Positive School Climate Research Articles

Positive Schooling:Challenges Seen and Met, as Perceived by the Principals, Administrators and Teachers in Schools of Jaipur

Positive schooling has its roots in the conception of positive psychology in our lives where an individual's strength is the primary focus, yet the differences in the way this concept is understood makes its practical applicability challenging. An exploratory research was conducted with a grounded theory approach to qualitative research methodology with the purpose of outlining the understanding of: 1) The concept of Positive school Climate, 2) Challenges in keeping a positive school climate and, 3) The ways to meet them; as perceived by Principals, administrators and teachers. The sampling was purposive where Principals, administrators and teachers having an academic experience of at least 10 years, from 30 different CBSE English medium schools in Jaipur with a student strength of 1500-2000, and 30-40:1 student-teacher ratio were taken as sample. Data was collected by face to face individual open ended in-depth interviews from 53 Principals and administrators and 160 teachers in four months. Questions targeted the responses about the understanding of concept of positive schooling, the challenges and active ways to meet them. The data was analysed using content analysis at the manifest level. Three categories were formed to analyse the content pertaining to the three sub-purposes. The results indicated emergence of'Increasing Parental Influence' 'Over ambitiousness of parents' and 'Lack of Teacher Training' as the most important challenges to be met. For meeting these challenges, (I) Increased implementation of training and education programs for teachers focusing on: (a) Enhancing Emotional Quotient(EQ) of the teachers, and (b) Awareness of psychological issues and needs of a child; (2) awareness programs for parents, and (3) Flexibility in administration, were highlighted.

The relationship of school climate, teacher defending and friends on students' perceptions of bullying in high school

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of school climate, teacher defending, and friends on bullying and victimization. Participants were 2273 high school students from 3 public schools (an all girls, all boys boarding, and a co-ed day) in Kenya. A structural equation model was used to examine relationships between school climate, teacher behavior toward bullying, and student demographic characteristics, and bullying. Results revealed that a positive school climate was associated with less bullying behavior and victimization. In addition, when students reported that teachers stop bullying by students, bullying behavior and victimization scores were lower. Contrary to previous research these results showed that residents of a boys only boarding school were less likely to report bullying behavior than residents of an all girls school, or students at a co-educational institution. Furthermore, there were no differences in bullying behavior or victimization by gender or grade level. Implications of these results are discussed.

Bullying and fear of victimization: Do supportive adults in school make a difference in adolescents’ perceptions of safety?

ABSTRACTThis study examines the role played by a limited number of fear-of-crime correlates in structuring variations in fear of violent victimization expressed by a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents who participated in the 2013 National Crime Victimization Survey School Crime Supplement. Results show that both male and female adolescents who experienced bullying victimization also felt a higher level of fear of victimization at school and elsewhere. Conversely, adolescents who received emotional support at school from teachers and other adults were significantly less likely to be fearful. When controlling for the selected predictors, female adolescents were not more fearful than their male counterparts. Additionally, findings indicate that, especially for male adolescents, a positive school climate has the capacity to moderate the effect of bullying victimization on one’s fear of crime.

Parental Monitoring and Positive School Climate in Preventing School Burnout

In this study, the hypothesis that parental monitoring and positive school climate are related to high school students' school burnout was tested. This study is a correlational study. Convenience sampling method was used in the study. The participants of the study were 294 students. Data were gathered by using three instruments. Confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis techniques were used. For all scales, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and scale model, which is the first step of structural equation modelling, was established. Furthermore, the suitability of the original scale structure was tested with the data. The structural equation modelling was then established with the latent variables and tested with path analysis. The fit indices of the model established between school burnout, school climate and parental monitoring showed that the model was compatible with the data. The model revealed that there was a negative relationship between school climate and parental monitoring, and burnout. As the school climate and parental monitoring scores increased, burnout decreased. Resulst of the study were discussed in line with the related literature.

