School Improvement for All. Sarah Schuhl

a change in working conditions. So I had to stop tutoring even if it was on my own time and exactly what my students needed. This is a hard place to work because of the negative people who are in control of everything! Some people thrive on negative power and a constant attempt to stir up negative feelings. No one is really here for the students.

      6. Negative stories become reality: In our school we never celebrate the good things that teachers do. It would be great if someone appreciated all of our hard work. When we do try to celebrate individual teacher accomplishments, teachers are usually embarrassed by it. No one wants to be singled out in front of the entire school. Those who are not recognized are resentful and talk about it afterward. Now we only celebrate personal events like weddings, the birth of babies and grandchildren, anniversaries, and so on. Social interactions among the staff are nonexistent. Even when we try to do something together, almost no one shows up. Instead, teachers meet in their small private groups to talk about poor student performance, parent apathy, and the lack of district support.

      Each of these scenarios shows a toxic culture—cultures that are difficult to change. Terrence E. Deal and Kent D. Peterson (2016) note, “When a school is mired in a noxious past and dysfunctional present it is hard to envision a more promising future” (p. 190).

      In contrast, a healthy culture is a school in which educators have an unwavering belief in the ability of all students to achieve success, and they pass that belief on to others in overt and covert ways (Muhammad, 2009). Their actions support the belief that all students can learn at high levels. The entire school staff takes collective ownership of the ability of all students to successfully learn at high levels. Educators create policies and procedures and adopt practices that support their belief in these abilities.

      We base the healthy culture we describe on the findings of the effective schools research of Ron Edmonds, Larry Lezotte, Wilbur Brookover, Michael Rutter, and others, who have discovered that all students can learn and schools control the factors that ensure students master the core curriculum (Lezotte & Snyder, 2011). Teachers in a healthy culture know that they possess both the skill and the will to make a difference for the students they serve (Muhammad & Hollie, 2011). They seek out the tools they need to increase student success. Teachers understand that they cannot do this alone, so they work collaboratively with others to accomplish their goal of universal student achievement.

      Robert J. Marzano (2003) concludes, “An analysis of research conducted over a thirty-five-year period demonstrates that schools that are highly effective produce results that almost entirely overcome the effects of student backgrounds” (p. 7). Teachers and administrators have within their control the ability to ensure all students learn at high levels. Their efforts are more powerful than the obstacles of poverty or learning in a second language. Despite the fact that students come to school with differing levels of prior knowledge, preparation, and support at home, educators can still influence them to ensure high levels of learning for all. In a healthy culture, teachers believe they are making a difference in the learning and lives of their students.

Start Now

      To move from a toxic or negative culture to a healthy culture requires a shift in mindset for the staff. The movement from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset transforms the culture and breathes new life into a school (Dweck, 2006). We can demonstrate the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset with this simple question that any teacher may ask his or her students: “Mary scored 100 percent on her paper. Why do you think she scored 100 percent?” Too often, the students’ response is predictable: because she is smart. This implies that Mary is smart but others may not be. This also indicates that there is just so much smart to go around and some people get it while others are not as fortunate. A fixed mindset says that no matter how much effort and preparation a student puts forth, the outcome will not change.