The term school culture refers to
the set of beliefs, values, rituals, ceremonies, norms and rules that shape and
influence the way in which a school functions.
When parents have
to choose a school for their children, or teachers have to choose where to
work, there are several variables to take into account, such as physical and
emotional safety of students, school´s policies and facilities, the orderliness
of classrooms, the degree to which a school embraces racial or cultural diversity,
educational resources, learning opportunities, among others.
It is really
important to bear in mind that not only students and parents but also teachers
and administrators, contribute to their school´s culture, since the way they
work together and the underlying beliefs hold by them about teaching
techniques, teaching practices and learning, shape the school culture of their
school. Furthermore, the community in which a school is located and the polices
that govern how a school should operate in that area, also influence school
culture.
All in all, a
school culture encompasses different aspects of a school that make it to
function in a particular way, and it is that particular way of functioning the
reason why people chose one school and not another one.