School and community factors involved in Chilean students’ perception of school safety

AbstractIdentifying and understanding predictors of school safety perceptions is important due to its consequences for students. However, it is not clear what school‐related factors most contribute to explaining students’ perception of school safety, and how they relate to community‐related factors such as neighborhood safety. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors associated with Chilean elementary and middle school students’ perceptions of school safety. We used a sample of 5,455 students from low socioeconomic status public schools, and analyzed the predictive value of peer physical and verbal victimization; teacher and school staff victimization; teacher's social support; and perception of safety in the students’ neighborhoods on perceptions of school safety. Findings showed that although different forms of school violence, particularly peer physical victimization and physical and sexual victimization from teachers and school staff, contribute to students’ perception of school safety, the highest contribution came from students perceiving their neighborhoods as unsafe. In contrast, teacher social support contributed to increased levels of perceived school safety. We discuss the need for school‐based interventions that address physical victimization and engage teachers in prosocial and less punitive approaches to foster a positive and safe school climate, and in fostering school–community partnerships.

School climate: the controllable and the uncontrollable

A positive school climate impacts students by promoting positive relations among students, staff and faculty of the school. The current study used latent class analysis and multinomial regression with R3STEP to analyse patterns of negative behaviours in schools and test the association of these patterns with structural variables like school size, demographics, and location using data from the 2008 School Survey on Crime and Safety, (n = 2560). The results indicated five classes of frequencies of negative behaviours. By using the lowest frequency of behaviour class as a reference, the classes with the highest frequencies of bullying, teacher disrespect, and sexual assault were more likely to be found in high crime areas and have larger campuses serving over 1000 students. Implications include the need to serve subgroups of schools based on measurable variables and the need to educate future teachers, administrators, and school psychologists about school climate and positive behaviour support systems.

Strengthening social emotional learning with student, teacher, and schoolwide assessments

In this case study, we examined how a school, committed to emotional intelligence (EQ) as a central pillar, used assessment data to build positive school climate and strengthen the EQ of students and all community members. School leaders used multiple EQ and school climate assessments, over several years, to acquire data to enhance individual success, enrich classroom practice, and provide a strategy for schoolwide improvement. Teachers used data to help both youth and adults increase self-awareness, make better choices, and create a more supportive learning community. Assessment results guided curriculum development and classroom management. Administrators examined their own effectiveness individually and as a team and planned teacher professional development and parent workshops. A three-part benchmarks framework for schoolwide implementation of social emotional learning is used to analyze (a) student and adult competencies, (b) classroom practices, and (c) whole school approaches, including school climate and administrative team leadership.

Refusing Relevance: School Administrator Resistance to Offering Professional Development Addressing LGBTQ Issues in Schools

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to provide insight to the multiple ways that school leaders resist, avoid, or block LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, queer, and questioning) professional development for their staff and, thus, resist the conversations around school responsibility to these students and families. Research Method: The data presented in this article include interviews and field notes drawn from evaluation studies of the Reduction of Stigma in Schools© professional development program and are related to a single emergent theme. Findings: School leaders who resisted LGBTQ professional development claimed such training was not relevant to their school contexts, the training would attract community backlash, the school board would not approve the training, or school personnel would not be interested in learning about LGBTQ students. Implications: The authors conclude that increasing LGBTQ content in educational leadership training is a necessary step for convincing school leadership that LGBTQ-competence is necessary for creating a positive school climate for all.

The Association of School Climate, Depression Literacy, and Mental Health Stigma Among High School Students.

Although school climate is linked with youth educational, socioemotional, behavioral, and health outcomes, there has been limited research on the association between school climate and mental health education efforts. We explored whether school climate was associated with students' depression literacy and mental health stigma beliefs. Data were combined from 2 studies: the Maryland Safe Supportive Schools Project and a randomized controlled trial of the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. Five high schools participated in both studies, allowing examination of depression literacy and stigma measures from 500 9th and 10th graders. Multilevel models examined the relationship between school-level school climate characteristics and student-level depression literacy and mental health stigma scores. Overall school climate was positively associated with depression literacy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.78, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -3.822, p = .001). Subscales of engagement (OR = 5.30, p < .001) and environment were positively associated with depression literacy (OR = 2.01, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -6.610, p < .001), (Est. = -2.742, p < .001). Positive school climate was associated with greater odds of depression literacy and endorsement of fewer stigmatizing beliefs among students. Our findings raise awareness regarding aspects of the school environment that may facilitate or inhibit students' recognition of depression and subsequent treatment-seeking.

Longitudinal Relations Among Positivity, Perceived Positive School Climate, and Prosocial Behavior in Colombian Adolescents.

