School Climate

Introduction As teacher educators, we are committed to the improvement of teacher practices and methods that increase student academic achievement. To this end we are constantly investigating and evaluating practices that get results, often called "best practices." Since the 1960s when we made a national commitment to the education of all children regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and gender, we have also been investigating the preconditions necessary for improved academic achievement. We have engaged is a great deal of research investigating non-school preconditions such as poverty, family structures, and English language acquisition. Additionally, we tended to add to these givens or school preconditions such things as school structure, school leadership, and student behavior. The contention that student behavior is a precondition for increased academic achievement has in many respects guided the development of the field of classroom management to this...

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as deliberate damage to a body tissue with no intention to die [1]. With prevalence levels ranging from 17 to 20% across different cultural contexts [2–4], NSSI has long become a major public health concern. Although the vast majority of school counsellors report at least one familiar case of NSSI [5], and for the most, school personnel lack confidence in their skills to properly react and intervene in such cases [6]. Furthermore, the literature contains few studies that focus on the relationship between school context and NSSI behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the association between school factors and NSSI behaviors within a general population-derived sample of adolescents. The study used a multilevel approach and controlled for contextual and individual factors that were identified in previous research. The contribution of revealing contextual factors associated with NSSI is twofold. First, educational practitioners currently have limited capability to address some of the NSSI antecedents that have already been established in the literature. For instance, a history of childhood maltreatment, genetic factors [1], emotional regulation strategies [7], and exposure to peer NSSI [8] have all been found to predict NSSI onset and progression. However, such factors may be beyond the control of teachers or school personnel, therefore it is important to identify alternative contextual factors that can serve as intervention points. Second, adolescents who report NSSI behaviors are at increased risk for suicide ideation and attempts [9,10], as well as depression and other social difficulties [11,12]. Any reduction in NSSI thoughts and behaviors can lead to increases in adaptive functioning and performance. A B S T R A C T Background: Recent studies regarding non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents have focused primarily on individual characteristics (e.g., depressive symptoms) and background factors (e.g., parental relationship), whereas less emphasis has been given to the role of school-related factors in NSSI. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the relationships between teachers' support, peer climate, and NSSI within the school context. Methods: The sample consisted of 594 high school students nested within 27 regular classes (54.4% boys; mean age 14.96, SD = 1.33 years). The students were evaluated for NSSI behaviors, perception of teacher support, peer climate, relationships with mothers, and depressive symptoms using validated scales. Results: The primary analysis used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), controlling for gender and age. The main findings indicated that teacher support was positively associated with NSSI at the classroom-level (OR = 6.15, 95% CI = 2.05–18.5) but negatively associated at the student-level (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49–0.89). There was a trend toward an association between positive peer climate and NSSI at the classroom-level (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.18–1.05), while negative peer climate was associated with NSSI at the student-level (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.00–1.87). Conclusions: School-related factors are associated with NSSI behaviors among students. Teachers and educators should focus on both individual-level and classroom-level perceptions of school context. Students who feel supported by their teachers and who are exposed to a positive peer climate are less likely to engage in NSSI. C 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

As teacher educators, we are committed to the improvement of teacher practices and methods that increase student academic achievement. To this end we are constantly investigating and evaluating practices that get results, often called " best practices. " Since the 1960s when we made a national commitment to the education of all children regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender, we have also been investigating the preconditions necessary for improved academic achievement. We have engaged is a great deal of research investigating non-school preconditions such as poverty, family structures, and English language acquisition. Additionally, we tended to add to these givens or school preconditions such things as school structure, school leadership, and student behavior. The contention that student behavior is a precondition for increased academic achievement has in many respects guided the development of the field of classroom management to this point. The assumption is that when the teacher obtains an acceptable level of control the result will be the order necessary for teaching and in turn learning. It follows then that any methodologies that obtain order will lead to more student achievement.

W opracowaniu poddano refleksji znaczenie klimatu szkoły dla procesu nauczania i wychowania. Szczególnie skoncentrowano się na związku klimatu szkoły z zachowaniami agresywnymi wśród uczniów. Praktycznym efektem prowadzonych badań nad klimatem szkoły i jego oddziaływaniem są różnego rodzaju inicjatywy podejmowane na rzecz wspierania pozytywnego klimatu szkoły. W artykule omówiono proces SafeMeasures oparty na badaniach w działaniu i mający na celu poprawę klimatu szkoły, opisany szczegółowo w pracy „Transforming School Climate and Learning. Beyond Bullying and Compliance”.

