School Climate Research Articles

The role of individual differences in environmental sensitivity in teachers' stress and burnout at work.

School teachers are among workers most exposed to stress and burnout-a relevant occupational phenomenon leading to psychological and economic costs. The Environmental Sensitivity individual trait-as captured by the psychological marker of sensory processing sensitivity (SPS)-has been found to have a relevant role in stress and emotional exhaustion at work. Yet, little is still known about heightened SPS in the educational field and on underlying mechanisms occurring in the relationship between SPS, stress and burnout. The current work aimed to explore the association between SPS and burnout among teachers as well as the moderating role of perceived stress and school climate in this association. One hundred and ninety eight teachers (44.3years; SD=9.7, 94% F) reported on their levels of SPS, occupational burnout, perceived stress and school climate quality. In line with a vulnerability effect, we found heightened SPS largely associated with burnout. This was particularly evident in a context of high-perceived stress, suggesting that teachers high on SPS may experience more challenges in the face of elevated stress with the need of more support. When exposed to positive and supportive school climate, highly sensitive teachers showed a decrease in burnout, suggesting high SPS as a valuable strength for benefiting from positive experiences. Findings have the potential to inform the customisation of support programs, assisting both schools and work agencies in increasing their awareness of the role of individual differences in responding to both work-demand-related stress and to positive work environments.

Middle Level Teacher Development for Advocacy: A Systematic Review of the Literature

In the realm of middle level education, advocacy is an integral aspect of school culture and community. Advocacy helps to foster a school environment characterized by a sense of respect and value for young adolescents and should take up an awareness of the social and cognitive characteristics of young adolescents. Advocacy competency is also a necessary teacher disposition to foster socially just and successful middle school cultures and climates. We conducted a systematic review of the literature guided by the following driving question: What does the research say about middle level teacher development and advocacy? Our review yielded 38 relevant sources and key thematic ideas across four thematic categories. We anticipate this review of the literature will be of interest to and inform middle level educators and researchers around equity- and justice-oriented middle level teacher development.

Hear, act, connect, support: Youth recommendations for educators who administer school climate surveys

AbstractSchool climate surveys are commonly used to solicit youth perspectives about their experiences in schools. However, to move climate surveys from solicitation towards a more youth‐centered, partnered practice for school improvement, guidance is needed from the youth themselves about how and in what ways they hope adults respond to their survey responses. In the present study, we analyzed data from four focus groups conducted with middle school and high school students. Findings reveal that, following the administration of climate surveys, youth want adults to: recognize their voices, take action based on their responses, cultivate opportunities for connection, and increase mental health supports. These student‐generated insights can help inform how adults in schools—from educational leaders to licensed mental health professionals—use student data to inform decision‐making.

Examining the School Climate Influence on Jamaican Secondary School Students: A Comprehensive Literature Review

This article synthesises the literature on the socioecological factors within the school climate - quality and character of school life (Cohen, 2009) influencing adolescents’ resilience. The review focuses on social relationships and the mechanisms used for teaching and learning practices. Resilience is a positive development outcome resulting from a triadic interactive process between the adolescent, the internal capacity, and the socioecological factors within the environment (Ungar, 2008). Changes imposed by COVID-19 on teaching and learning practices assumedly altered the school climate and are known to impact adolescents’ psychosocial well-being. Transforming the school climate at its minimum will require improving social relationships, communicating expectations, and creating a school environment where students will feel safe. Giving students autonomy through active and productive engagement in decisions that affect their developmental outcomes is critical for success. Expansion of this study requires applying a methodological approach that allows for students’ perspectives of the school climate, careful measurement of their resilience levels and lived experiences of students and other school personnel.

