More of What I’ve Learned About Culture
The Bottom Line The bottom line is: kids will be kids, but they all want to be better.
Disciplining works. Condescending tones DO NOT. In my
It is our responsibility, as leaders, to help them become the best
experience, when an adult speaks to a child in a loud volume and/
of themselves. A thoroughly positive school culture will do that,
or with a condescending tone, the child either doesn’t listen and
not only for the students, but for the entire school community.
puts up a wall, or becomes timid and retreats inside their shell. It’s so easy to say we’re going to do something, but it takes Become a safe space for them. When children retreat inside
something completely different, a true investment of time and
their shell, it is more difficult to help them because they won’t
talent, to actually do it. Many of the schools I’ve visited hit the nail
necessarily open up to you the way you need them to. Let them
on the head already, establishing good, safe school cultures, but
know that they always have a safe space in you. Then, back that
the majority have not. Help make YOUR school truly exceptional.
up by actively and genuinely listening.
With more and more examples of excellence, we can make safe, welcoming schools the rule.
Focus on the DO’s, not the DON’T’s, and be their example. I attribute the success of my assembly to two things. One, my age, and therefore my ease of connecting with students. Two, my emphasis on the DO’s instead of the DON’T’s. My experiences show me that children want to make the best and healthiest choices, but they can’t always do that unless they see it being practiced all around them. Tell them, but more importantly, show them, what to do through your own behavior. 25