The impact of school culture on students:
Contributed by Srividya, Chaitrra
“Claiming a school is inclusive doesn’t make it so”, says Angela Ward, the supervisor of race and equity programs in the Austin Independent School district. Building environment where everyone feels valued and supported takes a commitment to challenging, thoughtful work, she believes. The school is built not just with brick and mortar but with people who are part of that ecosystem – management, staff, students and parents. As much as a school’s success is measured in terms of examination results, it makes more meaning to measure the school also in terms of the culture it propagates and how it values each of its stakeholders.
Over the last two months, at AAIS we had many of our alumni visit us. There were interesting conversations happening between the (graduate) students and our staff. Over lunch, some of the staff members were discussing what made these alumnae come back to not just get done with a mandatory (social media driven) alma mater visit, but specifically, make time with the teachers to share their college (life!) experiences. A simple message came out of these discussions. ‘It is because of who we are.’ Pondering on this, we realised that at AAIS, we listen, we care, we show respect, we provide a platform for expression. This is the very fabric of how we work at AAIS – with a certain sense of openness, integrity and respect.
Srividya, a parent remarks, ‘All of us are conditioned by a variety of environmental factors and so are students whose immediate environment is the school. Every school has a culture which is the set of beliefs, values and attitudes followed by the school, the relationship between the teachers and students which help in shaping the child.’
Two vital points stand out when it comes to fostering a positive school culture. A hospitable environment that appreciates diversity and a shared belief in mutual-respect, responsibility, integrity and self-esteem.
In an era of globalization, learning to appreciate diversity is a key ingredient to building responsible citizens of tomorrow. ‘The IB curriculum naturally lends itself to this by emphasising on attitude development and international mindedness, says Latha, IB-PYP Coordinator at AAIS. Chiatrra, another parent, adds ‘School is the place which helps them, anchor, to follow a set of positive and universal values which go a long way in shaping their personality into adulthood. It is important for the educator to understand each student and their ability. This will definitely have a positive impact on the child.’
Encouraging even small achievements, participation in class and other activities, providing opportunities to learn, building on individual strength of students’, builds self-confidence and responsibility in students. A positive environment make the students feel at ease and secure. Over time students and teachers develop a healthy relationship built on mutual respect and openness.
‘Here (at AAIS) I see a school where the teacher knows the names of each and every student. They greet them by their names every morning and that is welcoming, comments another parent.
Establishing a positive school culture starts with understanding and commitment from every stakeholder. Mission and vision provide the guidance. An organizational structure which is purposeful but not centralised allow shared responsibility and co-operation amongst all. When each individual in the eco-system starts to become conscious of the values that are instilled in them, then the fabric becomes very strong and a routine matter. Chaitrra adds, “Personally, I see <my son> has gained from the self-introspective (Learner Profile – being reflective) method. i.e when he does something inappropriate, he tries to reason out and correct himself. This, he has learned in the school which helps us shape him better at home.”
It takes time, consistency and effort from both parents and teachers to instil and build these characteristics, traits, attitudes, behaviours.
“When my elder son was nearly one and a half years old, he could read all the words, solve jumbles. As I wanted the school to have a positive impact on his development, I put him in a school after considering many factors. But he was not at all happy going there. So after a lot of deliberation, we opted for homeschooling. He blossomed. But, after a few years of homeschooling we found the right school in Akshar Arbol”, says Srividya with a satisfactory smile.
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