Human Connections & Healthy School Culture = Foundational
"The youth who need education most to provide a catalyst for creating positive change in their lives are those who persistently achieve at the lowest levels in our schools" - Dr. Anthony Muhammad
Here are some of the highlights from Anthony Muhammad's book -
We should never consider education a luxury; it is a necessity, especially for children in poor and minority communities. It may be their only chance at a better life.
'Education for all' is not just a liberal rant; it is a matter of survival for everyone, but especially those groups that have been pushed in the margins of our society
School culture is the foundation by which we can ensure that ALL students have access to more than just a high school diploma; society has changed its expectations
School culture is how we behave; climate is how we feel. Culture is "the way we do things around here" and climate is "the way we feel around here" (Gruenert and Whitaker, 2015 via Anthony Muhammad)
Positive culture = 1. Educators have an unwavering belief in the ability of all their students to achieve success, and they pass that belief on to others in overt and covert ways; 2. Educators create policies and procedures and adopt practices that support their belief in every student's ability.
...educators personal belief systems may be the most powerful variables perpetuating learning gaps in our public school system; we must truly embrace the idea that learning is for ALL students
School culture will eat school climate for breakfast = culture always wins
School culture and the positive human connections we make starts with how we treat students and how we treat one another on a daily basis. The strength of our school is only as strong as the strength of our relationships and our teams where the work happens to monitor student growth collaboratively and reflect on missteps.
Teacher Collaboration is a continuous, ongoing cycle of learning
What do great organizations do differently than good/average organizations? 1. They seek and confront the "brutal facts" (call out their elephants) 2. They get the right people on the "bus" and sit them in the right "seats" (Jim Collins)
