Helping Students from Poor Families Achieve School Success

I recently read a report about the increasing number of school-age children who are raised in poverty. It's a real national problem and we know that students from families in poverty often struggle in school. They're more likely to be absent, more likely to change schools, and more likely to lack the materials and other resources necessary for school success.

The May issue of ASCD's Educational Leadership looks at the issue of poverty and provides useful strategies for teachers and principals to assure that students from families in poverty are successful in school. One of my favorite articles is written by a friend, Carol Ann Tomlinson, from the University of Virginia. Carol is best known for her work on differentiated instruction but in this article discusses her experience with poverty. She identifies the personal beliefs and attitudes that are present when educators help students from poor families create a better future for themselves. She describes it as "staring down poverty" and I find it a powerful way to describe the work.

I'd enjoy hearing from you about your response to Carol's suggestions and what you've learned about how to support students from poverty so that they are successful in school.

Advice for School Leaders Entering or Leaving a Job

I've always been sensitive to the transitions that occur when there is a change in leadership at a school. If you're a new leader it's important to respect those that preceded you. It's important to build relationships with teachers and the community. You'll want to make changes but don't do so brashly. If you're moving to another school or leaving education you'll also want to exit gracefully. It's never helpful to "burn" bridges on the way out.

Last week I read a blog by Peter DeWitt, an elementary principal, about these sorts of transitions. I found his advice to be really helpful especially if you're making a transition in your work life. I'd enjoy hearing from you about what you've learned about navigating these changes.

Climate or Culture

I often hear the terms "climate" and "culture" used interchangeably but they are not the same thing. The culture of your school reflects those long-standing shared beliefs, those patterns of behavior that reflect those beliefs and the things that uniquely characterize your school. A culture is often evident in things like rituals and ceremonies in a school, the stories people tell about the school and the people in the school community, the way people are recognized and rewarded and the people who are held in high esteem.

A school's climate is far more immediate and current. The climate may be impacted by recent events like achieving high test scores, the arrival of a new principal, recent contract negotiations, changes in school funding or adoption of a new evaluation system.

Over time your school's climate impacts it's culture. The way you respond to events like those mentioned earlier signals something about the prevailing culture. So, when unexpected, or planned, events occur it is important to think about how your immediate response can, over time, shape your school's culture.

The way principals spend their time, the things they talk about, the way they build relationships with students, families and staff, and the way they recognize people are all an indicator of underlying values and beliefs, the very beliefs reflected in your school's culture. The most successful leaders recognize the connection and look for opportunities to positively shape their school's culture by being very attentive to the routine activities that contribute to their school's climate.

I'd enjoy hearing from you about how you work to shape your school's culture.