School As A Cultural Institution

The School as a

Cultural Institution
School Rituals, Traditions, and Ceremonies
According to Peterson and Deal (2009), a life devoid of ritual
and ceremony would be one without richness and zest. The small
daily rituals of our lives provide time for reflection, connection, and
meaningful experience.
According to Confeld (2016), there are set of rituals, traditions,
and ceremonies in every school. These make a school unique from
other schools and conducting ceremonies are great opportunities to
convene as one while integrating the vision, mission, values, and
goals of the school.
Peterson and Deal (2009), defined school rituals as procedures or
routines that are infused with deeper significance.
Every Schools has hundreds of routines that later on become
rituals such as:
 Greeting the teacher as students encounter them along the corridor.
rituals such as:
 ceremonies every morning.
rituals such as:
 Observing the honoring gestures or “pagmamano” gestures.
School traditions are significant events that have a special history
and meaning and occur year in and year out. Unlike ceremonies,
they need not be communal events (Peterson and Deal, 2009).
Some examples of School Traditions
 Conducting freshman orientation
 Holding recollection activities to the graduating batch
 Arranging School Camping
School ceremonies are elaborated as culturally sanctioned events
that provide a welcome spiritual boost. Most schools have formal
ceremonies that mark transitions in the school year. These periodic
communal events bind people to each other and shape unwritten
cultural values (Peterson and Deal, 2009).
Some examples of School Ceremonies
 Holding the annual graduation rites
 Joining some local activities
 Celebrating through Christmas Parties
School History and Stories
According to Confeld (2016), when discussing the history and
stories of an organization, the past is being represented.
Peterson and Deal (2009) shared that learning from past mistakes
and successes is vital to creating and maintaining a positive school
culture. The retelling of the past can bring some necessary
initiatives into action, revive traditions and rituals that have
shriveled away, and assist staff in surrendering previous obsolete
memories.
But let us always remember that the culture of a school is built
up over time as people work together, play together, fight together
and laugh together.
Being able to recall stories may be much more meaningful and
influential in reconnecting teachers and administrators to what is
important for teaching and the values that he school holds. Let us
bear in our minds that every story that is told has a different
purpose, no matter how long or short (Peterson and Deal, 2009).
School Artifacts, Architecture, and Symbols
The Artifacts and Symbols are the tangible objects that represent
the intangible values and beliefs of the school. These have variety
of possibilities such as logos, mascots, banners, awards, flags
trophies, and the like. Even school administrators may serve as a
walking symbols as he or she send messages through words,
actions, and body language.
School Artifacts, Architecture, and Symbols
Confeld (2016) claimed that physical environment of the
school building and the surrounding area are essential in
influencing how individuals think and feel about what is valued.
Level of School Culture
Starratt (1993) Operations
Organization
Programs
Policies
Goals
Belief

Myth
Assumptions
Purposes
Policies
Programs
Organization
Operations

Operational level – school life one experiences on walking into a

school building, seeing children on their way to class.
Organizational level – made up all those organizing structures such
as the weekly schedule.
Programs – various components of the academic program.
Policy layer – policies by which school is run.
Goals and Purpose level – find the general goals of the school.
Beliefs and Assumptions – would be might what we called the
school’s tacit educational platform.
Myths and meanings by which people make sense out of their
lives, by which they define value, by which human striving is to
be judged, which help to place oneself in a definable order of
things.
Assessing School Culture
Culture Typology Survey allows individual to recognize and rate
the degree to which he or she observes and engages in certain
behaviors within the environment.
Aspects of School Culture
Student Achievements
Collegial Awareness
Shared Values
Decision Making
Risk Taking
Trust
Openness
Parent Relations
Leadership
Communication
Socialization
Organization History
Six Types of School Culture
1. Toxic
2. Fragmented
3. Balkanized
4. Contrived-Collegial
5. Comfortable-Collaborative
6. Collaborative
Toxic
Fragmented
Balkanized
Contrived-Collegial
Comfortable-Collaborative
Collaborative

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The School as a

Operational level – school life one experiences on walking into a

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