This study examined same-sex attracted (SSA) students' perceptions of their school climate toward same-sex attraction and their school-based environmental stresses and supports using Margaret Spencer's Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory model. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between stressors, coping mechanisms, and academic identity formation. Students' connection to teachers and their school environment had the strongest total impact on their academic self-concept and motivation to learn. Of key import was the indirect impact of students' perceptions of their school climate on both of these important academic outcomes, through their connection to both their school community and general school environment. Findings highlight the deleterious impact of school-based risk factors, including victimization and curricular silences, on educational outcomes for SSA youth.

This study investigates the development of positive school culture and climate at a midsized public elementary school in urban Oahu, Hawai'i, over fifteen years. Researchers ask: what key people, initiatives, and programs positively impacted the school culture and climate at Waikiki Elementary School? Qualitative methods are applied to design and carry out a portrait study, which included interviewing 22 members of the school community. Analysis of the data reveals how one particular school initiativephilosophy for children Hawai'i (p4cHI)-had a positive impact. p4cHI helped create a school culture and climate characterised by intellectual safety, learner-centred inquiry, integration of experience, and a reputation to be proud of. While no one school community is the same, this study sheds light on the factors that might help cultivate and nurture a more positive elementary school culture and climate in other contexts.

The beneficial relationship of school climate with various positive student outcomes has been demonstrated in several studies, though the relationship has not been thoroughly explored with regards to a student’s likelihood of being suspended from school. The relationship of school climate and out-of-school suspensions was investigated using a nationally-representative sample of 10th grade students. Regression results, which included student- and school-level factors, indicated that an authoritative school climate, characterized by an environment with fair and just rules, was associated with the reduced likelihood of suspensions, over and above other predictors. Although the relationship may be characterized as small (OR = 0.82), the positive benefits to students are likely cumulative over each year the student is in school.

: Creating and maintaining a positive school climate is paramount for student well-being. Microaggressions, or
subtle forms of prejudice, in the classroom setting can present a barrier to cultivating such a climate and contribute to a
host of negative consequences for impacted students. This study explores student perceptions of the prevalence and
types of microaggressions at a private, liberal arts college in South-Central Pennsylvania. Data from student surveys will
be examined to develop a better understanding of this topic and generate discussions about maintaining a positive and
inclusive school climate that welcomes diversity.

The Hungarian educational system has been changed rapidly in the last decade, which has fundamentally transformed the status and position of teachers as well. The study attempts to explore how innovative, knowledge-intensive teachers perceive their own organizational environment based on their opinion regarding three main areas: image of an ideal school, organizational socialization and culture as well as leadership. The research was basically based on qualitative elements: structured interviews, career path narrative and focus group discussions. Besides qualitative analyses, the large-scaled teacher survey was also used. Many of these teachers formulate a concept of a good school in general on the basis of a performance aspect and emphasize the role of school climate. Within this, however, the opinions are highly segmented. There are several factors in school climate (teacher-teacher relationship, teacher-student relationship, teacher-parent relationship, school leadership, common values and norms). Based on the analysis, three socialization patterns were identified, which are distinguished by the level of support, formalization and the role of the newcomer. We've compared the above with organizational culture elements appearing covertly in the responses.

The ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS) platform is a no-cost data collection, management, and reporting system developed by the U.S. Department of Education. It contains a suite of school climate surveys for students, staff, and parents; enables schools, districts, and states to conduct their own data collections; and provides statistically sound climate scores and other statistics at the closing of the data collection. The second version of the platform was released in April 2017 and the next version, to be released in fall 2017, will contain national benchmarking information. The panelists will present the platform and share implementation experiences reported by EDSCLS users.

The book deals with many aspects of school climate, and every chapter contains recommendations for handling the specific aspect better. 1-The chapters are: What is an educational climate? 2-Class climate; 3-Teacher-student relationships and school climate; 4- Peer relationships and school climate; 5-Violence at school and its impact on school climate; 6-Staff relationships and school climate; 7-Management type and school climate; 8-Hidden Curriculum and school climate; 9-Teacher-parent relationships and school climate; 10-School-community relationships and school climate; 11-School size and school climate; 12-Aesthetic aspects of the school and school climate; 13-How to measure school climate? 14-School vision and school climate; 15-School's pedagogical approach and school climate. (Hebrew).

