This morning the staff discussed elements of school culture. Our grade-level team has been talking a lot about school culture. In many ways, we all agree, but due to our experience, grade-level positions, and specialist perspectives, we all see things a bit differently too. For some points, I became sensitive since I know our team is working deeply on related issues. I suspect the same is true for others too. We're a good sized school with a lot going on at all times, thus both the strength and challenge of coming to consensus with issues related to culture.
While sensitive, I was also listening. I brought the discussion to students as well and listened to them too. There's a fair amount to tease out as we think about what works best for all children and how to coach them forward successfully. I find myself shoring up a lot of protocols and routines to create a developmentally appropriate, standards-based, engaging learning environment for all the children. At times those adjectives complement each other, and at other times words like standards-based and engaging seem to defy each other. With that said, the ultimate goal is to meet the adjectives posed: developmentally appropriate, standards-based, engaging, and I should add respectful and humane too.
We know that schools of old, and still sometimes today, could be cold and impersonal. We know that's not the way students learn. We also know that structure is necessary particularly when you're working with large numbers of students in relatively limited spaces.
I work with a dynamic group of educators.Not one teacher I work with is not invested in doing a great job by students. That's a very positive community to work in, one I continue to growth from and with even when our differences can create challenge and sensitivity. Onward.