Creative Strategies to Transform School Culture

John Eller has had a variety of experiences in working with adults over the years he has been in education. His experiences include work educational leaders at Virginia Tech University, developing teacher leaders in a Maters program, serving as the Executive Director of Minnesota ASCD, work as a principal’s training center director, a position as an assistant superintendent for curriculum, learning, and staff development, and several principal positions in a variety of settings. In addition to the work he does in training and supporting facilitators, John also does work in the areas of dealing with difficult people, building professional learning communities, employee evaluation, conferencing skills, coaching skills, strategic planning strategies, school improvement planning and implementation, differentiated instruction, leadership for differentiation, employee recruitment, selection, and induction, supervisory skills, and effective teaching strategies. He has his PhD. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University-Chicago and his MS in Educational Leadership from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. John has authored books on substitute teaching, wrote The Training Video Series for the Professional School Bus Driver, The principals’ Guide to Custodial Supervision contributes articles for the publication Superintendents Only. He wrote Effective Group Facilitation in Education: How to Energize Meetings and Manage Difficult Groups, and co-authored So Now You’re the Superintendent, the best selling, Energizing Staff Meetings and Creative Strategies to Improve School Culture all through Corwin Press. Sheila Eller has worked in a multitude of educational settings during her career. In addition to her current position as a principal in the Fairfax County Virginia Public Schools, she has served as a middle school principal in the Moundsview Minnesota School District, as a principal in other schools in Minnesota and Illinois, as a university professor, as a Special Education Teacher, a Title I Math Teacher, and a self-contained classroom teacher in grades 1-4. Sheila has also been a member of the Executive Board of Minnesota ASCD and has been a regional president of the Minnesota Association of Elementary School Principals. She has advanced coursework in educational administration and supervision from St. Cloud State University, her Master’s Degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and a Bachelors Degree from Iowa State University. Sheila is a regular presenter at the ASCD National Conventions sharing her expertise on the topic of effective staff meetings and multiage instruction. While she served as a professor at National-Louis University in Evanston Illinois, she worked on the development team for a classroom mathematics series that was adopted by several districts in the region. Her classroom and instructional techniques were featured on a video that was produced as a complement to this series. She works with educators in developing energized staff meetings, school improvement initiatives, multiage teaching strategies, employee supervision, and other teaching and learning content areas. In addition to this book, Sheila co-authored the best-selling Energizing Staff Meetings and Creative Strategies to Improve School Climate. through Corwin Press.

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• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Authors1. Culture and ClimateAbout This ChapterSchool Climate Versus CultureRapport, Trust, Climate, Culture, and Their InterrelationshipThe Importance of TrustBuilding and Sustaining Organizational TrustStrategies to Build Trust and Impact School ClimateSummary2. Diagnosing the Present Climate and Culture of Your SchoolAbout This ChapterInformal Diagnostic StrategiesFormal or Structured Diagnostic InstrumentsPlanning TemplatesSummary3. Building the Foundation for SuccessAbout This ChapterWorking With the Office StaffStrategy: Planning and Developing an Effective Office StaffCreating a Positive Physical Environment for StaffStrategy: Through These DoorsWelcoming Staff Back to SchoolActivity: Getting to Know Your Teachers and StaffActivity: Welcome Back BarbequeRefreshments for StaffBusiness Cards for StaffName Plates for TeachersPositive MessageFirst Day Survival KitIce Cream Social EventBreakfast for StaffWrapping Up the ClassroomBook Fair GiftsSummary4. Building an Emotional Base for Your Climate and Culture ImprovementsAbout This ChapterActivity: Measuring Their ImpactActivity: I Remember When...Activity: Descriptive FootwearActivity: The Boot AwardActivity: Jack-O-LanternsActivity: Block of SupportActivity: Artifact IntroductionsActivity: The Thank You BlitzActivity: Candle CeremonyActivity: Bag of Positive PhrasesActivity: Spread the WordActivity: Reward With a SmileActivity: A Novel StaffActivity: Floating or Traveling TrophyActivity: Jelly Bean QuestionsActivity: Snowball FightSummary5. Staff Meeting Starters to Build CultureActivity: Good NewsActivity: Human BingoActivity: Who′s ConnectedActivity: My Piece of the PieActivity: I′m a CardSummary6. Activities to Couple With Tasks and DecisionsAbout This ChapterActivity: Future SetActivity: CarouselingStrategy: Leafing Out With Goal AttainmentActivity: Comparison DiagramActivity: Buy What Is Most ImportantActivity: It′s a StarActivity: Criteria RatingActivity: Progressive Problem SolvingActivity: From My PerspectiveActivity: Ripple EffectsActivity: Small Group Ripple EffectsActivity: Sticky Note Ripple EffectsActivity: Ripple Effects ContestActivity: Carousel Ripple EffectsSummary7. Building a Sense of TeamAbout This ChapterInterdependence, Community, and Their Impact on School Climate and CultureActivity: Toxic Waste TransferActivity: Figure It OutActivity: Communication ProblemsActivity: All Tied UpActivity: Passing the HoopActivity: Building a Poker HandActivity: Hula Hoop RelaysActivity: Circle of SupportActivity: Rising TowerActivity: It Takes a VillageSummary8. We′re Not Getting Along; Now What?About This ChapterThe Nature of ConflictActivity: Pack Up Your BaggageActivity: Parking Lot MeetingActivity: Transfer the AngerActivity: Ashes to AshesActivity: Go to Your CornersActivity: Corner on PerspectivesActivity: Victory LapsActivity: Half-Full or Half-EmptyActivity: Compare our PerspectivesActivity: Peeling the OnionMediating Between Conflicting PartiesProductive Influence of Conflict on a TeamConflict and ChaosSummary9. Celebrating Your SuccessAbout This ChapterStrategy: Planning the Celebration at the Start of the InitiativeActivity: High FivesActivity: Banana SplitsActivity: Gallery WalkStrategy: Trophy Case DisplaysStrategy: Get Out of Duty CardsStrategy: Success ThermometerSummary10. Supporting Climate and Cultural Change as a LeaderAbout This ChapterStep 1: Understand Your Strengths, Weaknesses, and InhibitionsStep 2: Build a SeedbedStep 3: Plant the SeedsStep 4: Nurture Them, Watch Them GrowStep 5: Pull the WeedsStep 6: Harvest the CropSummaryReferencesIndex