Lifting achievement in many schools depends on reducing the exit of effective teachers. We examine the extent to which teacher perceptions of school cohesion and intrinsic motivators stemming from two theoretical traditions contribute to the intent to leave one's school. We find that elementary teachers report higher levels of organizational cohesion within their schools along with stronger intrinsic motivation compared with peers teaching at the high school level, drawing on data from 548 teachers in Los Angeles schools. Teacher perceptions of school cohesion are moderately correlated with intrinsic motivators. However, views of strong leadership and teacher cohesion, not one's own intrinsic motivation, more strongly predict the likelihood of remaining at one's school, based on structural equation estimation with IRT-adjusted measurement models. We discuss implications for shaping interventions to strengthen the social cohesion of schools rather than simply rewarding individual teachers.

School climate, safety and well-being of students are important antecedents of academic achievement. However, school members do not necessarily experience school climate in the same way; rather, their subjective perceptions of the environment and personal characteristics influence individual outcomes and behaviours. Therefore, a closer look at the relationship between school climate, safety, well-being of students and student learning is needed. This review of the literature explores the relationship among school climate, school safety, student academic achievement and student well-being. Using a systematic review approach, we conducted an overview of empirically based research findings and technical reports that address the following aspects: (a) school climate as a social construct and its connection with school safety; (b) the conditions that contribute to an environment in which students feel safe; (c) the characteristics of particular groups of students who feel unsafe; and (d) the impact of a negative school environment (e.g. a school environment where bullying, victimisation and violence are prevalent) on student achievement, ultimately, secondary school completion and student well-being. We summarise the state of school climate research, discuss the implications for school policies and practices in the areas of school climate, safety and student success, and provide recommendations for future research.

Jongeren kennen in de periode van adolescentie een verhoogde kans op het stellen van storend, antisociaal of delinquent gedrag. Aangezien jongeren een aanzienlijk deel van deze periode binnen de schoolmuren doorbrengen, is het niet verwonderlijk dat veel van deze gedragingen zich voordoen binnen of in de context van de school. Om probleemgedrag bij jongeren tegen te gaan kunnen scholen alle richtingen uit. Men kan inzetten op diverse preventie-initiatieven, sleutelen aan het sanctioneringsbeleid, of bijvoorbeeld werken aan het algemeen leefklimaat of aan sterkere leerkracht-leerlingrelaties. De vraag stelt zich welke aanpak het meest kans heeft om daadwerkelijk delinquent gedrag tegen te gaan. Uit eerder onderzoek weten we dat als leerlingen een sterke sociale binding hebben met de school de kans op delinquent gedrag in belangrijke mate afneemt. In dit onderzoek willen we daarom nagaan wat de impact is van diverse schoolpraktijken op de sociale binding van leerlingen. Aan de hand van interviews met leerkrachten, leerlingbegeleiding en directie wordt de schoolpraktijk in zes scholen in kaart gebracht. Een survey in dezelfde scholen bij de leerlingen uit het eerste jaar middelbaar onderwijs brengt aan het begin en aan het einde van het schooljaar in kaart hoe hun sociale binding evolueert. Ten slotte wordt geanalyseerd of bepaalde elementen van de schoolpraktijk kunnen gerelateerd worden aan betere sociale bindingen bij leerlingen.

Our job performance and our ability to lead will be a direct reflection of who we are and how we think. And it is highly likely that the quality and trajectory of our school’s growth and improvement process will mirror our own ongoing personal growth process. We lead who we R. And our R’s will be continually projected onto our school and its day-to-day activities.  This realization may seem intimidating, but is really a golden opportunity to stretch and grow as a person and gain a deeper insight into what it means to be a leader as we activate more of our personal potential.

In this chapter, we will provide an opportunity for you to reflect on your own process of development as a leader and a person. We begin by outlining a step-by-step process for discovering your personal vision. Next, we examine the elements of personal vision and self-reflection within each of the two axes of the growth roadmap developed earlier in the book. First, we explore the horizontal axis related to one’s guiding principles, ranging between empowerment and a psychology of success and/or fear and a psychology of failure. Second, we examine the vertical axis related to the level of function and quality of intentionality with which one operates.

While it is a commonly accepted assumption that teachers who have "high expectations" for their students are more effective, how that expectation manifests is often largely undefined. And if we were to examine the various operational definitions used by teachers for that goal, we would see a large variation in both theory and practice. This article examines the difference between two general orientations related to the term "high expectations." The first-perspective A is characterized by high standards for student performance on outcomes such as tests and assignments, and usually includes an implicit norm reference in which students are compared to one another. The second is perspective B in which students work as much as possible toward their own goals and the focus is on quality and their level of investment to the process in the work. These two perspectives are compared across various criteria including the three elements of a success psychology-internal locus of control, belonging, and growth mindset. Upon analysis, perspective B is shown to encourage significantly more positive outcomes in both student achievement as well as social-emotional well-being.

