Inquiry
I Wonder
My first “I wonder” had to do with integrating middle school students who are living in working-class, low-income, or poverty into a school that is mostly comprised of students from affluent families. My question stems from observations. At my school, many students seem to come from money and privilege. Three of the four feeder elementary schools would be considered to be located in higher-middle-income and upper-income neighborhoods. The fourth school would be considered more lower-income, with about 45% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. It would also have more students who identify as non-white.
Therefore, about three-fourths of the students live in big houses, their parents drive high-end cars, they wear all the “right” clothes, and have all the latest gadgets. It also seems to be important to excel at extracurricular activities. Many students travel extensively to participate in dance, cheerleading, soccer, wrestling, basketball, baseball, and swimming. These same students seem to have hours of practice or after-school commitments. Students attend professional camps during the summer and school year. It is rare for a student who doesn’t participate in a sport beyond the school season actually to make the school team. I also perceive my school as more focused on achievements in sports than academic achievements. But maybe that is just me transitioning from elementary school to middle school. The administration of our district's elementary schools is very focused on Reading and Math test scores and academic achievement.
Prior to teaching here, I taught at the “fourth” elementary that happens to be a feeder school into my now middle school. The year I transitioned with my 5th graders to 6th grade at the middle school, I felt strongly that there was a noticeable difference between “my” kids and the other kids. I was shocked by how many students from the other schools stopped at the end of class to thank me for the lesson or emailed me directly with a question or concern. These students interacted with adults and other students with different social skill sets. They seemed more able to communicate and connect with their teachers. Let’s be honest, teachers are people, and no matter how hard we try, we are going to respond differently to students interacting with us in a pleasing manner. I am not saying that we are not working hard to build relationships with students that don’t have those skills.
Not all of the fourth school’s kids stuck out, but many did. Even after 4 years, I can look at the incoming 6th graders and identify which ones are coming from that school. They have a different set of social skills, a different level of parental involvement, families have different priorities, and more are behind academically. This does not mean that school is not doing their jobs. I was there, I worked my butt off, and my team worked their butts off. We did all the right things, differentiated instruction, had a strong PLC, evaluated the data, then taught and retaught or enriched. We did as much of the science and social studies as we could squeeze in with interventions and reteaching. But many of those students are coming to middle school with less background knowledge and less academic support. I am not blaming that school’s teachers or families. I am wondering how we can do a better job of transitioning students into a very large middle school that has a high number of students from wealthier, highly-educated professional families and very little ethnic diversity,
These students seem to have a different level of social skills than their less affluent peers. It is my perception that students coming from a home where the family is just getting by or in poverty do not approach adult relationships with the same set of social skills. I am not really sure how to put what I mean into words. Some students seem to perceive adults as the enemy, someone who is just trying to make their life miserable, instead of someone who is trying to teach and help them achieve.
Besides their interactions with their teachers, I notice many seem to cling to their peer group from elementary school. (Again, I don’t have quantitative data to back up my claims.) I do not know if students from the other three schools do the same. Do more of those students already know each other from other activities, sports, or church? Is it natural for most students to maintain their friend groups from elementary and their neighborhood? I am guessing some of it is human nature. My adult friend group is based on common interests, but I rarely hang out with people with different lifestyles. So expecting kids to do that in middle school seems a little ridiculous.
I recently came across an article that helped me better understand what I am talking about. The article, Teachable Moments of Privilege by Elaine Radmer in Faculty Focus’s Special Report: You Belong Here Making Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion a Mission in the Classroom. Radmer compares going to a school where everyone looks and acts like you to an adult driving a familiar route in a familiar city. When you drive a familiar route, even during heavy traffic, you know how to navigate and get where you want to go the fastest possible way. If you are driving somewhere that is unfamiliar to you, you slow down, you don’t know when you need to switch lanes or turn off. You don’t have “insider” knowledge. This idea is giving me a lot to think about. I think our students coming from less affluence and privilege do not have the “insider knowledge” to fit into the social and even academic culture at our school. Part of that “insider knowledge” would be academic vocabulary. I wonder how many of these students qualify for Enriched or Advanced classes? I am guessing more of them are placed in remediation or intervention classes. At the middle school, standards-based testing places you in advanced or remedial math and reading. If you are placed in remedial or intervention reading or math, you lose your one elective class in 6th grade. This opens up a whole other can of worms.
