Janice A.

Libato BEED 2-A

Activity/Performance Task

Task: Conduct a Case Study on School Culture

Direction:
1. Read/review on how to conduct a case study.
2. Identify a school that you are familiar of.
3. Based on the chapter, identify the areas of school culture to focus your case study.
4. Prepare the data/information that you will need in your case study.
5. Gather the information/data needed using various methods of data collection. Properly
document (pictures/video/audio record/write up) your whole preparation and conduct.
3. Analyze and interpret the data/information you gathered.
4. Present and/or submit your output to the class.

Introduction

School cultures are unique and distinctive. They are created and re-created by
people considered members of a context; i.e., teachers, students, parents, and communities,
among many others. Deal and Peterson (1999) defined that school cultures as a collection
of “traditions and rituals that have been built up over time as teachers, students, parents,
and administrators work together and deal with crises and accomplishments” (p. 4).
School cultures are influential. They shape and re-shape what people do, think, and
feel (Beaudoin & Taylor, 2004; Cooper, 1988; Craig, 2009; Deal & Peterson, 1999, 2009;
Guise, 2009; Hongboontri, 2003; Hongboontri & Chaokongjakra, 2011; Jurasaite-Harbinson
& Rex, 2010; Kleinsasser, 1993, 2013; Lieberman, 1988, 1990; Maslowski, 2001;
McLaughlin, 1993; Muhammad, 2009; Rosenholtz, 1991; Sato & Kleinsasser, 2004; Schien,
2010).
School culture factors have not been widely appointed as one of the determining
factors, including in efforts to improve school quality. This is as confirmed by Olim (2007)
stating that cultural research in studying educational problems is still lacking because
educational problems are seen as an area of educational psychology, with a focus on
classroom environments such as didactic and methodical.
School culture is one of determinants to the success of educational process
implementation in schools. Good school culture is expected to succeed in improving the
education quality, which has academic and affective values. Hasnun (2010) stated that the
failure of the principal in managing the school due to failure in school culture management.
Santri (2016) explained the positive school culture can provide opportunities for ideas that
are can improve teacher performance and help the creation of quality schools. Every school
resident must be able to adjust on the existing school culture. With the development of a
good school culture can foster a spirit that will be able to improve teacher performance in
running its duty, so that it can improve quality the school.
School culture is a factor that affects the improvement of school quality can even
give influence on improving the schools’ level. Therefore, schools need to build the school
culture earnestly in order to improved school quality. Without strong, positive, and
conducive school culture, thus school quality improvement becomes less effective. The
result of Maryamah's research (2016) concluded that the development of a strong,
intimate, conducive, and responsible school culture Benefits: (1) Ensures a better quality of
work. (2) Open the entire network communication of all types and levels both vertical and
horizontal communication. (3) More open and transparent. (4) Creating togetherness and a
high sense of belonging. (5) Increase solidarity and sense of kinship. (6) If found an error
will be can be fixed immediately. (7) Can adapt well to the development of science and
technology. School residents have the responsibility of maintaining a good and school
culture acceptable. School residents play a role in developing and realizing culture effective
school.

Background of the Study

The curious and almost ephemeral, though influential phenomenon which

nowadays is called school culture, has been contemplated in education science and
schooling since long2. As Walter wrote in 1932: “Schools have a culture that is definitely
their own. There are, in the school, complex rituals of personal relationships, a set of
folkways, mores, and irrational sanctions, a moral code based upon them. There are games,
which are sublimated wars, teams, and an elaborate set of ceremonies concerning them.
There are traditions, and
traditionalists waging their world-old battle against innovators” (after Deal, Peterson,
1999,
p. 2). Nevertheless, school culture had long remained neglected by researchers in
education,
some systematic exploration having only started in the last decades.
Today, school culture is examined from miscellaneous viewpoints, using diverse
methods, and following various intentions. The educational research of school culture is
inspired by many disciplines. As an example, management is a field in which many relevant
questions are analyzed, such as how the culture unites people within an institution, how a
head-teacher can influence the culture, and which tools he/she owns to do so.
Anthropologists use culture concepts accentuating linguistic codes and the implementation
of school culture elements within particular ethnic groups, in the context of a wider society.
Sociologists explore the social structure of culture, the variety of culture forms, and the role
of culture in conflicts. The educational research of school culture points out the values
which
uphold individual and collective (organizational) behavior (Berg, 2000; Deal, Peterson,
1990; and others).
The variety of options of school culture exploration make the topic nearly
inexhaustible. The following review can therefore hardly be complete. The criterion of us
classification has been the purpose for which the studies were prepared and performed.
Such
purposes, it seems, may be classified into six categories, as listed below. Though before this
classification is presented, a brief history of the examination of school culture should be
mentioned, and the limits of the empirical approach to this phenomenon indicated.