One thing that we all seem to be able to agree on in education is that teachers should have "high expectations." And when we survey teachers, we find that the vast majority of teachers report that high expectations are important, and that they in fact have high expectations for their students (Shindler, 2006). But, when we examine this notion more deeply, what we find is that, one, what people mean by the term high expectations varies greatly, and two, how we define the idea of high expectations can in some cases either promote healthy and empowering learning and student success, or a disempowered student mindset and actually undermine student success. In this article we will explore how the term high expectation can vary so dramatically, and how we can steer toward the most growth promoting application. In 1965 Rosenthal and his colleagues in the famous Pygmalion in the Classroom study (Rosenthal 1968) demonstrated the power of the teachers' expectations on student performance. In this groundbreaking experiment, teachers were told that a few of their students had been identified as "rising stars." In truth, these rising star students had been randomly selected from the class list and were no more likely to be exceptional than any other student. The teachers were told that these rising stars would demonstrate their aptitude, superior ability and rising star-ness as time went on. The students themselves were not made aware of this identification. The result was that over time the students who were identified as rising stars did in fact out-perform their peers-by quite a lot. Therefore, the researchers demonstrated that simply by having teachers believe students were worthy of high expectation it translated into higher performance on the part of the students. Since that time most teachers will not go more than a few days between reminders from their administrators to have high expectations for their students. It is an accepted part of what teachers do these days. And it is justified. In our research (Shindler, 2006, 2016), we find a strong correlation between a) the teachers and student perceptions at the school related to whether the teachers have high expectations for all students and b) other outcomes such as student achievement and school effectiveness generally. So, an intention for having high expectations for students is certainly warranted. But when we explore what takes place in the classroom, we can quickly recognize that what it means to have high expectation is rarely

The authors examine the effects of school bonding on academic achievement (measured by math achievement scores) in a sample of 12th graders from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (Ingels, Pratt, Rogers, Siegel, & Stutts, 2005). Components of school bonding have proximal and distal effects on academic achievement. Attachment to school and school involvement had direct effects on achievement; attachment to teachers and school commitment behaviors had indirect effects on achievement through school-related delinquency and prior achievement. Implications for counselors are discussed.

School climate, safety and well-being of students are important antecedents of academic achievement. However, school members do not necessarily experience school climate in the same way; rather, their subjective perceptions of the environment and personal characteristics influence individual outcomes and behaviours. Therefore, a closer look at the relationship between school climate, safety, well-being of students and student learning is needed. This review of the literature explores the relationship among school climate, school safety, student academic achievement and student well-being. Using a systematic review approach, we conducted an overview of empirically based research findings and technical reports that address the following aspects: (a) school climate as a social construct and its connection with school safety; (b) the conditions that contribute to an environment in which students feel safe; (c) the characteristics of particular groups of students who feel unsafe; and (d) the impact of a negative school environment (e.g. a school environment where bullying, victimisation and violence are prevalent) on student achievement, ultimately, secondary school completion and student well-being. We summarise the state of school climate research, discuss the implications for school policies and practices in the areas of school climate, safety and student success, and provide recommendations for future research.

This study examined the association between two characteristics of school climate (sense of community and teacher support, measured both at the individual and at the school level) and students' feelings of being unsafe at school. The study involved a sample of 49,638 students aged 10-18 years who participated in the 2010-2012 California Healthy Kids Survey. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), our findings revealed that, at the individual level, students perceiving higher levels of sense of community and teacher support at school were less likely to feel unsafe within the school environment. At the school level, sense of community was negatively associated with unsafe feelings, whereas there was no association between school-level teacher support and feelings of being unsafe at school.

In this talk I outline my positions related to research on bullying for the World Anti-bullying Forum 2017, Stockholm #WABF2017. I argue 'bullying' and 'cyberbullying' are concepts that are overused and perhaps reaching the end of their ability to explain or address the complexity of conflict and violence in institutional settings or online in our digitally mediated world. New terminology is needed to enable the reduction of gender, sexual, race-related (and other forms of) violence. Effective strategies to improve the (e)safety and well-being of young people in schools must consider student's backgrounds and protected identities and rights. The terms violence, technologically facilitated violence, harassment, abuse, hate-speech, conflict, sexism, racism, homophobia (and others) all offer useful tools to expand our vocabulary and analysis as we work to tackle aggression and violence in schools.

The following materials provide a comprehensive understanding of learning style within the school and home context. They can be used as stand alone resources or with the Paragon Learning Style Inventory (PLSI) or the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) or any of the many other 4 dimension Jungian type assessments (4MAT, VARK, Kolb, Keirsey-Bates, etc).

