reflective analysis

Case Study Part Four

Liberty University

EDUC 745

Dr. Rector

Charles Poole

06/05/2020

Case Study Part Four: Reviewing the Culture Theories

The culture at DoDEA High School is one that has been built from decades of tradition and nuance. Students and parents alike are all fully invested in the community, and it is a beautiful place to be for the majority of individuals. In most cases, everyone gets along with one another, and there is a sense of mutual respect, whether it be from student to student, teacher to student, or parent to teacher. The school is an energetic community, igniting the imagination and inspiring a life-long passion for learning.

According to Morgan, “When we talk about culture we are usually referring to the pattern of development reflected in a society’s system of knowledge, ideology, values, laws, and day-to-day ritual.” (Morgan, 2006, p. 115). This statement is accurate, and most of the time, individuals do not think of all the different aspects that can be involved in the culture of an organization. This school strives to educate, engage, and empower each student to succeed in a dynamic world

Cultural Difference

The most significant difference in the culture at the school being analyzed for this case study is the fact that in itself, this can create a culture shift. But, add to the fact that the principal has his or her leadership style and the organization can be entirely different throughout (Gresov & Drazin, 1997). The school has plenty of unifying themes across the organization, but the differences are noticeable as well. “Culture can be characterized by breadth and depth,” according to Razik and Swanson (2010). The breadth of culture is the range of values that are agreed upon by those that are in the community. The depth is the number of committed members within the community and the strength of agreement on cultural norms” (Razik & Swanson, 2010).

One consistent theme that is prevalent across the school’s culture is that everyone is very trusting and giving to each other. The students in the school leave their backpacks, phones, laptops, and wallets lying around at all times. This action has become such a cultural norm for the community that when and if something gets stolen, everyone works together to find the culprit quickly. There have not been any items officially stolen from anyone on campus in many years.

Another consistency among all on campus is the fact that everyone is incredibly welcoming. From a security standpoint, this is a pitfall. Students and adults alike have a hard time not opening the door for a stranger or welcoming someone they do not know into a building with open arms.

Consensus on Mission

A strategic plan is a way that this school stays on a level playing field across campus. The goal of the school is to have the mission of the school be in line with every decision that is made. Does this always happen? Of course not, but it is attempted. The new strategic plan for this organization was unveiled two years ago, and the idea was quite virtuous.

Many members of the community thought that the plan was terrific, but was not going to think it would be able to accomplished plan. The hiring of a new assistant principal with the job of making sure the new plan is carried out has proven to be the catalyst that the organization needed to achieve its lofty goals.

As a whole, the campus is all in for the strategic plan, and everyone is working together for the common goal. The other glue that holds the members of the community together is the military affiliation of the school. Students understand each as a whole and the ties they have in common with their parents being in the military. That being said, we incorporate military units stationed on the base into the school by volunteer work. Such as helping with athletic events, school events like dances and field day. This is just another way the school reaches out to the community. “A specific culture is rooted in the groups’ underlying beliefs and assumptions about life” (Van Brummelen, 2009, p. 290). This quote says that a community that has the same beliefs are going to be able to flourish together, and this is true for the school in this case study.

Role in the Organization

Within an organization, there are many different roles and positions from the top down to the bottom of the proverbial pyramid. The principal is an administrative role that has a tough time being put into a job description. The list of duties for this position is quite generic. The reason for this ambiguity is the position is all-encompassing. The role of a Principal is designed to be a disciplinary leader as well as the number one student advocate.

