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Elementary School Culture
According to Merriam-Webster (2024), culture is "the set of shared attitudes, values,
goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization" (2024). The culture
surrounding Whitney Elementary School is based on values, beliefs, norms, and cultural
differences. In addition, cultural differences also play a role in the everyday life of students and
staff at school. This paper will give a better understanding of how cultural, cultural differences
and organizational consensus play a role in education.
Culture and Cultural Differences
The school's values start with inclusion, ensuring that all students are included in the
learning process despite their academic ability. This is done by ensuring that teachers
differentiate their teaching so that everyone can understand and ask questions at their level.
Second is the value of academic excellence. Students at Whitney are expected to work to the best
of their abilities. The expectation is that when students learn what they need to excel, it is readily
available to them. This means that if a student has an IEP (Individual Education Plan), it ensures
they have an even learning field.
In the same way, students with learning disabilities are helped, gifted students are treated in the
same way. Every student has the right to experience academic excellence. The value of respect is
expected at Whitney; students and teachers are expected to respect each other as they would
expect people to respect them.
The school's belief system is based on the idea that every student can learn. An important
aspect of Whitney Institute is making sure that students are being taught in a manner that
addresses all learning styles. This is one of the reasons the new reading program is frustrating for
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teachers; it does not make room for different learning styles even though it has components that
are supposed to help in differentiated learning.
Whitney also believes in creating lifelong learners. Academics play a key role in students'
everyday lives. However, it is also important for students to gain social skills so that they
understand how to manage in society and have exposure to the arts. Exposure to the arts
promotes fine motor skills, cognitive development, creativity, emotional and social growth, and
cultural awareness.
The word norm is defined as "a widespread or usual practice or custom" (Merriam-
Webster, 2024). The norms at Whitney are student safety, professionalism, and continued
improvement. For students to thrive in school, they must feel safe. When students feel safe, there
is more participation and engagement. Students feel free to learn without any outside stress. A
safe learning environment also contributes to students learning social and emotional skills while
building relationships with their classmates and teachers. Being safe also helps prevent behavior
problems that may occur during school. Some students have been exposed to traumas that have
been put on them, and school should be a safe haven where they can learn and deal with their
traumatic experiences.
The second of many norms is professionalism. Staff are always required to be
professional. This includes their dress, attitudes, and interactions with students, parents, and
coworkers. What does professionalism look like in Whitney? In terms of dress, teachers are not
allowed to wear jeans or tee shirts except on special occasions. It was decided that the students
needed to see the staff professionally. Teachers interacting with other individuals shows students
how to interact with their peers and society. Students often mimic what they see and hear. What
better way to show them?
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Lastly, the students and staff at Whitney require continued improvement. Staff are
required to attend mandatory professional development at least once every nine weeks. If it is
missed, it must be made up. Professional development does not cover learning material; it also
focuses on concepts such as teaching strategies and updated laws. More recently, professional
developments at Whitney have focused on reading but not on the new reading program that has
been implemented.
Cultural Differences
Student demographics are the most significant cultural difference in the school. “This
diversity encompasses students from a myriad of cultural and linguistic and backgrounds’
academic performance levels” (Cousik, 2015). Whitney’s demographics consist of 720 students:
44% Black, 19% Hispanic, 25% White, and 10% other races. Out of the 720 students, 19% have
disabilities, 52% are poor, and 12% are English learners. These demographics along with
Whitney being a Title 1 school makes racial a number one reason to understand the importance
of understanding the racial aspect of the demographics.
The teaching styles of teachers can also be considered a cultural difference. In many
schools the age ranges of teachers help determine how lessons are taught. While the older
teachers who did not have technology to lean on may use old strategies, pencil and paper, the
newer teachers may choose to use calculators, new math, techniques such as base ten, lattice
multiplication. Neither is wrong, however having both types of teachers in a school building
gives students a chance to learn strategies in diverse ways.
Communication or the way one communicates is essential in maintaining relationships
with parents and students. While some parents choose to communicate via email and phone calls,
others may find face to face meetings help build a better connection. At Whitney, a new method
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involving filing paperwork for special education teachers. Paper copies of any information that
goes into a student’s cumulative folder are no longer to be copied and returned to the filing
system. Now teachers are no longer allowed to send any paper copies home, and every paper has
to be scanned into the computer program. This will eventually wipe out any use of the old filing
cabinet. Making all students file electronic.
Organization Consensus
When creating Whitney’s school mission, administrators hold meetings with teachers,
parents, and other stakeholders. Having a diverse group of individuals helps to get ideas and
perspectives from different sides. This helps to get a vision that everyone can agree on.
Whitney’s Mission statement incorporates the ideas of students being lifelong learners and
making learning innovative. Making the mission statement covers the ideas of what school life
should be. Making sure that daily tasks and the school’s mission align is important for achieving
any goals that the school has. In order to do these key players must work together to develop
their lesson plans and activities that go along with their mission. Another important part of task
alignment is having professional developments that also align with the school mission.
The method that is used for setting goals at Whitney is the SMART goal method. The
goals must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound. SMART goals are not
just used for general education purposes, they are also used for IEP goals. When creating these
goals there is usually a team that consists of a teacher, administrator, parents, and sometime
students. Once goals are created, they need to be measured on a four and half and monthly basis.
The data collected assists in determining how to instruct students and what goals have mastered.
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Role versus Job Description
As a teacher I am responsible for creating lesson plans that keep students engaged. This
includes students with special needs. Utilizing technology, I integrated all subjects so that
students can have access to instruction in diverse ways. I am required to follow the guidelines of
the state and school district. Assessing students is a requirement so that it can be determined how
to instruct students and communicating with parents to make sure they understand their child’s
education.
My role is a counselor when students are having a tough time with their feelings, a nurse
when the school nurse is unavailable. A therapist when families are having a challenging time
and a cheerleader when students are doing important things. The job of social worker and ATM
can also be added to the list of jobs that are done for students on a daily basis. For the staff I
serve as Department Chair, 504 Chair, and mentor. I am also the chair of the Student and Staff
Morale and Engagement Committee, as well as a member of the MTTS Committee.
Whitney is a school with an inclusive culture. Its values, beliefs, norms, and cultural
diversity create a safe and inviting place to learn. Ensure that academic excellence is
experienced, respect is given, and all students are included. This makes all students feel
important and seen. The school's culture is what makes Whitney a wonderful place for students.
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References
Merriam-Webster. (2024). Culture. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Norms. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved December 7,
2024, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/norms
Cousik, R. (2015), "Cultural and functional diversity in the elementary classroom: strategies for
teachers", Journal for Multicultural Education, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 54-67.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-03-2015-0010
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