Understanding one's own type and the possible and actual types or learning styles of those one works with, teaches, parents or coaches is essential to truly appreciating the gifts that each member brings to the class, home, committee or school. And encourages more effective practice, less needless conflict, and an environment that encourages a focus on strengths and growth. Research has shown that teachers and parents who make the effort to intentionally understand their own learning style and that of those with whom they care for and teach are more successful. More materials can be found at:

Social and emotional learning is increasingly recognized as playing an important role in the promotion of positive mental health in schools. With child and youth mental health identified as a priority for the transformation of Canadian mental health systems by the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2012, comprehensive efforts to promote positive social and
emotional development in schools and to foster safe and caring school environments are urgently needed. This paper highlights the multi-faceted approach undertaken in British Columbia over the past decade to promote positive mental health through social-emotional learning in schools.

L’apprentissage socio-émotionel est de plus en plus reconnu comme jouant un rôle important dans la promotion de la santé mentale en milieu scolaire. Étant donné que la promotion de la santé mentale chez les enfants et les adolescents a été identifiée comme priorité par le Commission de la santé mentale du Canada, il est urgent de déployer des efforts significatifs afin de promouvoir le développement socio-émotionnel dans les écoles pour favoriser des milieux sécuritaires et accueillants. Ce document souligne et résume l’approche à multiple facettes déployée depuis dix ans en Colombie Britannique afin de promouvoir la santé mentale via l’apprentissage socio-émotionnel en milieu scolaire.

Recently, discussions regarding how to create a positive school climate where all can be successful has come to the forefront. Healthy schools support student learning, well-being, time, space to be active, and opportunities for social and emotional growth. However, a host of numerous trends suggest that the school climate is becoming increasingly hostile towards students who are from immigrant, LBGTQ and ethnic minority groups. What is often seen as disrespectful behavior towards
these students, is in fact actions that can be more accurately defined as dehumanization. This article overviews the practice of dehumanization, the implications for learning and introduces proactive strategies to promote the success of all students.
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It should be noted that the title "Everyone Matters" is contextualized for the purpose of talking about dehumanization, as dehumanization is not limited to one group of people.

Today’s educators are proactive in dealing with bullying in their schools and districts. The first and arguably most challenging tasks they face is to define what is and is not bullying, to develop a workable district policy on bullying, and to identify bullying when it occurs.

To facilitate these tasks, educators have called for a rubric based on a clear definition of bullying. The following is an attempt to provide such a rubric. It is based on this definition of bullying garnered from US Department of Education data and the most current research:

Bullying occurs when a person or group with greater power causes significant distress for another. The distress can be physical, social, or emotional and may not be intentional.

This simple definition facilitates development of a functional rubric with the essential bullying behaviors, severity score, and consequence level. The Bullying Rubric (© 2011, Mark Liston) provides educators the tool they need to deal with bullying behaviors.

This review paper is inclined towards elucidating and identifying patterns in different researches and their methodologies in studying school climate and student outcomes in the Indian context. Decades of research has facilitated the understanding of how school environment shapes the overall achievement of students. It gives us an understanding that scholastic accomplishment of students is relational and school climate itself is multidimensional. Focal point of this paper would be to understand how there is a need of further research in identifying the relationship between school climate and student outcomes. It will assess how leadership behavior impacts school climate, how teacher behavior impacts school climate, how different types of school climates shape the academic achievement of students, how academic stress, mental health, and school effectiveness are related, and the dynamics of students' perception and adjustment in relation to school climate.

Research of the violent behaviour of students against teachers is growing problem in education and is so far scarcely explored everywhere in the world, as well as in Croatia. This paper provides a unique analysis of the impact of the school climate, with its four components (the nature of the relationship between teachers and pupils, the nature of student relations, the degree to which students’ autonomy is allowed in decision making, the clarity, consistency and correctness of school rules), on the phenomenon of violent behavior disciples against teachers. The research is based on four null hypotheses that deny the correlation of the violent behavior of students with individual components of the school climate and was conducted on a sample of 451 graduate pupils in Zagreb's secondary schools. The results indicate that almost a third of the students have experienced violent behavior of students against teachers, that is, they know about such forms of school violence. The results of the analysis of the contingency tables and the Chi-square test reveal that there is a statistically significant correlation between the violent behavior of the pupils against the teachers and the nature of the relationship between the teacher and the pupil, the nature of the student's relationship, and the clarity, consistency and correctness of the rules provided by the school. The hypothesis that states there is no correlation between the measure to which the autonomy of students is allowed to make decisions and the appearance of violent behavior of students against teachers is accepted because the analysis did not show statistically significant correlation. Research of this type has significant practical implications for school security, as it points to the need for a high-quality school climate design in secondary schools in Zagreb.