Bidirectional relations among adolescents' positivity, perceived positive school climate, and prosocial behavior were examined in Colombian youth. Also, the role of a positive school climate in mediating the relation of positivity to prosocial behaviors was tested. Adolescents (N=151; Mage of child in Wave 1=12.68, SD=1.06; 58.9% male) and their parents (N=127) provided data in two waves (9months apart). A model of bidirectional relations between positivity and perceived positive school climate emerged. In addition, adolescents with higher levels of perceived positive school climate at age 12 showed higher levels of prosocial behaviors in the following year. Positive school climate related positivity to adolescents' prosocial behavior over time.

The Positive Role of School Climate on School Victimization, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among School-Attending Homeless Youth

ABSTRACTAlthough homeless youth face a higher risk of victimization and mental health problems, little is known about school victimization and mental health outcomes for school-attending homeless youth. This study examined the relationship between school climate and school-related victimization and mental health problems among homeless youth. Multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between school climate factors and school victimization, suicidal ideation, and depression tendency in a representative sample of 1,169 school-attending homeless youth in 9th and 11th grades in California. Findings show that school-attending homeless youth are at high risk of being victimized at school and have high rates of depression tendency and suicidal ideation. Positive school climate, especially perceived high expectations from teachers and safety in school, was associated with lower rates of school victimization and mental health problems. The role of supportive school climate in the lives of school-attending homeless youth is discussed and future implications are suggested.

Weight, Perceptions, and Bullying: What Kind of Pounds Matter?

A great deal of research has investigated weight as a predictor for bullying victimization. However, weight is rarely examined in light of its potential role in explaining bullying perpetration, despite the fact that the definition of bullying typically requires a power imbalance, which can refer to either social power or physical size. Using negative binomial regressions, we investigated weight as a predictor of overt and relational bullying behaviors for a sample of 3208 6th–8th graders from 11 schools in a northeastern state. We examined whether this relationship differs by gender, and we explored whether objective size or perception of size is more predictive of perpetration. We also examined whether certain protective factors, like a positive school environment, moderated the effect of weight on bullying perpetration. We found that students who reported a higher BMI engaged in more overt, but not relational, bullying perpetration. Interestingly, students with misperceptions about their weight reported higher levels of both types of bullying perpetration, while students reporting a more positive school climate engaged in less overt and relational bullying. We also found gender differences in that girls are statistically more likely to commit overt bullying if they have a higher BMI. Our results suggest that prevention programs should address weight as a predictor of bullying behaviors, especially for girls, but also that body image and misperception of weight are important topics for prevention programs.

Substance Use and Bullying Victimization Among Middle and High School Students: Is Positive School Climate a Protective Factor?

This study examined the relationships among substance use, bullying victimization, and school climate among middle and high school students. In high school students, bullying victimization predicted substance use, and victims with positive perceptions of school climate reported less illicit drug use.

Highlighted &amp; Underlined

A new national report on the teacher pension systems in all 50 states offers a grim picture of the amount of pension debt and teachers’ lack of access to flexible and fair benefits. A more positive school climate may be linked to higher academic performance, suggests a new study by two federal agencies. Column also offers links to lists of books by black authors and about black children.

Examining the Relationship between Instructional Leadership and Organizational Health

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between school administrators' instructional leadership behaviours, and organizational health of schools. The participants were 538 teachers working in elementary, middle and high schools located in the Umraniye district of Istanbul. The data was gathered through the "School Principals' Instructional Leadership Behaviours Questionnaire" and the "Organizational Health Inventory". In data analysis, the arithmetic mean, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, and Multilinear Regression Analysis were used. The results showed that the school principals performed the instructional leadership behaviours of determining and sharing the objectives of the school at the highest level. Among the organizational health dimensions of the schools, initiating structure was perceived at the highest level, while resource support and academic emphasis were perceived at lower levels compared to other dimensions. In the study, positive and significant correlations were found between the sub-dimensions of instructional leadership behaviours and those of organizational health of schools. The sub-dimensions of instructional leadership together explained 49% of the variance in organizational health. On the other hand, only determining and sharing the objectives of the school and forming a regular instructional-learning environment and positive school climate among the instructional leadership behaviours were positive and significant predictors of organizational health of schools.