Positive behavior support in school – a quasi-experimental mixed methods study and a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile positive school climate is important for students’ well-being and mental health, school personnel may experience challenges in creating a nurturing school climate. School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) has shown positive effects on school climate and children’s prosocial behaviors, but fewer studies have been conducted in a European context.AimThis project aims to investigate the effectiveness of SW-PBIS program for students’ social-emotional skills and academic achievement as well as teachers’ and students’ perceptions of classroom learning environment. Furthermore, the study intends to evaluate how school-level factors mediate or moderate the effects of the intervention. In addition, the study includes a qualitative evaluation of the dynamic interaction processes that occur during program implementation in local school contexts.MethodsData on school- and individual-level measures are collected in intervention and control schools. With regard to challenges in retaining control groups over extended time periods, two waves of recruitment are used. In the first wave, an active control group is used and data are collected during three time points. In the second wave, a wait-list control group will be used and data will be collected during two time points during one school year. Hierarchical regression analyses will be conducted to explore the effects of SW-PBIS on the outcomes of the study. An ethno-methodological approach will be applied to provide a detailed examination of the social interactional and meaning-making practices of different school implementation teams, and the negotiation of normative expectations and rules of conduct in peer-teacher-student interactions in different classrooms.DiscussionThe study is expected to contribute to knowledge on the effects of the SW-PBIS program and how these effects may be mediated or moderated by school-level factors. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the significance of school contexts in the implementation of the SW-PBIS program constitutes the strength of the study. The challenge in the study is the extended period of implementation of SW-PBIS, which entails difficulties in retaining a control group over the required time period. Therefore, two waves of recruitment are used, encompassing different procedures of allocation to intervention or control group.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06270914 on the 22nd of February, 2024 (retrospectively registered).

Towards a Safe School Climate": the Knowledge and Attitudes of Teachers towards Bullying and Bullying Prevention

Bullying is an escalating worldwide problem that can manifest in any educational institution. Bullying can be defined as a repetitive and deliberate act of causing harm within a personal relationship characterized by an unequal distribution of power. The study aims to assess Arabic teachers' perspectives on bullying and their comprehension of its diverse manifestations and consequences. The research was carried out in Hail City, specifically in primary schools, with the participation of 51 Arabic teachers. Using questionnaires to measure attitude and knowledge along with demographic information, the researcher determined 5 main hypotheses assuming that attitude and knowledge of bullying will be correlated, teachers' experience will affect their knowledge and attitude, gender will affect attitude and finally, teachers' attitude is significantly predicted by teacher's knowledge, experience, and educational level. The current study examined the relationship between understanding bullying and attitudes towards it. Moreover, the study unveiled that female educators demonstrate more positive attitudes towards bullying. Furthermore, there is a notable correlation between the level of experience among teachers and the positivity of their attitudes, indicating that greater experience is associated with more favorable attitudes. No discernible influence was detected for any other variables on either the level of awareness regarding bullying or the attitude toward it. The viewpoints of educators toward bullying and their degree of comprehension have a substantial influence on the welfare of both individuals who engage in bullying and those who are targeted by it. To rectify misunderstandings regarding bullying and foster a more thorough comprehension inside educational institutions in Saudi Arabia, it is crucial to execute multiple interventions.

Teachers' Perceptions of the Classroom Climate in Private Vocational High Schools in North Padang District

Teachers' Perceptions of the Classroom Climate in Private Vocational High Schools in North Padang District

LA VIOLENCE AU MILIEU SCOLAIRE : ETUDE SUR LEFFET DU SENTIMENT DINJUSTICE SUR LE COMPORTEMENT AGRESSIF DES ELEVES DU SECONDAIRE AU MAROC

This research examines the link between the feeling of injustice experienced by students and their aggressive behavior in school settings, focusing on the Moroccan educational context, which has been less studied. The study was conducted with 192 high school students from four public and private schools in two regional academies of education and training. The majority of participants, 32.3%, are 17 years old, followed by those aged 16 (22.9%), while the least represented age groups are 20 and 19 years old, with percentages of 3.1% and 8.9%, respectively. To address the research questions, two measurement scales were used: one for aggression (27 items) and another for injustice, comprising three dimensions and 19 items. The results indicate that students aggressive behavior is significantly influenced by their perception of injustice, with aggression explained by 39.3% due to school injustice. These findings highlight the importance of equity and justice in fostering a positive school climate.

EFFECT OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PRACTICES ON STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH IN PUBLIC DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RWANDA

This study investigates the impact of instructional leadership techniques on students\' English language competency in Rwandan public secondary schools. The research involved 5660 students, 10 head teachers, 156 English instructors, and 5 local authorities\' educational officials. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to gather data. The findings showed that school resource management and teachers\' behavior and attendance demonstrate leadership skills. Additionally, improved student behavior and greater cooperation reflect student performance. Exam outcomes, good teaching and learning, teacher conduct, school resource management, and collaborations with the community and parents were found to be significantly correlated with student performance. However, the association was negligible. The study recommends that transformational leaders in Rwanda improve student performance by fostering a positive school climate, promoting professional development, and enhancing English proficiency.