The aim of this paper is to investigate and describe the content in school rules by developing a category system of school rules, and thus making the logic behind different types of rules in school explicit. Data were derived from an ethnographic study conducted in two primary schools in Sweden. In order to analyse the data, grounded theory methodology was adapted. The analysis resulted in a category system of school rules, containing the following main categories: (a) relational rules, (b) structuring rules, (c), protecting rules, (d), personal rules and (e) etiquette rules. In the light of this categorisation, more consciously pedagogical and professional work with rules can be conducted. The category system can counteract vagueness and unreasonableness, as well as highlighting the content, logic and functions of different school rules.

This study analyses the development of policies and practice on reducing ESL after 2011, seeking to assess the contribution of the 2011 Council Recommendation on Policies to Reduce Early School Leaving (henceforth the 2011 Recommendation) and associated EU policy instruments to the development of policy, practice and research on ESL across Europe. The study looks at the leverage of EU policy on tackling ESL over the actions taken by key stakeholders at EU level and explores the extent of any influence between MS on their respective approaches to reducing ESL. The study also seeks to assess the added value of EU policy to tackle ESL in the Member States, and investigates the relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the EU policy and tools on reducing ESL.

A corelational research design was employed to examine if a relationship exists between organizational school climate and student achievement in Ethiopia secondary schools setting, and to investigate whether the various elements of school climate have independent effects on student achievement. Organisational climate was measured using the School Climate Index (SCI) developed by Tschannen-Moran, Parish and Dipaola and student achievement was measured by students' test scores at the Ethiopia General Education Leaving Certificate Examination (GELCE) in the year 2014/15. A total of 32 schools, 973 teachers and 14882 students were involved in the study. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, Pearson r correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were applied for the data analysis. The results indicate that school climate has a significant and positive relationship with student achievement in Ethiopia secondary schools, but nonetheless, a weak one. The collegial leadership, teacher professionalism, and academic press were significantly and moderately correlated to students' achievement while the community engagement sub scale was not. The four factors used both for the SCI as predictor variables in the regression model were shown to have a significant relationship with student achievement when viewed as a whole, but they generated more varied results when examined individually. Teachers' professionalism is the most positive predictor of student achievement in Ethiopia secondary schools. Similarly collegial leadership and academic press are also found to be significant predictor of academic achievement. This study found no independent effect of community engagement on student achievement. It is recommended that school leaders should design school improvement plans that entail the school climate construct. School leaders need to find ways of including the community in the life of the school and foster positive relationships with the community. Principals in

This article responds to a call for conceptual clarity regarding current ussage of the terms "culture" and "climate" in educational research. A multi-phase literature review and classification process was employed over a period of about 5 years leading upto my doctoral dissertation. I knew I wanted to explore the relationship between school culture and school improvement, but defining culture in a valid way that allowed me to measure and  compare across cases presented a challenge.

The process described in this paper was utilized to arrive at the cross-disciplinary definition for school culture I eventually settled upon, which is a composite of components frequently studied or described in school improvement, school effectiveness, or organizational culture literatures. In the piece, I describe how I dealt with the rampant ambiguity that surrounds contemporary ussage of the terms culture and climate. Based on my review of over 300 academic pieces published between 1980 & 2005, I conclude that the concepts/constructs are similar enough to be considered synonyms to some extent, but that based on my reading of the literature & current ussage of the terms, that the more overarching concept is that of culture. I further employ, Edgar Schein's (1992) (Harvard Sloan School of Business Mgmt) theory of organizational culture to assert the possibility that school climate could possibly be thought of as the second level of the organizational culture of the school. This view conflicts with Tagiuri's (1968) (Also from Harvard School of Business Mgmt) desription of organizational climate, in which he places culture as a subset of climate; Tagiuri's theory has come to be the traditional view of the relationship, especially in the school effectiveness literature. However, I question why, if Tagiuri's classification is accurate, do so many researchers use the term culture to talk of broader aspects of schooling, whereas climate seems to be associated with a much narrower set of specific school attributes.

In the year since this article was published it has sparked a fair amount of controversy; some have highly applauded it while others find it unsettling. I never set out to develop a new model, nor to be provokative, I merely wanted to understand how the terms were actually being used by my contemporaries - I was looking for ..."conceptual clarity".  I welcome academics to weigh in on the subject, as I want to hear all sides and consider the matter thoroughly. Feel free to email me with your thoughts or post on the blog on this website.

