Building an Intentional School Culture

Excellence in Academics and Character
Charles F. Elbot - Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO
David Fulton - Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO
Building an Intentional School Culture
October 2007 | 160 pages | Corwin
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ISBN: 9781452294346
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781412953788
Available from January 0001

Description

"Charles Elbot and David Fulton get it! They get how dominant a force a school's culture is in assisting—or thwarting—the development of learning and character and how extraordinarily difficult it is to make changes. Unlike most of us, they also get how possible it is to build a desirable school culture. This tidy little volume is the authors' first step in sharing their inventive 'lesson plans' from their successful work as school culture builders. When we take these lessons learned to heart, we too will get it!"
—Roland Barth, Professor Emeritus, Graduate School of Education
Harvard University

Transform your school by shaping a culture based on shared values, beliefs, and behaviors.

Based on lessons learned from the authors' work in improving school culture for more than sixty schools across the country, this inspiring guide for school leaders helps create an "intentional school culture" that fosters excellence, builds character, and improves student achievement. The book provides tools, case studies, strategies, and implementation plans for building a strong school culture and offers guidelines for teacher trainings, principal workshops, staff meetings, and district-level use. The authors demonstrate how to:

  • Support students' independent and interdependent thinking and behavior
  • Foster ethical decision making
  • Collaborate with students, parents, and teachers
  • Evaluate and monitor a plan to enhance the existing school culture

The authors illustrate how deliberately shaping a school culture cultivates faculty trust, sets the groundwork for raising test scores, and is a critical ingredient in building a successful school.

Contents

Preface

  • Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

1. Building an Intentional School Culture: Excellence in Academics and Character

  • The Importance of School Culture
  • Laneer Middle School: The Shaping of School Culture
  • Resource

2. The School Touchstone

  • Resources

3. The Four Mind-Set Model

  • Teachers and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Students and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Parents and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Leadership and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • How to Use the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Resources

4. Introduction to the Eight Gateways

  • Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
  • Relationships
  • Problem Solving
  • Expectations, Trust, and Accountability
  • Voice
  • Physical Environment
  • Markers, Rituals, and Transitions
  • Leadership
  • Resources

5. Applying the Four Tools

  • Timeline: The First 36 Weeks (Year 1)
  • Timeline: The Second 36 Weeks (Year 2)
  • Pulling It All Together
  • Closing

References

References

Index

Index

Additional materials

Description

"Charles Elbot and David Fulton get it! They get how dominant a force a school's culture is in assisting—or thwarting—the development of learning and character and how extraordinarily difficult it is to make changes. Unlike most of us, they also get how possible it is to build a desirable school culture. This tidy little volume is the authors' first step in sharing their inventive 'lesson plans' from their successful work as school culture builders. When we take these lessons learned to heart, we too will get it!"
—Roland Barth, Professor Emeritus, Graduate School of Education
Harvard University

Transform your school by shaping a culture based on shared values, beliefs, and behaviors.

Based on lessons learned from the authors' work in improving school culture for more than sixty schools across the country, this inspiring guide for school leaders helps create an "intentional school culture" that fosters excellence, builds character, and improves student achievement. The book provides tools, case studies, strategies, and implementation plans for building a strong school culture and offers guidelines for teacher trainings, principal workshops, staff meetings, and district-level use. The authors demonstrate how to:

  • Support students' independent and interdependent thinking and behavior
  • Foster ethical decision making
  • Collaborate with students, parents, and teachers
  • Evaluate and monitor a plan to enhance the existing school culture

The authors illustrate how deliberately shaping a school culture cultivates faculty trust, sets the groundwork for raising test scores, and is a critical ingredient in building a successful school.