Partners at Learning: A Service-Learning Approach to Serving Public School Students from Military Families

ABSTRACTThe majority of 4 million United States military-connected students attend public schools, and many face various challenges that stem from factors related to military service. Schools can support these students through a positive school climate and attention to their needs. University service-learning programs can enhance the experiences of military-connected students. This study presents an evaluation of the Partners at Learning program, where undergraduate university students provided tutoring to underserved students, including military-connected students. Results show that Partners at Learning tutors reported greater awareness of the unique experiences of these military-connected students, increased understanding of diverse groups, and increased interest in social justice advocacy.

Positive educative programme

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on a process and impact evaluation of the Positief Educatief Programma (Positive Education Programme (PEP)), a whole school approach to supporting children’s well-being and creating a positive school climate in primary schools in the Netherlands. PEP adopts a competence skill enhancement approach with a focus on developing children’s positive emotions and strengths.Design/methodology/approachA process and impact evaluation was performed within the context of two schools piloting the programme. Employing questionnaires and interviews, the evaluation sought to examine the implementation of PEP, participants’ experiences with key components and the programme impact of PEP.FindingsThe findings reveal largely positive attitudes towards PEP. Staff and parents were positive about the core components of PEP. Results from standardised questionnaires provide preliminary evidence about the positive impact of PEP on children’s self-reported well-being and problem behaviour, teachers’ awareness of children’s strengths and overall school climate. The provision of practical strategies and activity-based resources was considered essential to the ongoing implementation of PEP.Research limitations/implicationsThis study reports on findings from two implementation schools and therefore lacks generalisability. Further research using more robust research methods exploring the effectiveness of PEP when compared with “business as usual” is needed.Originality/valueSchool frameworks aimed at creating a positive school climate and promoting well-being at the whole school level have not been carried out in the Netherlands to date. The results from this study provide a unique insight into the implementation and perceived impact of a whole school framework in the context of two primary schools.

Kind discipline: Developing a conceptual model of a promising school discipline approach

This formative evaluation develops a novel conceptual model for a discipline approach fostering intrinsic motivation and positive relationships in schools. We used concept mapping to elicit and integrate perspectives on kind discipline from teachers, administrators, and other school staff. Three core themes describing kind discipline emerged from 11 identified clusters: (1) proactively developing a positive school climate, (2) responding to conflict with empathy, accountability, and skill, and (3) supporting staff skills in understanding and sharing expectations. We mapped the identified components of kind discipline onto a social ecological model and found that kind discipline encompasses all levels of that model including the individual, relational, environmental/structural, and even community levels. This contrasts with the dominant individual-behavioral discipline approaches that focus on fewer levels and may not lead to sustained student and staff motivation. The findings illustrate the importance of setting and communicating clear expectations and the need for them to be collaboratively developed. Products of the analysis and synthesis reported here are operationalized materials for teachers grounded in a “be kind” culture code for classrooms.

Cultural construction of promoting resilience and positive school climate during economic crisis in Greek schools

In this study, an evidence-based program aiming to promote psychological well-being and resilience within the context of Greek schools is presented. It is based upon a multidimensional model that synthesizes different theoretical domains, placing emphasis on different goals depending on the needs of the school community during unsettling times. Culture-specific characteristics of the economic recession are addressed, using a multilevel mixed-model participatory design, including needs assessment, pre-assessment and post-assessment. Overall assessment supported the program's effectiveness on teachers' resilience, students' goal setting, and the promotion of a positive school climate.

Povezanost školske klime i autonomije učenika

Students' satisfaction with their school is determined by their status in the school, more precisely, their overall psychological and social status. Students can have the role of objects by participating in the activities organised by teachers, and they can participate on an equal basis, in which case their integrity is expressed. Acknowledging student autonomy and developing curricular content that matches their interests contributes to the development of motivation for learning and a positive perception of the school life. The aim of this paper is to examine the influence of school climate on the strengthening of student autonomy, particularly regarding the impact of the dimension of the class climate on the status of its students, or the relationship between teachers and students which is crucial for the realisation of the student autonomy. The concluding pages of the paper offer recommendations for the functioning of schools as systems with the aim of strengthening student autonomy in everyday school practice. The recommendations are meant to ensure a positive psychological and social school climate and they require the participation of all actors in schools (teachers, students, school principals, parents). They also imply developing broader forms of student participation which would encompass extra-curricular activities and the school life in general.