In February, the district looked at changing the boundaries to deal with overcrowding. The new boundaries would have created even a smaller group of students from a less privileged lifestyle attending my middle school. At that point, I became overwhelmed by the idea of being able to do anything to make a difference, and researching this topic proved to be a challenge. I was unable to find data about schools with similar demographics. It is very possible that I wasn’t looking in the right places or using the correct search phrases.
A large amount of data I found was focused on the success of underprivileged students who choose to go to affluent neighborhood schools. Many places seem to have charter schools or lottery systems to integrate students into these high-performing schools. And, in my opinion, there lies the difference, our students do not have a choice. We have thrown a small population of low-income students into a huge middle school (800 plus students), with most of their peers coming from very different situations. At this point in my inquiry, I felt hopeless. I felt like it would just be easier to ask for a transfer to another school than to try to address any issues at my current school. Maybe I just didn’t fit in either.
After a while, I came to the conclusion that my focus needed to change. That is when I started looking at school climate and school culture. We often lump those two terms together. Further research shows them to be two different concepts. One article summarizes them as “Culture is comprised of the values and norms of the school while climate is viewed as behavior.” (“Climate vs. Culture in Schools | Indiana K-12 Professional Development”)
Now I am wondering: What is our school culture? What do students and teachers believe to be our values or norms? How do our students feel about our school? How can we improve that culture to meet the needs of all students? I do not have any specific data to support my perception of how our students feel about our school. Do I need data? Shouldn’t I be able to define both our school culture and school climate because I am a member of the school community? Is this really an issue I could tackle on my own? Of course, not. What I can do is learn more about this issue and share that with team members.
While continuing my research into school culture, I read Leah Shafer’s research article in Usable Knowledge: Research for Today’s Educator (Harvard Graduate School of Education) (“Building a Strong School Culture”). Her sixth bullet point grabbed my attention. She states that one of the ways to build a strong school culture is to restructure social networks. First, you need to figure out what group is being isolated or excluded. Then you need to figure out ways to encourage positive interactions. This feels like something I might be able to tackle. But first, who is our excluded group? Is it the students living in poverty? Is it the small population of students who are not white? It’s probably both. Do either of these groups feel like they are seen? Do they see themselves in our displays or posters? Do they notice? Do they care?
Our school is named for a gentleman who survived the Bataan Death March and years as a prisoner of war. He was an accomplished artist and an outstanding member of our community. Most of our school is decorated with images related to his accomplishments. As I walk around the school, I see very few images portraying women or people of color as role models. This was another area I attempted to research. Again I found it extremely challenging to find the information I was looking for. I wanted a piece of research that said that students who see images of positive role models that look like them are more likely to feel connected to their school and believe that they can also be successful.
In the past, the Montana Office of Public Instruction created Honor posters featuring members of Montana tribes in contemporary settings as role models. I was hoping I could find research or data they used to create this project, but at this point, I have not. I also found a couple of articles in the Great Falls Tribune about a similar poster project in their schools. I have not been able to find any data to show if either project has been successful. This leads me to the question, Does hanging up a poster without any connection or tie to the students make a difference? I know that research shows that when students and teachers “share the pen” to create anchor posters for their classroom, students are more likely to refer to those posters. I would assume this would also be true for images they see in the hallway. The more a student can connect to an image, the more likely it will have a positive impact. There is a commercial on our local television station that states that children who live in homes with family portraits are more likely to be successful. Wouldn’t this same concept carry over to the school setting? Wouldn’t students who see images of people who look like them or people they know have a greater positive impact?
