Creative Strategies to Transform School Culture

Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Culture and Climate About This Chapter School Climate Versus Culture Rapport, Trust, Climate, Culture, and Their Interrelationship The Importance of Trust Building and Sustaining Organizational Trust Strategies to Build Trust and Impact School Climate Summary 2. Diagnosing the Present Climate and Culture of Your School About This Chapter Informal Diagnostic Strategies Formal or Structured Diagnostic Instruments Planning Templates Summary 3. Building the Foundation for Success About This Chapter Working With the Office Staff Strategy: Planning and Developing an Effective Office Staff Creating a Positive Physical Environment for Staff Strategy: Through These Doors Welcoming Staff Back to School Activity: Getting to Know Your Teachers and Staff Activity: Welcome Back Barbeque Refreshments for Staff Business Cards for Staff Name Plates for Teachers Positive Message First Day Survival Kit Ice Cream Social Event Breakfast for Staff Wrapping Up the Classroom Book Fair Gifts Summary 4. Building an Emotional Base for Your Climate and Culture Improvements About This Chapter Activity: Measuring Their Impact Activity: I Remember When... Activity: Descriptive Footwear Activity: The Boot Award Activity: Jack-O-Lanterns Activity: Block of Support Activity: Artifact Introductions Activity: The Thank You Blitz Activity: Candle Ceremony Activity: Bag of Positive Phrases Activity: Spread the Word Activity: Reward With a Smile Activity: A Novel Staff Activity: Floating or Traveling Trophy Activity: Jelly Bean Questions Activity: Snowball Fight Summary 5. Staff Meeting Starters to Build Culture Activity: Good News Activity: Human Bingo Activity: Who's Connected Activity: My Piece of the Pie Activity: I'm a Card Summary 6. Activities to Couple With Tasks and Decisions About This Chapter Activity: Future Set Activity: Carouseling Strategy: Leafing Out With Goal Attainment Activity: Comparison Diagram Activity: Buy What Is Most Important Activity: It's a Star Activity: Criteria Rating Activity: Progressive Problem Solving Activity: From My Perspective Activity: Ripple Effects Activity: Small Group Ripple Effects Activity: Sticky Note Ripple Effects Activity: Ripple Effects Contest Activity: Carousel Ripple Effects Summary 7. Building a Sense of Team About This Chapter Interdependence, Community, and Their Impact on School Climate and Culture Activity: Toxic Waste Transfer Activity: Figure It Out Activity: Communication Problems Activity: All Tied Up Activity: Passing the Hoop Activity: Building a Poker Hand Activity: Hula Hoop Relays Activity: Circle of Support Activity: Rising Tower Activity: It Takes a Village Summary 8. We're Not Getting Along; Now What? About This Chapter The Nature of Conflict Activity: Pack Up Your Baggage Activity: Parking Lot Meeting Activity: Transfer the Anger Activity: Ashes to Ashes Activity: Go to Your Corners Activity: Corner on Perspectives Activity: Victory Laps Activity: Half-Full or Half-Empty Activity: Compare our Perspectives Activity: Peeling the Onion Mediating Between Conflicting Parties Productive Influence of Conflict on a Team Conflict and Chaos Summary 9. Celebrating Your Success About This Chapter Strategy: Planning the Celebration at the Start of the Initiative Activity: High Fives Activity: Banana Splits Activity: Gallery Walk Strategy: Trophy Case Displays Strategy: Get Out of Duty Cards Strategy: Success Thermometer Summary 10. Supporting Climate and Cultural Change as a Leader About This Chapter Step 1: Understand Your Strengths, Weaknesses, and Inhibitions Step 2: Build a Seedbed Step 3: Plant the Seeds Step 4: Nurture Them, Watch Them Grow Step 5: Pull the Weeds Step 6: Harvest the Crop Summary References Index