Jon Saphier and Matthew King assert that school improvement emerges from the strengthening of teachers’ skills, the systematic renovation of curriculum, the improvement of the organization, and the involvement of parents and citizens in responsible school-community partnerships, and that school culture is the foundation for each and can either strengthen or undermine these actions. The authors suggest twelve norms of cultural norms that affect school improvement:
- Collegiality
- Experimentation
- High expectations
- Trust and confidence
- Tangible support
- Reaching out to the knowledge bases
- Appreciation and recognition
- Caring, celebration, and humor
- Involvement in decision making
- Protection of what’s important
- Traditions
- Honest, open communication
Authors: Jon Saphier and Matthew King
