Every school has a culture. It is not something that is planned and defined in some document or during some meetings. It is a slow process that develops under the influence of hundreds of small incidents that occur daily – in classrooms, halls, in the manner in which the leader deals with certain issues, and in the manner in which people interact with each other, even without being observed.
The central figure in every incident is the principal. The principal role in school culture is something special compared to all other positions in the school building. Every word, action, and value of the leader (consciously or unconsciously chosen by them) becomes an example for all others to follow. If the leader is friendly and consistent in his/her decisions, then such is the school. If he/she is distant and unpredictable, so is the entire school.
This blog is dedicated to all principals and school leaders who want to build their culture consciously. Because positive school culture is not something that occurs spontaneously – it is created intentionally, step-by-step, by the leader himself/herself.
What a Principal Actually Controls in School Culture
Many of these administrators have the mindset that culture exists outside themselves, not as something they can shape. Budget is out of their control. Test scores depend on things outside of their control. Not culture, however. This is something that an administrator comes into contact with every day through their own personal choices.
How principals improve school culture comes down to this: how they greet the teachers each morning, how they deal with conflict between two teachers, how they react when a student makes a mistake, and how they choose to honor hard work even when the result wasn’t successful. All of these instances convey a message to everyone within the school about the value system present in the building.
This is both a huge burden and a privilege all at once. Because it means that whatever challenges are presented at a particular school, the principal will always have the ability to influence the culture of the school and make it a better place.
Why Positive School Culture Cannot Be an Afterthought
Many leaders in schools consider the idea of school culture to be secondary to all other considerations. In this way, leaders look at the idea of positive school culture as a concept that should only be considered after everything else is taken care of. However, this approach is incorrect. Positive school culture should not be seen as a result of good school leadership but rather as a foundation for good school leadership.
If there is no positive school culture in place, then even the best educational programs implemented in a school will function suboptimally. Educators will implement plans and strategies without actually being involved. Students will follow orders but won’t be engaged in activities.
Improving school climate should not be seen as a one-time project. It should be a never-ending process that affects any decision-making process a principal participates in, whether it concerns hiring, hallway conversations, or communication of bad news. If a principal understands that, he or she will stop looking at culture as one of the many priorities in their work.
Principal Leadership Responsibilities That Shape School Culture Daily
Being Visible and Present Throughout the Building
One of the most significant impacts that a principal may have on school culture does not cost anything, nor does it need to be planned out – the simple act of showing up and making oneself visible during the course of the school day. Walk through the halls, enter classrooms, join students in the cafeteria, and greet all those coming through the door in the morning.
The message sent by these acts of visibility is an important one to every individual in the building – I am here, I care, and I am watching. This feeling of having someone there and caring about what is going on is one of the essential components of a positive school culture, and begins with a principal showing up outside of his/her office.
Modeling the Values the School Claims to Hold
Often, schools hang posters of values on their walls: respect, responsibility, growth, and community. However, values on posters do not mean anything if the school leader does not exemplify them. Principal leadership responsibilities involve modeling the same behavior and attitude that they require from other members of the organization.
If a principal needs patience from his teachers for dealing with troubled kids, he should also be patient with his troubled teachers. And if he expects students to own their mistakes, then he should also demonstrate this attitude by owning his own mistakes. Remember, culture is caught and not taught, and what the principal demonstrates is the implicit curriculum of the whole school.
Creating Space for Honest Voices
The term positive school culture refers to a culture where individuals can speak up freely because they have the assurance that no punishment will befall them for speaking their mind; a teacher is able to voice out an issue without fear of any repercussions, and a student can ask questions without feeling insignificant. Creating that kind of openness is a direct principal leadership responsibility.
This involves making an effort to get feedback, not in any performative manner, but in a sincere follow-up kind of approach. This entails having discussions that are not related to evaluation. It involves receiving honest feedback in a curious manner, not a defensive one. People will be more invested in their work at school once they know they are heard by the leader.
School Culture Leadership Strategies That Make a Real Difference
Start With Small Consistent Actions
One of the most underrated school culture leadership strategies is the power of small, consistent actions done with real intention over time. The culture doesn’t change based on one great announcement or one influential staff meeting. The culture changes when the leader appears the same way – dependable, loving, and purposeful – every single day until dependability defines the culture.
Do one or two things in a consistent manner. Greet every staff member by name every morning. Send one authentic appreciation email to a teacher every week. Commend student accomplishments in public in a meaningful way. These seem insignificant individually, but over time, they completely redefine the feel of the organization.
Address Problems Early and Honestly
There is nothing that can harm the culture of the school more quickly than problems that everyone knows about but no one ever mentions. By ignoring staff conflict, ignoring poor behavior, and putting off tough discussions, leadership sends the clear message that they are not up to the challenge.
