Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division

by Anthony Muhammad

With foreword by Richard DuFour and Rebecca DuFour

Transforming School Culture provides a school improvement plan for leaders to overcome staff division, improve relationships, and transform toxic school cultures into healthy ones.

Dr. Anthony Muhammad contends that in order to transform school culture, we must understand why teachers continue to hold on to models or beliefs contrary to those put forth by their school or district. He explores the human behavior, social conditions, and history that cause the underlying conflict among the four different types of teachers in a school.

The second edition of this best-selling resource delivers powerful new insight into the four types of educators (Believers, Fundamentalists, Tweeners, and Survivors) and how school leaders can work with each group to create positive school culture. The book also includes Dr. Muhammad's latest research as well as a new chapter dedicated to answering frequently asked questions on culture and school leadership in education.

How this new edition will help you create a positive school

Study the author's research and observations of 34 schools—11 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, and 9 high schools—and how each school's staff supported or hindered student achievement.Consider the characteristics of positive school cultures and how your school's culture and climate may differ.Learn how laws such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and No Child Left Behind ( NCLB) impact teachers and school culture.Understand why teachers must work together to improve student performance.Obtain tips for creating a positive school culture and producing synergy.

New in This Second

An updated research base, including over 60 new referencesConnections to ESSA as well as reflections on NCLB's impact on educationAdditional insights into the four types of educatorsFurther guidance on what it takes to be a transformational leader and redirect Fundamentalists through communication, trust, capacity, and accountabilityA new chapter of frequently asked questions in regard to school culture, leadership, and the four types of educators

IntroductionChapter 1: From Status Quo to True ReformChapter 2: The Framework of Modern School CultureChapter 3: The BelieversChapter 4: The TweenersChapter 5: The SurvivorsChapter 6: The FundamentalistsChapter 7: "Drop Your Tools": A Lesson in Change and Our Best Chance at Eliminating FundamentalismChapter 8: Implications for PracticeChapter 9: Frequently Asked Study DesignReferences and ResourcesIndex<

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Leadership, Professional Development, School, Teaching, Grad School

235 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2009

Reviews

[Tena Edlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad I read this book, especially after hearing the author speak in person. I wouldn’t really call it an inspirational book. It’s more of a call-to-action kind of book. It made me look at myself and see what I absolutely do not want to become and what tendencies I have to be aware of... eek. 😬 It was affirming in regards to our mentoring program and what we’re trying to do for new teachers in our district. I also got some ideas for where I’d like that program to go in the future. The book made me feel grateful for the kinds of administrators I have.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, an educator, writes of the study he did on the culture of schools and what makes them difficult to change. He describes 4 types of people who work in school and are part of the culture- the believers, who believe in change and doing whatever it takes to help kids learn, the tweeners, those new to education or even a school. They come to work willing to please their boss and are anxious to keep their jobs while they figure out their new vocation. The survivors are those who are burned out and merely go through the paces of their day, making deals with kids to keep them in line so they can collect a pay a check and go home at the end of the day and finally the fundamentalists- those who believe in the system they were educated in and are determined to keep the status quo- they believe firmly in the bell curve and Darwin's survivor for the fittest. Muhammad's stance is that in order to successfully move a school into an institution for learning for all, everyone needs to convert to being believers- by firing, by force or hopefully by convincing the fundamentalists there is a better way. The whole time I was reading I was thinking of various teachers I have coached over the years and what I now need to do to alter their current state so kids benefit and our school thrives. So much of it depends on the administrator- getting him to take his copy of the book home and actually reading it... then putting it into practice!

[Jeremiah Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The goal of Transforming School Culture is to provide a framework for understanding how school cultures operate and how leaders can overcome staff division to improve relationships and transform toxic cultures into healthy ones with the ultimate goal of improved learning for all students. Anthony Muhammad contends that in order to transform school culture, we must examine and understand educators motivation for hanging on to paradigms that are contrary to those articulated by their school or district. In this book, Dr. Muhammad explores many aspects of human behavior, social conditions, and history. Drawing upon his study of 34 schools (11 elementary, 14 middle, and 9 high schools) from around the country, Dr. Muhammad describes the underlying tensions that impact culture among four different groups of educators in a school. Much of the book is devoted to introducing readers to these groups: The Believers are those who are committed to the learning of each student and who operate under the assumption that their efforts can make an enormous difference in that learning. The Fundamentalists are preservers of the status quo. The Tweeners are members of a staff who are typically new to a school and are attempting to learn its prevailing culture. The Survivors are those who have been so overwhelmed by the stress and demands of the profession that their primary goal becomes making it through the day, the week, and the year. Dr. Muhammad describes the prevailing beliefs and assumptions of each of these groups and the dynamics within and among the groups. He argues that it is the outcome of these dynamics that will ultimately determine the culture of a school. He provides specific strategies for working with each group of educators to transform school culture and intentionally create positive atmospheres that not only tolerate change, but also seek and embrace the changes that maximize organizational effectiveness.