My friend and mentor, Charles Teddlie, joins me as second author on this piece. He served as the chair of my dissertation committee and has published extensively in the school effectiveness field.

This study examined the reasons that four high school students who had previously refused to attend school willingly attended an alternative K-12 school for students with special needs. The two research questions that  framed this study were (a) why do students who refused to attend their regular schools willingly attend Brookfield Park? and (b) in what ways is Brookfield Park different from traditional schools? In order to answer these questions, interviews were conducted with four students in grades 8-11 who attended a school avoidance program (SAP) at Brookfield Park, a public school in the Northeast. The four themes that emerged from these interviews as situations that motivated students to attend school were (a) school climate, (b) academic environment, (c) discipline, and (d)relationships with teachers. Interview data were combined with the researcher’s observations as a teacher in the school as well as examination of students’ attendance records.

Este libro muestra la complejidad en la que se inscribe el ejercicio del liderazgo directivo en un clima escolar que no siempre reúne las condiciones para el desarrollo de las tareas
y el establecimiento de relaciones interpersonales que contribuyan alcanzar equilibrio en los centros escolares.
Proporciona al lector un conjunto de hallazgos en torno a dos variables: clima escolar y liderazgo directivo, y la correlación que existe entre ellas. Desde el campo de la teoría, el autor descubre que no existen criterios unificados en torno a los constructos en mención, situación por demás interesante, porque al no existir lenguajes comunes, la comunicación se vuelve compleja y a veces caótica, presentando repercusiones en el logro de las metas institucionales, debido a que los actores tienen conceptos diferentes, desvaneciendo los puntos de llegada.
Otro aspecto que llama la atención, es el escaso reconocimiento que tienen entre sí los directivos y docentes; es decir, los docentes manifiestan que el director no motiva
ni reconoce el trabajo suficientemente, además de que no les apoya en la resolución de problemas, teniendo un escaso involucramiento en las actividades de carácter académico; sin embargo, los docentes tampoco muestran reconocimiento importante para el trabajo que desarrolla el director, situaciones que hacen suponer que existe una lucha de poder al interior de los centros: mientras que el director hace uso de un liderazgo más de tipo controlador, los docentes desafían la toma de decisiones vertical.
En los resultados que el autor encontró, se muestran incongruencias; por una parte, los informantes manifiestan que existe un liderazgo de tipo transformacional, por otra, la información proporcionada hace saber que el punto neurálgico se encuentra en las relaciones interpersonales. El liderazgo transformacional tiene como características básicas el empoderamiento que hace el líder a sus seguidores y la confianza que deposita en ellos, entonces, estos rasgos son sólo un ejemplo de que éste tipo de liderazgo está lejos de alcanzar la plenitud en los centros escolares.
Otro hallazgo son las tendencias en las variables sexo y edad, se advierte que los profesores que tienen mayor edad son más escépticos respecto a que el director muestre interés por los profesores y que se preocupe por lograr un clima armónico. En la variable género hay una puntuación más alta de los hombres hacia el ejercicio del liderazgo directivo que la emitida por las mujeres; ésta es una línea de investigación que podría ser
explorada, porque implica percepciones distintas sobre un mismo hecho.
En general, esta obra muestra las complejidades que enfrentan los directivos para realizar su trabajo y ejercer su liderazgo, que van desde el carisma como parte de su personalidad hasta sus habilidades para relacionarse con sus dirigidos, pasando por los intereses personales y de grupo que provocan climas escolares favorables o no para el cumplimento de los propósitos y metas institucionales.
Para concluir, quiero hacer notar que este es un libro que merece ser leído por todos aquellos a quienes nos interesa la educación, porque muestra una parte de la realidad que se vive en los centros escolares como parte de la vida cotidiana; sin
embargo, en esa cotidianeidad de las escuelas suceden cosas que determinan su eficiencia y su eficacia y que no siempre están relacionadas con los contenidos y con los
programas o las formas de realizar el acto de enseñar, sino con otro tipo de variables en las que están implicados todos los que están inmiscuidos en el escenario educativo.
La educación primaria es un escenario nodal porque es aquí donde se encuentra un número importante de estudiantes que de no ser atendidos y formados correctamente y con criterios de calidad corren el riesgo de fracasar en los otros espacios educativos y sociales. Tan sólo por esta razón, el trabajo realizado por Heriberto Monárrez Vásquez ya tiene una gran valía, sin agregar que los hallazgos apoyan en la toma de decisiones y en modificar esquemas tanto a nivel escolar como directivo.