The Importance of a Positive School Culture

School culture and school climate are intangible, but essential elements within a
school environment. These terms are frequently used interchangeably and school culture
and school climate will be defined, with school culture being the adopted term throughout
this paper. Climate is more relational; it is illustrated by the attitudes and behaviors of the
school staff and is focused on the style of the school’s organizational system. Whereas,
culture is a deeper level of reflection of shared values, beliefs, and traditions between staff
members. School leaders play a vital role in developing and enhancing the school culture.
Positive school cultures provide a safe, supportive, encouraging, inviting, and challenging
environment for students and staff, which in turn allows students’ academic achievement
to evolve. Interventions and strategies for creating a positive school culture will be
recognized and discussed. This paper will supply an overview of characteristics that make
up a positive school culture as well as a toxic school culture, will discuss the importance of
school leaders, and will examine strategies and interventions for creating a positive school
culture. This paper will also discuss an Adlerian perspective on school culture and review
implications for school counselors. Tons of research in the education field points to an
important fact – no sustainable improvement in student results and gaps in achievement
can be filled until the school leaders, teachers work on strong norms of behavior. School
culture has been defined in many ways but we are focusing here on how the adults – the
school leaders – behave in a school setting. What practices they follow, how they interact
with each other, what values inform their behavior, how do the leaders model their
behavior – these become the main guiding force in the school’s capacity to learn, improve,
design its long-term vision and mission and impact the various stakeholders from the
students to the parents.
What is school culture and how does it impact on learning?

A school that is able to develop and maintain a positive shared culture knows what
aspects of the culture are important in developing an effective learning environment;
it consciously transmits these values to its students. Through collective awareness and
action, culture can be used positively in order to enhance student learning and
achievement, whether through small actions such as celebrating achievements in public
events, or to more large-scale projects such as developing democratic processes for
teachers, students and other stakeholders to contribute to curriculum reform.

While it appears to be constant, culture is a dynamic space that is influenced by

laws, policies and changes of leadership. It therefore requires school leaders to be aware of
what influences or changes aspects of the school culture, whether deliberately or not, and
ensuring that the culture for learning and achievement are never put at risk. Research
demonstrates that school leaders have a critical role in ensuring that the culture supports
student achievement (MacNeil et al., 2009). But – as identified by Bulach (2001) – a leader
must identify a school’s existing culture before attempting to change it.

A positive school culture can be defined broadly to include (Character Education

Partnership, 2010):

 social climate, including a safe and caring environment in which all students feel
welcomed and valued, and have a sense of ownership of their school; this helps
students in their moral development
 intellectual climate, in which all students in every classroom are supported and
challenged to do their very best and achieve work of quality; this includes a rich,
rigorous and engaging curriculum, and a powerful pedagogy for teaching it
 rules and policies that hold all school members accountable to high standards of
learning and behavior
 traditions and routines built from shared values that honor and reinforce the
school’s academic and social standards
 structures for giving staff and students a voice in, and shared responsibility for,
solving problems and making decisions that affect the school environment and their
common life
 ways of effectively working with parents to support students’ learning and
character growth
 norms for relationships and behaviors that create a professional culture of
excellence and ethical practice.