PREVENTING AND COMBATING BULLYING: AN ANALYSIS OF HELP TEAMS

Bullying is one of the biggest challenges faced by schools, deeply impacting students' emotional health and development. Recognized as a form of systematic violence by the World Health Organization (WHO), bullying has serious consequences, ranging from anxiety and social withdrawal to lasting psychological problems. In Brazil, the National School Health Survey (PENSE, 2022) reveals that one in five young people engages in bullying. This study aims to discuss strategies to prevent and combat bullying, focusing on the implementation of Help Teams, a form of youth leadership that promotes healthy coexistence and reduces violence. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, based on a literature review and analysis of documentary and legislative data, including studies by Tognetta (2022), Loch et al. (2020), and Allen and Kern (2017). The results indicate that Help Teams are an effective strategy to improve school climate and student well-being, providing a reduction in cases of bullying. However, implementation faces challenges, such as a lack of resources and the need for ongoing training for educators. The study concludes that, for schools to become spaces for welcoming and preventing conflicts, a collective effort from the school community, institutional support and well-implemented public policies are necessary, with youth leadership as a fundamental tool.

LA VIOLENCE AU MILIEU SCOLAIRE : ETUDE SUR LEFFET DU SENTIMENT DINJUSTICE SUR LE COMPORTEMENT AGRESSIF DES ELEVES DU SECONDAIRE AU MAROC

This research examines the link between the feeling of injustice experienced by students and their aggressive behavior in school settings, focusing on the Moroccan educational context, which has been less studied. The study was conducted with 192 high school students from four public and private schools in two regional academies of education and training. The majority of participants, 32.3%, are 17 years old, followed by those aged 16 (22.9%), while the least represented age groups are 20 and 19 years old, with percentages of 3.1% and 8.9%, respectively. To address the research questions, two measurement scales were used: one for aggression (27 items) and another for injustice, comprising three dimensions and 19 items. The results indicate that students aggressive behavior is significantly influenced by their perception of injustice, with aggression explained by 39.3% due to school injustice. These findings highlight the importance of equity and justice in fostering a positive school climate.

Views of Assessment and Evaluation Experts on Assessment and Evaluation Units in Schools

In this study, it was aimed to reveal the views of assessment and evaluation experts on assessment and evaluation units in schools. Participants were selected from the schools where the assessment and evaluation unit is located and from among the schools that the researchers could easily contact. In this context, seven assessment and evaluation experts were selected from schools where the unit existed as participants. In order to seek answers to the research problems, expert opinions were obtained through a semi-structured interview form and by interview technique. According to the results of the research, assessment and evaluation experts stated that traditional and complementary assessment and evaluation approaches are mostly used together in schools. According to another result, it was stated that an assessment and evaluation unit affected the behaviors of teachers, administrators, and parents positively. In teacher-administrator and teacher-parent relations, that this department provides objective data with unbiased evaluation provides an objective perspective on transferring shortcomings. In addition, it was concluded that the coordinated and harmonious relationship of this unit with other departments (such as the curriculum development unit and counseling unit) positively affects the school climate as it increases the quality of the school education policy and ensures that all educational activities are carried out systematically. In line with the results of the research, it is recommended that assessment and evaluation units be established in schools to coordinate with Assessment and Evaluation Centers.

The Perniciousness and Promise of School-Based Mental Health Service Delivery for Youth.

Rates of child and adolescent mental disorder have risen sharply while access to community-based mental health care options continues to be elusive for many families. Substantial and persistent barriers to community-based mental health care have prompted multiple stakeholders to pursue an approach that emphasizes health promotion and intervention practices within the context of ecologically valid and more accessible environments. The most prominent of these environments has been schools that can serve as local and centralized access points to various services, including mental health care. The rapid expansion of school-based mental health service delivery systems, however, carries both risk of perniciousness as well as significant promise with respect to effective and equitable care. This article summarizes key concerns surrounding school-based mental health service delivery systems, including non-beneficence and harm, support disparities, unsustainable implementation, oppressive school climate, and linkage to punitive and discriminatory practices. Broad-based recommendations to help realize the promise of effective and equitable care for students with mental health and behavioral challenges are also presented vis-à-vis each of these concerns. At the same time, natural tensions between various mandates assigned to schools as well as between schools and their surrounding communities will need to be addressed to reach the full potential of school-based mental health service delivery systems.