I hope to continue my research in this area. I would like to write a grant to create a “Heros in Our Hallways” project. My idea for this project would be to get a group of students from different backgrounds and cultures, maybe through the All Nations Club, to research and design inspirational posters for our hallways. Ideally, these posters would feature more contemporary images of successful people representing our entire student body. Just that statement leads me to the question, What is success? I would say that success is also defined by a person's culture, values, and beliefs. The project's goal would be to bring a sense of community to our school.
I feel I have made very little progress toward answering any of these questions. I seem to just have more and more “I wonders.”
I do have a whole list of articles and books I need to read. A colleague recommended The Culture Code: The Secret to Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle. In this book, Coyle examines a variety of highly effective groups and what are the key components to their success. I also want to read, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: and Other Conversations about Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum. I think it would be a good time to revisit Ruby Payne’s work, A Framework for Understanding Poverty.
I continue to feel overwhelmed by all my “I wonders” and not finding the answers I want. But I feel blessed to be part of this project. I am hopeful that I will be able to create a product that is useful to my whole school community.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/choosing-culturally-responsive-images-connect-students/
Aguirre, Lidia. “Choosing Culturally Responsive Images to Connect with Students.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 14 Oct. 2020, www.edutopia.org/article/choosing-culturally-responsive-images-connect-students/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
Quick Notes:
culturally responsive teaching (CRT), you know the importance of creating a culturally rich classroom environment
inventory of what I had been using in terms of imagery
Dr. Linda Lucey. “How to Act for Impact in Your School or District: 10 Ways to Inspire Change.” Hmhco.com, 27 Feb. 2019, www.hmhco.com/blog/how-to-act-for-impact-in-your-school-district. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
Friedman, Jordan. “Defining Equity vs. Equality in Education.” Hmhco.com, 15 Nov. 2018, www.hmhco.com/blog/defining-equity-in-your-school-district. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
Burgard, Karen, et al. Using Photographs to Create Culturally Relevant Classrooms: People of San Antonio, Texas, in the 1930s. 2021.(saved to desktop)
Teacher Blog: https://customteachingsolutions.com/why-create-a-culturally-responsive-classroom/
Faculty Focus. “Teaching for Change through Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity.” Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning, 8 July 2021, www.facultyfocus.com/articles/equality-inclusion-and-diversity/teaching-for-change-through-equity-inclusion-and-diversity/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
Spicer, Enya, and Nora Mabie. “Student Representation: The Impact of Minority Leaders in Great Falls Public Schools.” Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls Tribune, 7 Nov. 2019, www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2019/11/07/impact-minority-leaders-great-falls-public-schools/4116600002/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
Mabie, Nora. “Changing the Narrative: Indigenous Students from Great Falls Honored in Poster Series.” Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls Tribune, 5 May 2020, www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2020/05/05/montana-great-falls-indigenous-students-honored-indian-education-all/3042273001/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2023.
Creating Cultural Responsive School Climate
What is the definition of school culture?
Gordana S. “The Importance of School Culture: Why Positive School Culture Is Essential | UnifyHighSchools.” Unify High School, 29 July 2020, unifyhighschool.org/importance-of-school-culture/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2023.
*School culture is a broad and nearly-impossible-to-define term. Generally speaking, it entails the school’s norms, traditions, rituals, and values. It is inextricably linked to the relationships that exist among the staff members and between teachers and students. It also encompasses the attitudes and involvement of all stakeholders in the school and how aligned they are with its vision and mission.
The staff, the students, and the local community have to understand what the school’s mission is and how it plays into achieving the school’s vision.
UCDS Communication. “Five Characteristics of Effective School Culture - UCDS.” UCDS, 18 Sept. 2019, www.ucds.org/five-characteristics-of-effective-school-culture/#:~:text=A%20school’s%20culture%20is%20made,key%20to%20a%20healthy%20culture. Accessed 4 Apr. 2023.
Culture isn’t dictated by one person, it’s created by a community.
School leaders who seek out every opportunity to stretch the skills, goals, and strengths of their community – students, teachers and parents alike – display a commitment to a healthy, nurturing environment.
Part 1:
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/18/07/what-makes-good-school-culture
“What Makes a Good School Culture?” Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2018, www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/18/07/what-makes-good-school-culture. Accessed 29 Apr. 2023.
