Be the Change You Want to See in an Unhealthy School Culture

By Dana Garth, Elementary School Teacher

A school culture and climate can be palpable to anyone as soon as they walk into the building. A positive or negative atmosphere can be seen and felt by all. It is how administrators, teachers, staff, and students work together. It is their shared values, beliefs, and behaviors. If you are fortunate enough to be a part of a school environment that is healthy and positive, never take it for granted. It is not by chance. A healthy school culture is created, and it usually begins with those at the top.

Unfortunately, many teachers and staff members enter into an unhealthy school culture. Some choose to leave a school, but a lot cannot relocate due to various reasons. How can you not only survive but thrive in an unhealthy school culture?

Offer Solutions

Have you ever sat in a meeting and as people voice their thoughts, all that is heard are complaints? They are quite often valid complaints and problems that could arise, but nothing is offered on how to fix those very problems. So what happens? Time runs out and there are now new problems without any solutions to the old or new ones that have arisen. This creates a negative view of the initiatives going on at school. A suggestion would be to try to create and offer solutions rather than more problems. That simple shift can indeed create a momentum of change. When a group is focused on fixing, then all are moving in the right direction.

For example, a team of teachers ran into the problem of the schedule for intervention time with students. The plan was to have small groups of students be with a different teacher to receive instruction. If a teacher was unavailable, this intervention time was often canceled. This created a problem, but rather than complaining amongst themselves, the team thought of a solution together. Why not include a teacher who wasn’t so often pulled for other duties? This was brought to the appropriate administrator, all parties then agreed, and the problem was solved. On the contrary, had it simply ended with the team complaining, that negative energy would have continued, and the students would have been the ones at a disadvantage. I encourage you to be honest with yourself. Do you bring up more solutions or complaints? If it is the latter, I challenge you to change your thinking because it can influence the entire culture of your school for the better.

Change the Conversation

When there is gossip among colleagues, it is not usually uplifting. It can drag the mood down and become a spiral of negativity that is not beneficial to anyone. Gossip can create division in a school, contributing to an unhealthy school culture. When you notice others, or even yourself, begin to talk badly about a colleague, try changing the conversation. It doesn’t have to be obvious, but over time, the point can be made clear that gossip is not welcome. Also, when changing the conversation, a light-hearted joke can go a long way. Ignoring comments can be another choice, but when someone is gossiping, saying nothing can signal that it is OK to do. American broadcast journalist Barbara Walters once said regarding gossip, “You’re never just a spectator: Unless you put a stop to it, you’re a participant.” Being a positive source is something we should all strive for. It’s contagious!

Truly Listen

I think all educators (and people, in general) like to be heard. When you voice your opinion and/or concern, but it is left on deaf ears, it can be very discouraging. It can feel as if your thoughts, or you, do not matter. As the golden rule states, treat others the way you want to be treated. If a staff member brings up a concern or suggestion, honestly take it into consideration; even if your initial reaction is to disagree. Take a moment to remove yourself from the situation. Think of it from their point of view, as we so often teach our students. More often than not, there is a valid reason why our colleagues bring something to our attention. So truly listen without judgment. You would like the same to be done to you.

Dana Garth is an elementary ELA educator, mentor to new teachers, educational podcast host for “The Teacher’s Lounge with The Beachy Educator” and edtech enthusiast. She has a passion for creating engaging and rigorous learning tools through the use of technology. She also loves teaching others about and implementing social and emotional learning lessons in and out of the classroom for better communities.

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