Dive Brief:
- Nineteen actions result in developing a strong school culture, according to two educators who studied the most common positive behaviors in schools and say research shows that students thrive if they have these types of interactions 75% of the time.
- According to District Administration, the two gathered reports of 152 million acts by students at 645 schools over seven years to develop a list of behaviors they believe should be stressed in positive behavior plans for schools.
- They found that successful schools recorded these behaviors about 40% more often than others, and suggest they can be used for developing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) plans.
Dive Insight:
The two used an application to collect data called Kickboard, which offers a specific function for PBIS management. Researchers at the University of Oregon have also developed an online set of tools for PBIS as have other private companies.
Among the categories of behaviors that had the biggest impact were interpersonal relations, including active listening, cooperation, using appropriate communication, making an insightful comment and collaboration. One education professor thinks schools should make a conscious effort to teach those skills, and let parents know so that it can be supported at home. Pride was also a key component of school culture, and that’s supported by a survey that says principals think such attitudes are important for student achievement.
Resilience and self-reliance are also seen as important characteristics of a good school culture, which schools increasingly address, as were several traits that are part of social and emotional learning, which many educators say should be a goal of schools and will help with student achievement and behavior. Education Week reported recently that principals are not given enough training in building school culture.