Kajian ini dijalankan untuk bertujuan bagi mengenalpasti tahap iklim bilik darjah di kalangan pelajar bukan Cina dan hubungan dengan pencapaian akademik dalam Bahasa Cina di sekolah vernakular Cina di kawasan luar bandar Sarawak. Kajian ini adalah suatu kajian kuantitatif yang menggunakan kaedah tinjauan berbentuk soal selidik untuk mengenalpasti tahap iklim bilik darjah di kalangan pelajar bukan Cina di sekolah jenis kebangsaan Cina di luar bandar Sibu. Sampel kajian merangkumi 152 responden dari pelajar Tahun 4, 5 dan 6 di sekolah vernakular Cina di luar bandar bahagian Sibu. Tahap iklim bilik darjah ditinjau menggunakan soal selidik yang diadaptasi dari My Classroom Inventory yang dibangunkan oleh Fraser (1982), manakala pencapaian akademik pelajar dalam Bahasa Cina diukur menggunakan keputusan sumatif akhir tahun. Kajian rintis menghasilkan Cronbach Alpha bernilai .66 iaitu pada kepercayaan yang tinggi. Data daripada kajian yang ditadbir diproses menggunakan perisian Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Versi 22.0. Analisis deskriptif digunakan untuk mengukur min, sisihan piawai dan kekerapan. Analisis inferensi yang melibatkan analisis ujian-t dan korelasi digunnakan untuk menguji hipotesis kajian. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa tahap kesemua aspek iklim darjah berada pada tahap sederhana. Ujian-t menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbezaan bagi aspek iklim bilik darjah kecuali aspek kepuasan antara jantina pelajar. Hasil kajian juga menunjukkan korelasi yang lemah antara aspek-aspek iklim bilik darjah dan secara keseluruhan dengan pencapaian Bahasa Cina pelajar. Dapatan kajian ini memberi implikasi kepada iklim bilik darjah yang berupaya meningkatkan pencapaian akademik pelajar khususnya pelajar minoriti di dalam satu komuniti bilik darjah. Abstract This purpose of this study was to identify the perception of classroom climate of non-Chinese students who are enrolled in vernacular Chinese schools in outskirts of Sarawak and the relationship of classroom climate towards academic performance of students in Chinese language. This study was a quantitative research which utilizes survey form in the form of questionnaire to determine the perception of level of classroom climate from the view of non-Chinese students studying national-type Chinese schools in outskirts of Sibu. The sample consisted of 152 respondents who are Year 4, 5 and 6 students in national-type Chinese schools. The level of classroom climate reviewed in this study was measured through a modified questionnaire of My Classroom Inventory developed by Fraser (1982) and students' academic performance is measured using results of Chinese Language in Semester 2. A pilot study is conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the items in the instrument executed. A value of .66 was obtained for the Alpha Cronbach value which indicated a high reliability for the items in the instrument. Data obtained from the study was processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 22.0. Descriptive statistics was used to measure the mean, standard deviation, and frequency of the acquired data. Inferential statistics utilized t-test and a Pearson product-moment analysis. The findings of this study revealed that there are no differences in perception the aspects of classroom climate between

Although the bully-victim conflict is an age-old scenario, researchers only began studying it in school settings 45 years ago. The most agreed upon definition of bullying includes three criteria: 1) intentionality (desire or goal of inflicting harm, intimidation, and/or humiliation), 2) some repetitiveness, and most importantly, 3) a power imbalance between the socially or physically more prominent bully and the more vulnerable victim. The power differential can manifest among a variety of factors, such as physical dominance, self- confidence, peer group status, etc. Conversely, conflict between equals  is not considered bullying, but rather, general aggression. Another, more recent concept that has emerged in the field of bullying research is the category of “bully-victims,” a smaller subset of youth who both perpetrate and experience bullying. The forms bullying can take include: direct aggression (e.g., name calling, hitting, belittling someone in front of others) or indirect, relational aggression (e.g., spreading rumors, exclusion from the group, hurting another’s reputation). Often occurring in school contexts, which has expanded in recent years to include cyberbullying in the virtual worlds of digital and social media, bullying takes place throughout the school years, from elementary to high school and has likewise been studied across the grades. And since bullying is a familiar, if not intimate, school experience for most people, it is sometimes easy or tempting to accept it as a rite of passage or a typical childhood experience, rather than a problem that needs to be addressed. As Olweus (2013) explains, “being bullied by peers represents a serious violation of the fundamental rights of the child or youth exposed” (p. 770). It is with this understanding of bullying – as a violation of basic human rights – that this two-part brief explores the phenomenon (history, prevalence, risk factors, and consequences) in Part I and reviews research- based interventions in Part II.