If you are not in the business of eduction this book may not mean as much to you, although I think anyone in any leadership position could learn from aspects of this book.

For me, this book and a workshop my principal and I attended by the author were incredibly significant to my life and my work. I am 28 years old only in my 7th year in education. In my current position as a teacher leader, I run a professional development meeting on a weekly basis, i do walk-throughs and evaluations, and coach and support teachers. However, many of the teachers that I am leading have been teaching two and three times longer than I have been. This year I was really struggling with several teachers consistently questioning my credibility and leadership. This was causing great stress between my principle and myself. After attending this workshop and reading this book our perspective on these teachers was changed. We better understood why they were saying and doing what they were doing. It took away their credibility and allowed me to do my job in a much more efficient and effective manner.

Again, if you are not in education you may not benefit from this book, but if you are in education this is a must read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was hard to come to terms with. I wasn't always happy at the lens this book forced me to look through. Still it was good for me to see how the various attitudes among teachers in general and our building in specific affect the climate of our building and the education of our students. Sometimes bitter and hard-to-swallow food for thought.

[Andy Schoenborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was given to my colleagues and I from our principal. It is a great book for administrators, but tends to cause division among peers as a school wide book study - especially if you are a fundamentalist.

[Kaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives detailed information, history, and research done in public schools about the school staff culture. The information goes into the effect school culture has on students. Lots of ideas and practical things to do to enhance school culture to be a loving community.

[Jonathan Stefanopoulos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about transforming a school's culture and brining about change in a school. He talks about a lot of observations, research, and empirical data. He mentions the importance of high expectation for students and how they try to rise to them. I liked his ideas about new teacher programs and the support needed to keep teachers from becoming isolated and overwhelmed.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is must read book for any administrator serious about understanding the reasons behind toxic school cultures and using strategies to transform them into positive environments. Anthony Muhammad identifies 4 key types of educators and explains how each impact school culture. This typology was very helpful and intensely intriguing. It has given me a much more profound understanding of the needs of staff members that I didn't know how to identify in a productive improvement model previously. Yet, a critique I have of Muhmmad's descriptors is that I suspect staff can sometimes fall into different categories depending on the issues facing them. For example I could see how someone could be both a philosophical believer and a tweener if they're a veteran educator who is new to a school. Muhammad overlooks this possibility. The author also provides useful strategies on how to transform school cultures while keeping the needs of the 4 groups of educators in mind, all with the goal of minimizing the impact of the group, fundamentalists, that contributes most to school toxicity. I highly recommend this book for school and district administrators who impact school and district cultures. Teachers who seriously want to understand school cultures will also find this book valuable, especially teacher leaders. This book is one of those books that has the potential to have enormous impact on our schools; I encourage educators, especially administrators to take Muhammad's suggestions to heart as you evolve your professional practice to better shape schools that seek to enhance doing what is best for students.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much more helpful than his last book. What he suggests has to have support of a whole district and it was required reading for high school teachers in my district. It was an easy read and it is a book worth taking the trouble to have some real conversations with.

[Cecily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read this for work, but the timing was excellent. I'm coming into a school leadership role right now (much to my terror) and this book provides a great framework to name and categorize what might otherwise flummox a school leader, e.g. difficult people with opposing ideas. I appreciate how Muhammad minces no words and calls it like it is where the most difficult types are concerned. His advice for dealing with all times is sound and good to keep in mind.

[Jeff Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup. Everything he says is spot on. His understanding of school culture is profound. It's a little short on scholarship as far as current literature, but Muhammad almost makes up for this with his own research. On the must-read list for any educator.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give yourself the language to explain what goes on in a school and the pathway to a healthier learning environment for students.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook and it was easily digestible and relevant to both teaching and leadership. Although I teach and manage at an international school and the book primarily focuses on the American educational system, I still think there are some applicable lessons to be learned from reading it. The premise of the book orbits generally around the idea that four different types of educators differ strongly in their motivation and philosophy:

1.) Believer
2.) Tweener
3.) Survivalist
4.) Fundamentalist

The book then goes on to discuss methods of cultivating a progressive and positive school environment that centres around student-focused results and education. It is a foundational book that covers a lot of interesting ideas to establish a positive school ethos that supports teachers' evolution and professional development. Must read for anyone in educational management.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the first educational book I’ve read that was soooo applicable and informative and NOT repetitive. I love learned about what makes low performing schools thrive. I’m slowly learning it all comes back to leadership, and the ability to support teachers in being their best. Imma just say it… there are so many bad teachers out there and they can just … be bad. I really hope that one day I can be the type of school leaders that inspires teachers to perform at their very best, because that is what all of our kids deserve

Fav quotes:
“All students deserve a quality education despite their level of interest and parental involvement - this is an imperative in the 21st century and beyond.”