The hours listed in the job description for the principal do not come close to what is required to encompass the full spectrum of the job duties. Administrative duty at sporting events, weekend school dances, and late-night disciplinary issues are just a few things that can come up that do not fall into the standard scope of a 7:00 am to 4:00 pm education position. The following is the organizational list of duties to be performed by the principal.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Is the overall administration of the school;

2. Acts as a resource for teachers and staff who express concerns for student attendance and/or discipline;

3. Coordinates efforts with the school counselor in meeting with students and parents to discuss improving student attendance and/or behavior;

4. Consults with families via conference or communication systems concerning student attendance and behavior;

5. Resolves student behavior concerns in a fair and timely manner and maintains records of disciplinary or referral actions taken;

6. Carefully monitors the physical plant of the school and grounds and follows-up on any safety concerns, damage, or acts of vandalism;

7. Makes recommendations for appropriate revisions of policies and rules affecting student behavior as outlined in the student-parent handbook;

8. Assists in discussing strategies to improve student behavior and attendance;

9. Leads safety drills.  Examples include fire drills, tornado drills, lock-down drills.

10. Supervises and oversees students who are serving in-school suspension and after-school detention.

11. Responds to written and oral communication regarding student discipline matters;

12. Supervises and manage student conduct during recess, break, and late stay;

13. Assist the athletic department by monitoring the academic and attendance requirements of eligibility for participation in school sports.

Biblical World View

If you are a teacher in the Western world, you more than likely face cultural diversity in your classroom. Already the Old Testament books of God’s law makes it very clear that we are to treat each other with respect, justice, and love (Exodus 22:21, 23:9; Leviticus 19:34). It is significant that when God poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers, people from various regions heard the apostles speak in their language. This was more than a translation: they could understand the wonders of God explained in their own linguistic and cultural context (Acts 2). And several chapters later, God reemphasized the importance of accepting and relating to different cultures by giving Peter a vision and pouring His Spirit on an Italian family that the Jews considered being Gentiles (Acts 10).

References

Gresov, C., & Drazin, R. (1997). Functional equivalence in organization design. Academy of Management Review, 22(2), 403-428.

Morgan, S. (2006). Images of organization. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Razik, T., & Swanson, A. (2010). Fundamental concepts of educational leadership & management (3 ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Van Brummelen, H. (2009). Walking with God in the classroom: Christian approach to teaching and learning. Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications.

Running head: CASE STUDY FOUR 1

CASE STUDY FOUR 6

Case Study: Part 4 Grading Rubric

Criteria	Levels of Achievement
Content 70%	Advanced	Proficient	Developing	Not present
1. Describe the culture of your organization and whether cultural differences exist within the various units of your organization.	28 to 30 points Criteria is addressed clearly and accurately and includes an extensive description of the specified question(s).	26 to 27 points Criteria is addressed clearly and includes an adequate description of all specified questions in the assignment.	1 to 25 points Criteria is somewhat addressed with a minimal mention/ description of all specified questions in the assignment.	0 points Not present
2. How does your organization develop consensus on mission, tasks, and goals?	19 to 20 points Criteria is addressed accurately and includes an extensive description of the specified question(s).	17 to 18 points Criteria is addressed and includes an adequate description of all specified questions in the assignment.	1 to 16 points Criteria is somewhat addressed with a minimal mention/ description of all specified questions in the assignment.	0 points Not present
3. What is your role within the organization and how is this different from your actual job description?	19 to 20 points Criteria is addressed accurately and includes an extensive description of the specified question(s).	17 to 18 points Criteria is addressed and includes an adequate description of all specified questions in the assignment.	1 to 16 points Criteria is somewhat addressed with a minimal mention/ description of all specified questions in the assignment.	0 points Not present
Structure 30%	Advanced	Proficient	Developing	Not present
APA	14 to 15 points A title and reference page is included. Paper, citations, reference pages, and sources are formatted in current APA style (0-1 errors). Body of paper is 3-5 pages.	13 points A title and reference page is included. Paper, citations, reference pages, and sources are formatted in current APA style (2-3 errors). Body of paper is 3-5 pages.	1 to 12 points A title page or reference page is not included. Paper, citations, reference pages, and sources are not formatted in current APA style (4 or more errors). Body of paper is fewer than 3 pages.	0 points Not present
Grammar, Spelling, Mechanics	14 to 15 points Correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics are used throughout the assignment. There are 0-1 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	13 points There are occasional errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics. There are 2-3 errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics that distract the reader from the content.	1 to 12 points There are 4 or more errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics that distract the reader from the content.	0 points Not present