The Shaping School Culture Fieldbook

by Kent D. Peterson, Terrence E. Deal

When the bestselling books Shaping School Culture and The Shaping School Culture Fieldbook were first published, Kent D. Peterson and Terrence E. Deal described the critical elements of school culture—the purposes, traditions, norms, and values that guide and glue the community together. The authors showed how a positive culture makes school reform work and the companion Fieldbook included the tools needed to bring out the best in students, teachers, and the surrounding community In today's complex educational environment, new challenges have surfaced for school leaders who must grapple with issues of standards-based testing, school accountability, and student achievement. The second edition of The Shaping School Culture Fieldbook offers a companion to the newly revised edition of Shaping School Culture and includes an expanded version of Peterson and Deal's time-tested model to address the latest thinking on school culture and change. The Fieldbook offers a wealth of new ideas and approaches and includes new material on "toxic" environments with specific action plans. In addition, the book contains powerful new case examples for revitalizing school culture. The Shaping School Culture Fieldbook draws on the authors' extensive research and nationwide school contacts and includes hands-on strategies and exercises for helping school leaders: This important resource will help school leaders understand, assess, and transform school culture for organizational success.

Genres: Leadership, Education

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2002

Reviews

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

A companion to Shaping School Culture for my GCU class. Some information was repeated and this felt like the shortened version of the full book, but it still provides some useful tips.

[Jontanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of "what is culture," the positive and negative aspects common to schools, and potential solutions. The authors argue that in the current climate demanding increased performance for schools, principals should focus more on culture than on short-term solutions, since culture is necessary for implementing other long-term solutions.
The book provides a wealth of examples and activities that can be easily used by a principal to assess, change (if necessary), and maintain, the culture of their school.

[Jacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book that helps you analyze the culture of your school and they key points that will help build a great culture within your school.

[Barbara Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a TERRIFIC book to start using now to develop the culture we want at Esperanza, our charter school.