교직 만족도 및 교사 효능감에 영향을 미치는 요인 탐색: 세대 간 비교를 중심으로

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the factors affecting teacher satisfaction and efficacy of Generation X and millennial teachers. [Methods] To achieve this goal, the factors affecting teacher satisfaction and efficacy were analyzed using the Ordinary Least Square and Quantile regression for teacher data in the 6th year of the Gyeonggi Education Panel Study(GEPS) Elementary Panel. [Results] First, Factors affecting satisfaction in teaching jobs were found to be the degree of change in classes due to the expansion of open classes, satisfaction in current schools, participation in teaching improvement activities, and effect of training. In the case of millenials, the degree of change in classes due to the expansion of open classes, academic background, the leadership of school principals, and satisfaction in current schools. Second, the factors affecting teacher efficacy of the X-generation were the degree of class change due to the expansion of open classes, the degree of teacher cooperation, the current school climate, the degree of school satisfaction, the effect of training, community relationship, major education policy awareness, and in the case of millenials, gender, teaching career, teacher cooperation degree, principal leadership, participation in teaching improvement activities, and awareness of major education policies. [Conclusion] Through the analysis results, the teacher wage system, support for the principal's leadership, and the necessity of improving the senior teacher system were suggested

Examining the associations between high achievement in reading and school climate: evidence from five South American countries

An emergent literature has shown that some students overcome adversities related to their low Socio-Economic Status (SES) by attaining high academic achievement. One of the aims of this literature is to identify the factors that explain the capacity of students from low SES backgrounds to attain high academic achievement. However, upon reviewing this literature, I observed that few studies have comparatively investigated the associations between the capacity of students from low SES backgrounds to attain high achievement in reading and school climate characteristics. Additionally, I found that not many studies have researched whether student SES moderates these associations. This paper contributes to fill these two gaps by estimating associations between high achievement in reading and school climate characteristics. Moreover, it examines whether student SES moderates these associations. To do this, this research estimated logit and heterogeneous choice models using representative samples of students from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay who participated in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The results show that high achievement in reading is positively correlated to certain teaching practices, such as perceived teacher enthusiasm during the instruction and adapting instruction to students’ needs. Conversely, it is negatively correlated to teacher feedback and teacher-directed instruction. Furthermore, the findings indicate that high achievement in reading is negatively correlated to the scarcity and low quality of educational material. Interestingly, the results show that student SES does not moderate these associations. In conclusion, these findings indicate that interventions targeting these areas of school climate may help to increase students’ probability of attaining high achievement in reading, regardless of their SES. Likewise, these results suggest that if these interventions are focused in low SES schools, they may contribute to bridge the gap in reading skills between students from low and middle or high socioeconomic backgrounds.

A multilevel latent class analysis of adolescent engagement in interpersonal violence: The role of stressful life events, school climate, and school characteristics.

A multilevel latent class analysis of adolescent engagement in interpersonal violence: The role of stressful life events, school climate, and school characteristics.

A Closer Look at Students' School Climate Perception: A Case Study of Urban and Rural Ukraine during COVID-19

Aim. This study analyses the impact of adaptive quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic on the perception of school’s social climate by students in more or less urbanised areas. Methods. The data was collected in 2016 (before the pandemic, n=1801) and in 2020 (during the pandemic, n=2038) among randomly selected 9th-grade classes (mean age=14) in a large city (Lviv), a small town (Drohobych), and rural areas (Drohobych raion). Generalised linear regression mixed modelling was applied to assess the impact of gender, location, year of the survey, and for the 2020 - for the quality of coping with the pandemic situation – and the interactive effect of these factors on the variability of school climate perception. Results. Before the pandemic, the acceptability of school climate was the highest in rural areas and the lowest in the city. During the pandemic, it decreased among students from rural areas and increased in towns. Students who perceived COVID-19 pandemic restrictions as more burdensome evaluated their school climate more positively than students who coped well with the pandemic. Conclusion. The impact of the tense pandemic situation on the attitude of adolescents to school was complex and probably reflected the inequality in the education system in urban and rural areas.

