Culturize: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes.

by Jimmy Casas

a common-sense roadmap to becoming advocates for our students and teachers, creating communities of excellence, taking a stand for positive energy, and living our purpose to maximize our connections with educators around the world.

building a positive school climate and classroom environment is about building effective relationships.

fostering positive connections with teachers, students, and parents.

the principal is the point guard in the school—he or she facilitates the culture in the entire school. Principals must make developing strong relationships with teachers a priority, and teachers must develop relationships with their students. When school leaders exhibit a genuine care and concern for students and teachers and expect excellence, it helps to develop long-lasting, meaningful relationships that influence the school culture in a powerful way.

If we want to build schools where parents and teachers are fighting to get in instead of out, we must make developing positive school cultures a priority for every school and principal that welcomes children each day.

Each and every parent wants a school that is safe, challenging, nurturing, creative, innovative, and fun for their child. Positive school culture and climate helps build resilient children. When students feel they matter and have meaningful participation in school, they become confident that they can overcome the obstacles in their lives.

School leaders must foster an environment that supports honest communication and creative thinking.

Principals and teachers can completely transform their schools when they focus on building strong school cultures. Personalized professional development (PD) and team-building opportunities are essential to creating a strong school culture.

A great culture is like the oxygen in our air—we can’t survive without it!

A conversation is so much more than words: a conversation is eyes, smiles, the silences between words.

take time to talk to students and understand what they see, feel, and experience.

Have we reached the point where we are willing to allow an average, typical culture to determine our students’ or schools’ potential for success? What if we were to pause, step back, and view our culture through the eyes of every child, every day? Are we willing to do whatever it takes to culturize our schools to a level that defines excellence?

As school teachers and leaders, it is our responsibility to prohibit average from becoming our standard.

reflect on and be willing to be vigilant in examining our school cultures through the eyes of students and staff and ask, “What role are we playing in culturizing our schools?” Taking responsibility for cultural dilemmas is a good start,

Once we’ve identified the source of the problem, the question we should ask is this: What are we doing about it? Unti...

Culturize: To cultivate a community of learners by behaving in a kind, caring, honest, and compassionate manner in order to challenge and inspire each member of the school community to become more than they ever thought possible.

What do you believe to be the biggest issue facing us today in public education that is resulting in many of our schools being labeled as low performing?

To affect change, we must be honest—with one another and ourselves; we must be willing to reflect on our own leadership.

One of the hardest places to look when things aren’t going as well as we hoped is at ourselves and our own attitudes, practices, and skill sets, especially if it means examining the influence we have. When it comes to measuring the culture of our schools and success of our students and staff, there really is only one place to look when we fall short: our own ability to lead effectively.

ineffective leadership is the biggest issue facing not only public education but small businesses and large companies alike.

No one person is responsible for determining your success or failure but you, and no one is responsible for your morale but you.”

great leaders can inspire average teachers back to greatness.

leaders have the power to influence others and draw out the best in them

leaders can inspire greatness in others.

change, growth, and excellence are possible for their students?

if we expect unwavering belief and determination from our staff toward our students, shouldn’t we model the behaviors and attitudes we want to see?

leadership matters. It matters a lot. Everyone has the capacity to lead, and we need our best people leading. The longer we stay in the trenches as leaders, the more we understand that the difference between today and tomorrow is us.

identify where average exists, and it is our obligation to actually change it, not just manage it.

We must remain vigilant that our words and deeds add to our school culture in a positive way rather than negate it.

Do your words inspire others for success or shame? Do your actions result in wellness or weariness? Do you dismiss the needs of others? Do you dismiss the gifts of others?

But to be an excellent educator is a gift—a gift to our students, our families, and our communities. Being an excellent educator is, in fact, a gift to our humanity.

Does your school have unified expectations throughout your culture regarding how the adults treat the students and their families? Is there a positive and caring cultural standard regarding the relationships between the adults and the students and among the adults themselves? Do the practices and policies of your organization point to a student-centered culture rooted in kindness and compassion? Do the adults in your school treat students in a manner that positively contributes to your school becoming a community? Do the beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and interactions of your staff with students and with each other scream, “I care about you!”, “You can do better!”, and “You are important to me!”?

Students who are loved at home come to school to learn, and those who aren’t, come to school to be loved.

the most effective teachers are not the ones who know the most but the ones who care the most.

I honestly believe that the three most important characteristics of an amazing educator are compassion, passion, and knowledge. In that exact order.

An excellent culture is critical to the success of any organization.

organizational core values are the foundation of all school cultures and therefore are critical to the success of any organization, especially those that refuse to let status quo become their standard.

champion for all students.

kids can.

focus on the long term rather than the short term, recognizing that it is their moral imperative to advocate for all students until they are ready to experience personal success.

motivated by hope and faith.

act on that hope and faith in ways that inspire other...

every staff member must expect excellence of one another and, most importan...

By not holding all students to a high standard, we are saying we don’t believe you are able to learn or act appropriately, or we don’t care whether you do. Why would we accept anything but our students’ best?

We must not give up on those students who need us most.

all staff members must carry the banner for their school in a positive light at all times.

responsible for contributing a positive voice.

We must support one another by making sure we are taking time to lift each other up and to understand that it is never about us; it is about serving others and serving the greater good.

strive to be a merchant of hope.

Every child deserves the opportunity to be a part of something great, and we must find ways to make an impact both individually and collectively. What we do as educators will leave a lasting impression on the lives of our students, staff, and school communities.