Activity/Performance Rubric

Criteria Rating Scale Remarks

1 2 3 4
(10%) Appropriateness and completeness of the areas
of school culture to focus the case study

(20%) Appropriateness and logicality of data/

information to be included in the case study
(25%) Appropriateness of the methods used and
proper documentation in the data collection
(30%) Comprehensiveness and logicality of analysis
and interpretation
(15%) Quality of delivering/presenting the output to
the class
Total Rating
 Learning Check

Answer the following vividly and substantially.

1. Define and explain the concepts of

-school culture,
-school climate
2. Enumerate and briefly explain the different leadership styles in managing schools.
3. Explain the role of the principal in various aspects of school.
4. Explain the importance of school culture for instructional leadership
5. Identify and discuss the basic types of school culture and its impact on school effectiveness
6. Relate the school culture and its relationship with teacher leadership
7. Explain school culture in relation to school performance

Answer:

1. School culture can be defined as the guiding beliefs and values evident in the way a
school cooperates. It can be used to encompass all the attitudes, expected behaviors
and values impact how the school operates, while the School climate refers to the
quality and character of school life. it is based on patterns of students, parents and
school personnel’s experience of school life and reflect norms, goals, values and etc.

2. A transactional leadership style, is a style of leadership in which leaders promote

compliance by followers through both rewards and punishments. Through a
rewards and punishments system, transactional leaders are able to keep followers
motivated for the short-term. An autocratic leadership style, is a management
style wherein one-person controls all the decisions and takes very little inputs from
other group members. Autocratic leaders make choices or decisions based on their
own beliefs and do not involve others for their suggestion or advice. A democratic
leadership style, is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a
more participative role in the decision-making process. Group members are
encouraged to share ideas and opinions, even though the leader retains the final say
over decisions. A driving leadership style, Drivers are decisive, enthusiastic and
prefer to be in control. They like quick action, using the information that is
 immediately available. They speak forcefully and prefer discussing things
verbally. Drivers require a leader's complete attention and leaders need to listen to
the driver's thoughts and ideas.

3. Principal is the manager at school, they were responsible for everything like
financial operations, building maintenance, student scheduling and other overall
school matters. They are the one who oversee all higher-level operations in a school.
They are the one who create a safe learning environment and set performance goals
both for students and teachers and oversee the process so that those goals are
attained.

4. When there are cultures that are more positive, teacher performance will be better
which will ultimately lead to improve student performances.

5. The “forward-moving school culture”, is characterized by clear values and beliefs

that the various stakeholders use to guide decision-making. This school culture is
healthy because it can lead into a successful one. The “wandering school culture”, is
the culture with innovation, but without sustaining the innovation. Members have
difficulty maintaining the energy from what they learn through the process of
innovation.

6. Sheppard, Hurley and Dibbon (2010), in their study stated that teachers tended to
improve morale and motivation through school culture that encourages the
development of teacher’s leadership. The study of Kabler (2013) found that school
culture has a significant relationship with teacher relationship.

7. Improvements in student achievement will happen in schools with positive and

professional cultures that reflect a positive school climate, strong school cultures
have better motivated teachers, highly motivated teachers have greater success in
terms of student performance and student outcomes.
 Self-Reflection

From the Chapter, I learned that school culture is important, because it gives huge impact
in every schools, as well as on teachers and students. It is because, when school culture is
strong, teachers and students have a greater incentive to strive for their maximum
potential. This is because their satisfaction, morale, and fulfillment all grow as school
culture blossoms. We all know that schools must create a positive climate and culture to
improve learning opportunities for students. It gives benefits in every schools. The
benefits of positive school culture include highly engaged students and staff, fewer
disciplinary actions, improved attendance and increase in level of student’s
performances.

To further my learning, I will, study more about it, on how to effectively apply it, in every
schools. Of course, read and research something more to enhance and developed your
knowledge about this school culture. Lastly, interview some professionals to know more
about on how it is done. By their guidance, we will be able to know more about the
environment of it, and by that you can give some knowledge to effectively apply it in our
schools.