Inclusive School and District Culture

What do we know about school culture – the beliefs, values, norms, practices, and assumptions shared by members of the school community – and the impact school culture has on the decisions and actions of education personnel and other stakeholders.

A good place to start is with typical beliefs about students and learning – beliefs with which you are likely familiar because of your own experiences as a student, educator, or both. The Beliefs Inventory in Box A includes a set of statements—all of which appear positive. Using this inventory, locate the beliefs most commonly held and communicated at a school with which you are familiar—one you attended or for which you worked. Then read the section called “debriefing beliefs” (click in the sidebar) to guide your reflections about the practices that different beliefs often support. As you think about the Beliefs Inventory, keep in mind that misunderstandings about students and learning rarely come from the bad intentions of educators. In fact, good intentions often support these misunderstandings.