good Schools Guide, part three

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Resources for Building a Collaborative School Community
and Positive School Climate

The following is a collection of resources that addresses how schools can build a collaborative and positive school culture. Click on the links to the web resources described below to find practical tools and resources you can begin using today. 

According to Good Schools Indicator number 7, the culture of a Good School can be described as follows:

 (Note: school culture and school climate are often used interchangeably)

Positive School Climate Toolkit (Minneapolis Public Schools)

The foundation for a positive school climate rests on the integration of academic and behavior approaches that address the student as a whole person:

• Instructional practices teach to the standards and are culturally relevant.
• Curriculum and instruction engages students by providing personal meaning for them.
• Behavior is approached positively, with an emphasis on prevention.
• There are clear, positive expectations and behavior supports to increase academic achievement.
• There are systems in place to assure that continuums of strategies are used to match the need of the students.
• Adults have high expectations and team effectively with colleagues to help students achieve at their maximum level.
• The environment welcomes and values all cultural and racial groups, and staff view difference as a strength upon which to build.

This tool kit addresses all of these elements and provides tools that school leaders can implement today. It reflects the work of the Minneapolis Public Schools Positive School Climate Team (PSCT).

Developing a Positive School Climate(Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement)

Creating a positive school climate takes the work and commitment of the entire school community. Using survey data as well as detailed, disaggregated discipline and attendance records can help hone in on issues.  This newsletter provides concise information and examples for developing a positive school climate and links to several surveys for collecting data on school climate issues.

Building Collaborative Cultures:  Seeking Ways to Reshape Urban Schools (NCREL)
Transforming urban schools entails many issues and possible approaches. One approach that stands out is the attempt by teachers and administrators to develop a more collaborative culture in the urban school. The intended result is a supportive, professional culture that promotes the continuous renewal of instructional methods and curricular offerings in an atmosphere of collegiality, trust, and shared mission, serving all of the students in the school.
This monograph examines the variety of cultures that exist among schools, how collegial relationships function in successful collaborative school cultures, how these relationships develop, and how they can be nurtured. It suggests ways to read, shape, and reinforce collegiality, teachers' sense of efficacy, and collaboration.

Guide to Collaborative Culture and Shared Leadership (Turning Points)

Turning Points is a national design for middle school change coordinated by the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston. Turning Points schools create a new culture built around the collaboration of all members of the school community.  This guide explains the rationale for developing a collaborative culture and for creating shared leadership, decision making, and effective teacher teams. It explains the components and skills needed for team members to be successful when they work together on the challenges facing their school. The Appendix to the Guide includes tools, protocols, and exercises that can be used to develop a collaborative culture and shared leadership.

School Culture Triage Survey (Education World)

What kind of culture pervades your school? Do staff members feel like a family? Or is it like a factory or a Little Shop of Horrors? One way to assess school culture, and then strive to improve it, is through the Center for Improving School Culture's triage survey.

Assessing Your School’s Culture (ASSIST Beginning Teachers Website)

While this survey was developed to assess a school’s culture for the purposes of developing strong new teacher induction programs, it is very comprehensive and will produce data for building a positive, collaborative school culture in general.

Center for Improving School Culture

The Center for Improving School Culture was developed as a resource to help learning communities assess, analyze and improve their culture. It offers an assortment of professional development programs for building a positive and collaborative school culture for individual schools.

School Culture:  The Hidden Curriculum(Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement)

ISSUE BRIEF:  As educators come under greater pressure to achieve much better and more equitable student outcomes, they will need to leverage every tool available to them, including organizational culture. Of course, no one suggests that changing culture is simple, easy, or quick. As Michael Fullan puts it, “Reculturing is a contact sport that involves hard, labor-intensive work.”26 But it is a sport that must be played more aggressively if our schools are to achieve the kinds of results we now expect of them. The first step is to help educators recognize that having a strong, positive culture means much more than just safety and order.

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Tools for Teachers

Tending to Spirit/Culture(MDE MI-Map – see section 3)
A step-by-step guide to building relationships and creating a positive classroom environment

Forming relationships with students(ASSIST Beginning Teachers Website)

A teacher attains moral influence with diverse students by building relationships with them in various ways. Use this chart to track your use of the strategies listed over a day or a week's time.

Building relationships among students (ASSIST Beginning Teachers Website)

A teacher gets students to support the learning work of the class partly by building relationships among them. Use this chart to track your use of behaviors that support the development of camaraderie.

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Contact Information

MSU GOOD SCHOOLS
RESOURCE CENTER
(313) 309-1686
Fax: (313) 309-1676

Shirley Jackson, Co-Director
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Gloria Waters, Co-Director
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Geraldine Harris
Administrative Assistant
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