Socio-economic Factors, School culture and professional environment.
What
is School Climate? It is very
important and is unique to every school. It is the way it "feels"
when you walk in through the gate, do you feel welcomed? does it feel happy? Is
it safe? It's about relationships you have with the students, co-workers and
family. It is also about the teaching and learning within the school.
A
sustainable, positive school climate is about having values and
expectations that support people's feelings; so that they feel socially,
emotionally and physically safe. At our school our values are Aroha-love and
respect for ourselves and others, Toa ki te Takaro-Playing nicely, Tangatanga
te Reo-Speaking Maori, Ngakau Mahaki-Having a good heart and being humble,
Hinengaro Koi-Using our mind -and Puku mahi-working hard.
and doing
your best. The schools Climate is focused on having people that are engaged and
respected, where students, families and educators work together to develop,
live and contribute to a shared school vision. It is when each person
contributes to the operations of the school and the care of the physical
environment.
Freiburg (2005) States
"School climate is much like the air we breathe— it tends to go unnoticed
until something is seriously wrong". The school I work at, has a welcoming
whanau/student culture as that is our main focus and what we regard as the most
important framework for keeping a school together.
Stoll (1998) states that
"Culture is the “glue” that holds everyone together, and can be seen
as a positive development force".
What is School Culture? It is what encompasses all the attitudes, expected behaviours and values that impact how the school operates.
Schein (1985) considers the basic essence of an organisation’s culture to be, “the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation, that operate unconsciously, and that define in a basic ‘taken-for-granted’ fashion an organisation’s view of itself and its environment”.
Te
Kotahitanga and Te Aho Matua are two examples of how our School uses a
framework to respond to cultural awareness. Our School is a Kura Kaupapa and
these two documents are what set our school apart from others. We have 100%
Maori students who attend from all over the district from as far as Waihau Bay
to Ruatoria on the East Coast of New Zealand. We have a roll of 147 students
which range from the ages of 2-18 years.
According to Stoll (1998) "A school's
culture is shaped by its history, context and the people in it. The school's
age can impact on cultural change"
Our school has a lot of history. It was originally a
mainstream school until it was closed by the Ministry back in 2001, I went to
this school, my Dad and grandmother as well. So, as a teacher now I see
how the culture of the school has changed in that time, a lot different to what
I remember it was, as I was seeing it through the eyes of a student.
The professional environment of the school is
welcoming, busy and positive. There is evidence of collegiality and a
wide-spread sense of shared moral support and collective duty to upholding our
culture for the benefit of ourselves, students and their achievement.
Our
school has a unique culture where the real essence of each person’s individual
contribution is heard, seen and felt.
References
Stoll, L. (1998) School Cuture. School of improvement Network's bulletin, No. 9, Autumn.
Freiberg, H. Jerome. School Climate : Measuring, Improving and Sustaining Healthy Learning Environments. London, US: Routledge, 2005. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 2 February 2017.
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