Contents

Preface

  • Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

1. Building an Intentional School Culture: Excellence in Academics and Character

  • The Importance of School Culture
  • Laneer Middle School: The Shaping of School Culture
  • Resource

2. The School Touchstone

  • Resources

3. The Four Mind-Set Model

  • Teachers and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Students and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Parents and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Leadership and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • How to Use the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Resources

4. Introduction to the Eight Gateways

  • Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
  • Relationships
  • Problem Solving
  • Expectations, Trust, and Accountability
  • Voice
  • Physical Environment
  • Markers, Rituals, and Transitions
  • Leadership
  • Resources

5. Applying the Four Tools

  • Timeline: The First 36 Weeks (Year 1)
  • Timeline: The Second 36 Weeks (Year 2)
  • Pulling It All Together
  • Closing

References

References

Index

Index

Additional materials

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Building an Intentional School Culture

Excellence in Academics and Character

Charles F. Elbot , David Fulton
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October 2007 | 160 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 28/04/2023 9781412953788 $39.95
Hardcover 27/02/2023 9781412953771 $79.95
Lifetime 28/04/2023 9781452294346 $36.00

"Charles Elbot and David Fulton get it! They get how dominant a force a school's culture is in assisting—or thwarting—the development of learning and character and how extraordinarily difficult it is to make changes. Unlike most of us, they also get how possible it is to build a desirable school culture. This tidy little volume is the authors' first step in sharing their inventive 'lesson plans' from their successful work as school culture builders. When we take these lessons learned to heart, we too will get it!"
—Roland Barth, Professor Emeritus, Graduate School of Education
Harvard University

Transform your school by shaping a culture based on shared values, beliefs, and behaviors.

Based on lessons learned from the authors' work in improving school culture for more than sixty schools across the country, this inspiring guide for school leaders helps create an "intentional school culture" that fosters excellence, builds character, and improves student achievement. The book provides tools, case studies, strategies, and implementation plans for building a strong school culture and offers guidelines for teacher trainings, principal workshops, staff meetings, and district-level use. The authors demonstrate how to:

  • Support students' independent and interdependent thinking and behavior
  • Foster ethical decision making
  • Collaborate with students, parents, and teachers
  • Evaluate and monitor a plan to enhance the existing school culture

The authors illustrate how deliberately shaping a school culture cultivates faculty trust, sets the groundwork for raising test scores, and is a critical ingredient in building a successful school.


Table Of Contents:

  • Preface
  • Acknowledgments
  • About the Authors
  • 1. Building an Intentional School Culture: Excellence in Academics and Character
  • The Importance of School Culture
  • Laneer Middle School: The Shaping of School Culture
  • Resource
  • 2. The School Touchstone
  • Resources
  • 3. The Four Mind-Set Model
  • Teachers and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Students and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Parents and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Leadership and the Four Mind-Set Model
  • How to Use the Four Mind-Set Model
  • Resources
  • 4. Introduction to the Eight Gateways
  • Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
  • Relationships
  • Problem Solving
  • Expectations, Trust, and Accountability
  • Voice
  • Physical Environment
  • Markers, Rituals, and Transitions
  • Leadership
  • Resources
  • 5. Applying the Four Tools
  • Timeline: The First 36 Weeks (Year 1)
  • Timeline: The Second 36 Weeks (Year 2)
  • Pulling It All Together
  • Closing
  • References
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"From explorations of decision-making processes to school character, chapters provide plenty of practical, applied ideas especially useful for college-level education collections."
The Bookwatch, February 2008, Midwest Book Review
"Charles Elbot and David Fulton have given educators a great gift. Here is a book that is strong in both theory and practical application that can help thoughtful educators create a school culture that is energizing and life giving for all concerned."
Parker J. Palmer, Author, The Courage to Teach and A Hidden Wholeness
"It is clear that a school’s culture has an enormous impact on how well students learn and on the values they develop. This book will help principals and staff shape the kind of school culture that students deserve."
Michael F. Bennet, Superintendent, Denver Public Schools, CO
"Charles Elbot and David Fulton get it! They get how dominant a force a school’s culture is in assisting—or thwarting—the development of learning and character. They get how extraordinarily difficult it is to change a culture. But, unlike most of us, they also get how possible it is to build a desirable school culture. I see this tidy little volume as the authors' first step in sharing their inventive 'lesson plans' from their successful work as builders of school culture. When we take these lessons learned to heart, we too will get it!"
Roland Barth, Education Consultant
"Many school leaders realize that a school's culture impacts everything, including the quality of relationships, staff morale, and student achievement, and most would like to know how to go about changing their school's culture in deep and lasting ways. The authors offer a powerful set of strategies for getting staff to think and work together to make their school the very best it can be. They have packed a wealth of practical wisdom into this small volume."
Tom Lickona, Director, Center for the 4th and 5th Rs

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