Culture is shaped by five interwoven elements, each of which principals have the power to influence:
Fundamental beliefs and assumptions, or the things that people at your school consider to be true. For example: “All students have the potential to succeed,” or “Teaching is a team sport.”
Shared values, or the judgments people at your school make about those belief and assumptions — whether they are right or wrong, good or bad, just or unjust. For example: “It’s wrong that some of our kindergarteners may not receive the same opportunity to graduate from a four-year college,” or “The right thing is for our teachers to be collaborating with colleagues every step of the way.”
Norms, or how members believe they should act and behave, or what they think is expected of them. For example: “We should talk often and early to parents of young students about what it will take for their children to attend college.” “We all should be present and engaged at our weekly grade-level meetings.”
Patterns and behaviors, or the way people actually act and behave in your school. For example: There are regularly-scheduled parent engagement nights around college; there is active participation at weekly team curriculum meetings. (But in a weak culture, these patterns and behaviors can be different than the norms.)
Tangible evidence, or the physical, visual, auditory, or other sensory signs that demonstrate the behaviors of the people in your school. For example: Prominently displayed posters showcasing the district’s college enrollment, or a full parking lot an hour before school begins on the mornings when curriculum teams meet.
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/18/09/building-strong-school-culture
“Building a Strong School Culture.” Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2018, www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/18/09/building-strong-school-culture. Accessed 4 Apr. 2023.
Six Steps to Shaping a School’s Culture
Look in the mirror. The leader is the main role model for an organization. Everything a leader does — her statements and philosophy, reactions to key events, energy and interaction style — influences culture in a powerful way. If you want a collaborative staff, ask colleagues for advice early and often. If you want teachers to hold students to high expectations, reaffirm your own belief not only in young people but also in your staff.
Select staff wisely. The teachers and administrators you hire will enter your school with their own beliefs about education and expectations about what it will be like to work at your school. When hiring and mentoring, ask questions that help reveal whether those beliefs and expectations align with the ones you want your school community to hold. Those beliefs and norms will only grow stronger in a tight-knit community.
Teach what you’d like to see. Create formal trainings and space for honest conversation about the attitudes, norms, and practices that are core to being a member of your school community. Use those trainings and other professional development to model the beliefs and behaviors you desire. Offer rewards (praise, written notes, community celebrations) for students and staff when they demonstrate those behaviors.
Broadcast your vision. Every formal communication you have with your community should reflect and reinforce the culture. In every memo to staff, letter to parents, or address to students, make sure to:
highlight the future and what your school has the potential to achieve;
use data and facts to reduce ambiguity about your vision;
appeal to people’s emotions, values, and the deeper needs that motivate them;
stay positive, grateful, and idealistic, which is an important counterweight to any negative messages students or staff might receive;
use collective statements (“we are,” “we will”) to increase a feeling of belonging and collective identity.
Make your vision tangible. Mottos, symbolic objects, special traditions, and the design of physical space can all help reinforce your cultural vision, especially when the meaning of these tangible artifacts is consistently communicated. For example, regular celebrations of student and staff success is a reminder of what’s important. It also inspires continued commitment to shared values.
Restructure social networks. Culture is spread through connections. So figure out which people or groups are isolated from the community and figure out how to encourage greater interaction with others who are committed to the school culture. This way, everyone – not only you – helps your positive message spread more quickly and clearly.
“Climate vs. Culture in Schools | Indiana K-12 Professional Development.” Indiana K-12 Professional Development | Partners in Educational Leadership, June 2017, incompassinged.com/2017/06/01/climate-and-culture-in-schools-from-toxic-to-positive/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2023.
https://incompassinged.com/2017/06/01/climate-and-culture-in-schools-from-toxic-to-positive/
Schools that promote high academic standards, leadership, and cooperation provide a climate conducive to student achievement and success. In a positive school culture, a caring atmosphere exists, and teachers have a sense of responsibility for student learning. Administrators and staff believe in their ability to achieve their goals.
⚙️ K. Busch Portfolio Letter MIT23.pdf