Predictors of Job Satisfaction among Polish Teachers

The term “job satisfaction” refers to emotional responses and ways of thinking about work in a given structure. It is the degree of self-fulfillment that an employee experiences while performing work-related duties. Work satisfaction is linked to positive attitudes towards employment and more effective results. The aim of the orginal research presented in the article is to determine the predictors of job satisfaction among Polish teachers. Individual factors such as gender, length of service, personality variables (emotional stability, agreeableness, extroversion), work-home conflict, as well as organizational factors, i.e., overall work climate, were also considered. The research was conducted on a sample of 952 teachers from across Poland. Women accounted for 87.6% (n=834) and men for 12.4% (n=118) of the respondents The average age was M=46.47 (SD=9.59). A survey questionnaire was used for the purposes of the study, and hierarchical regression analysis was applied to develop the research results. School climate, work-home conflict, and level of extroversion were found to be significant predictors of job satisfaction. Given that personality factors are difficult to change, an effective way to increase teachers’ job satisfaction is to take care to build a positive school climate and fair distribution of responsibilities, which can reduce work-home conflict.

O BULLYING NO ENSINO MÉDIO E SUA RELAÇÃO COM O CLIMA ESCOLAR

The prevalence and consequences of school bullying have been widely reported in the literature. Likewise, it has been shown that this is multi-cause violence and, therefore, different aspects need to be considered for its prevention and containment, including the positive school climate. In this context, the present study proposes to investigate the phenomenon of bullying in high school and its association with the school climate and its dimensions (student-student relationships, teacher/student relationships, school safety, respect for diversity, clarity of expectations, and fairness of rules). The participants were 388 students from two public institutions in the northwest of Paraná state, who answered a questionnaire about the school climate and another about bullying victimization in 2019. This study is descriptive and relational. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The results predominantly indicated a positive school climate in the institutions, although we have founded evidence of bullying victimization. Regression analysis identified a significant relationship between the dimensions of the school climate, especially "student-student relationships" and "clarity of expectations," and the occurrence of bullying. Thus, we underscored the significance of fostering a positive school climate to cultivate healthy, violence-free relationships, nurture empathy among peers, and ensure clarity in institutional norms.

Unmet menstrual needs and psychosocial well-being among schoolgirls in Northern Tanzania: baseline results from the PASS MHW study

IntroductionImproving menstrual health among schoolgirls is essential to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of good health and wellbeing (SDG 03), quality education (SDG 04), and gender equality (SDG 05). School participation and wellbeing among girls in low and middle-income countries are impacted by inadequate access to quality menstrual materials and WASH facilities, taboos around menstruation, and poor knowledge. Comprehensive evidence is needed to address these challenges and guide policy and practice.MethodsAn assisted self-completed questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information, menstrual-related data, and school climate data from 486 girls in four mixed-gender government secondary schools in Mwanza, Tanzania. The mean (SD) of three Menstrual Practices and Needs Scale (MPNS-36) sub-scores were calculated. Specifically, the extent to which girls perceived needs for carrying and changing menstrual material in school (transport and school environment); washing and drying menstrual material (reuse needs); and privacy and drying menstrual material in school (reuse insecurity) were met. An ANOVA test compared MPNS scores for groups, and logistic regression examined the association between menstrual health and wellbeing outcomes (self-efficacy, menstrual anxiety, school attendance, and participation) and MPNS subscale scores.ResultsThe mean age of the 486 participants was 15.6 years (SD 1.3); 87% had started menstruating; the mean age at menarche was 14.2 years (SD 1.15). The majority (75%) of girls experienced pain during the last menstrual period, 39% had menstrual-related anxiety, and 16% missed at least one day of school due to menstruation. The mean MPNS subscale score (out of 3) for the reuse needs ranged from 1.0 to 2.1 across schools; 1.6 to 2.1 for reuse insecurity; and 0.9 to 1.8 for transport and school environment needs. The MPNS subscales had sufficient reliability (Cronbach alpha = 0.74 to 0.9). The subscales also had good construct validity with menstrual-related self-efficacy: higher scores for transport and school environment were associated with confidence to seek menstrual support, participate in class, and predict when periods were about to start.ConclusionsSchoolgirls have unmet needs related to transporting and using menstrual material in school, and these needs differed across schools in northern Tanzania. Menstrual-related pain remains a major reason for poor school attendance and participation. Interventions to address menstrual practice needs in schools are required and should include a strong pain management component.