“A positive school culture is a place where: educators have an unwavering belief of all of their students to achieve success, and they pass that belief on to others in overt and covert way”

[Tino Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a quick read with some relevant research for school leaders. I liked the recommendations and the support systems.

“The roots of a healthy culture are a collective passion for student success and a willingness to be the agent of student success. A culture of testing and punitive accountability measures adds an additional degree of difficulty, but it would be disingenuous to declare that they are the sole culprits. Most of what it takes to transform a school lies squarely within the locus of control of the educators that work in that environment.”

I’m hopeful for change and success in what will be a challenging year in education.

[Jeannee Neumann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book discusses the underlying reasons why school improvement efforts often stall due to internal staff dynamics. The book identifies four distinct groups of teachers (Believers, Fundamentalists, Tweeners, and Survivors), each defined by their beliefs and behaviors regarding student success. While administrative leadership is key in setting the tone, teachers also have agency in building a positive, student-centered culture. The book provides strategies for addressing resistance and promoting shared purpose among faculty to support lasting school improvement.

I enjoyed it and learned a lot. Would recommend.

[Spacek Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author provided a solid framework for transforming school culture. The study that he undertook identified types of teachers that exist within faculties based on their educational goal rather than behavior. The belief teachers have in whether their students can learn or not is key to student success in life. Several strategies are provided to work through and provide the support needed to assist teachers in making change for the benefit for students.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed full of useful and usable information to help school leaders transform their schools. Be warned, however, this isn't a magic wand and it will require work. The first people who will need to change are school and district leaders. An excellent read for anyone interested in the psychological and sociological aspects of the school and in transforming their schools to become better, more productive, more student-oriented places.

[Larry Jarocki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading and discussing this, but as a classroom teacher, there wasn't much I could take from it in practical terms. About halfway through, there's a list of steps that could be taken to reduce the influence of Fundamentalists (those staff members who actively resist change on a campus), but they're all steps for administrators to take. The advice is productive, provided you're a principal looking for ways to make your campus run more smoothly.

[Hector · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Muhammad presents a well thought out framework for understanding the challenges of moving beyond “fixing” schools to actually transforming school culture. While I don’t necessarily agree with the four character types he posits, Muhammad’s observations on the leadership pitfalls to transforming culture are spot on: skillful communication, trust building, capacity building, and accountability. Without all four being practiced effectively, toxic school culture will undoubtedly persist.

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand way more about the dynamic of schools and how different mindsets can affect a whole school’s mentality. It was also interesting to learn more about how meticulous an efficient school leader has to be with what may seem like small decisions. I wish there were more step by step directions and less of situational successes, but overall I felt really positive about the message and enjoyed the amount of referenced research.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly accessible and recommended for education leaders, this is an overview and typology of teacher motivations and objectives. Muhammad provides insight into what messaging is needed to communicate with various groups, and in particular, how to introduce new teachers into the profession.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our Instructional Council read and I found it interesting and certainly pertinent to what was happening in our school. Not life changing or quite as full of practical suggestions the way Crucial Accountability was, but a solid read for anyone looking to shift culture in your school.

[Dr. J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the idea of celebrating staff often by having them pass the honor on each staff meeting to another member. I also love the idea of a celebration jar that is available to staff & students and must be emptied each week, focusing on celebrating the good to transform culture.

[Kayla Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some good ideas in here, but a lot of the information felt really dated. I guess that makes sense since the book was first published in 2009. The thing I disliked the most is that it felt like the author blamed teachers rather than putting the responsibility for culture on the leaders.

[Kaitlyn Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book is that it has a wide berth of practical application. It really helped clarify the different individuals in a school and the ways to best support them to create a positive school culture. I think teachers and administrators should both read this book.

[Craig Kind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a valuable schema for understanding staff in times of change.

[Jacqui Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for an Educational Leadership course, and has some really interesting concepts. Also, however, doesn't give you all the answers...

[Michell Karnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book examines the three types of educators and their influence on school culture. The author explores how schools and leaders can change school culture for the benefit of students.

[Bruce Nieminski · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

192 pages