Culture transformation in schools requires a principal who deals with problems directly, fairly, and without letting things fester. But not ruthlessly, no, brutally. The sooner a leader can identify what isn’t working, the sooner he builds credibility with the team that is watching to see if anyone steps up to the plate. It’s that simple.
Celebrate What You Want to See More Of
The celebration choice made by a principal conveys to the entire school community what is really important here. When only good grades are celebrated, teachers understand that good grades are all that matter. When only impeccable behavior receives recognition, students know that mistakes make them invisible.
Positive school culture examples from schools that have genuinely transformed show a common pattern. It is leaders who appreciate the aspects of growth, effort, innovation, and kindness in addition to success. When a principal makes an effort to recognize the efforts of a teacher who did something differently, or recognizes a student for coming to school despite having had a tough week, he or she sends a message that this institution values the whole individual.
How Principals Can Improve School Climate Step by Step
Improving school climate does not require a complete overhaul of everything at once. Sure enough, those schools that have made notable progress have done so by focusing on a few critical areas and executing them successfully first. This is where you must begin as a principal who wishes to develop his/her school’s culture:
- Walking through all parts of the building daily and forming a habit of making a human connection
- Holding short monthly listening sessions when staff can speak honestly about everything without having any preconceived agenda
- Creating a single school-wide tradition that fosters unity and a sense of belonging
- Praising at least one staff member and one student weekly for some particular achievement
- Reviewing your approach to discipline in the school and asking yourself whether it helps develop people or merely manages them
This list is far from sophisticated. However, it makes a huge difference in terms of transforming the inner life of the school when done consistently and with dedication.
Dr. Eugene Wallace School Culture Insights Leadership Wisdom Worth Learning From
For any principal who wants to go deeper into what it truly takes to build and sustain a positive school culture, the writings of Dr. Eugene Wallace are some of the most pragmatic pieces of literature that can be found today. Dr. Eugene Wallace has been working with school leaders in actual settings for years now, and he understands what he talks about, having had first-hand experiences.
In his book The Ripple Effect of School Culture, he explains in no uncertain terms how decisions made by principals will create ripples through the whole school environment. It doesn’t matter if it is how the principal reacts when dealing with staff or if it is about celebrating the achievements of students.
What makes Dr. Eugene Wallace’s school culture insights stand apart is how human and accessible they feel. He writes and speaks for real school leaders who are doing hard, meaningful work in communities that need them. His guidance on educational leadership best practices, improving school climate, and culture transformation in schools is not built on ideals; it is built on what actually works when a leader shows up with honesty, purpose, and a genuine heart for the people they serve.
Conclusion
A positive school culture is the greatest gift a principal can give to their school community. The environment will inform every teacher that their efforts are noticed and appreciated. The environment will inform every student that they are wanted here, and we have confidence in them. It is an inheritance that will last beyond any specific initiative, policy, or test score.
The principal role in school culture is both a privilege and a responsibility. No other individual within the organization can offer the extent of reach, impact, and daily potential to create change that would make a difference in how the community experiences its school. This is the power of love, patience, and fortitude to continue doing better every single day, despite obstacles.
If you are ready to make a change within your organization and move towards creating a better culture within your school, consider Dr. Eugene Wallace’s school culture insights for a unique insight into building a strong community at your school. If you are ready to make that next step and see positive changes, contact Dr. Eugene Wallace to build the school community you’ve always wanted.
FAQs
1. What is the principal role in school culture, and why is it so important?
The principal role in school culture is central because a principal’s daily actions, the style of communication, and visible values are the key elements that determine the behavior of every individual within that building. If the school principal exhibits a consistent and caring approach, it has a domino effect on everyone in the school premises, classrooms, hallways, and outcomes for students.
2. How do principals improve school culture in a practical and lasting way?
How principals improve school culture comes down to consistent, Intentional behaviors, including visibility in the building, honest listening to the staff, keeping one’s promises, appreciating success instead of perfection, and dealing with issues early, before they become bigger. It is the consistent practice of such behavior that forms a basis for the change of culture.
3. What are some real positive school culture examples that other leaders can learn from?
Real positive school culture examples include schools where teachers feel genuinely valued and regularly consulted on decisions, where effort is recognized along with achievement, where there is openness to conflict and resolution, and where the principal is always present in and part of the school community. These are not ideal schools; rather, these are schools whose leaders are open and deliberate each and every day.
4. What does improving school climate actually look like in day-to-day leadership?
Improving school climate in daily leadership looks like greeting staff warmly every morning, holding listening sessions, giving public recognition to people who have made certain contributions, dealing with conflict and tension in a fair manner, and establishing common traditions that make one feel part of the community at the school.
5. Where can principals find trusted educational leadership best practices for building school culture?
An excellent and pragmatic beginning would be Dr. Eugene Wallace’s book entitled The Ripple Effect of School Culture. It is an extremely candid book, full of best practices in education leadership and techniques for leaders of school cultures that will help principals build relationships and develop a positive school culture.
