The learning environment is made richer through collaboration, community, collegiality, celebration and recognition. Schools and districts that have demonstrated the greatest improvement in student outcomes are characterized by deep collaboration between administrators and teachers.
Clifford Geertz (1973), a noted anthropologist, defines culture as a “historically transmitted pattern of meaning.”
Understanding a people’s culture exposes their normalness without reducing their particularity…It renders them accessible.”
Clifford Geertz
Recognizing and honoring culture in a school environment goes beyond the business of creating an efficient learning environment. It focuses more on the core values necessary to teach and influence young minds.
It is important to note that this course does not deal in-depth with cultural diversity in the school community. That is found in the ASAP course module Diversity. This course module digs deeper into how to access and assess a school’s culture, reduce isolation of teachers, build collaboration and shape the culture of success.