Teachers' Perceptions of School Climate in High Performing Schools and Low Performing Schools


Book Description

The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative research study was to determine if there was a significant difference in teachers’ perceptions of school climate between high performing schools and low performing schools. The study investigated teachers' perceptions of overall school climate, collaboration, decision-making, instructional innovation, student relations, and school resources. Data was collected from 75 teachers in three high performing schools and 75 teachers in three low performing schools from one school district. The Revised School Level Environment Questionnaire (Revised SLEQ) was the instrument utilized in the study to measure teachers' perceptions of overall school climate in addition to the five aforementioned subscales. The results obtained from the 150 surveys were analyzed using a multiple independent samples t tests to identify if there was a statistical difference between group means on the Revised SLEQ. This study is significant because it provide individuals in the field of education with evidence that their perceptions might be impacted by the academic achievement in their schools. The study was also intended to provide evidence that perceptions play a very important role in the overall effectiveness of an educational institution. The study revealed that there was a significant difference between the two populations with regards to overall school climate, student relations, school resources, instructional innovation while there was not a significant difference with regards to decision making and collaboration. Future research is recommended to investigate teachers’ perceptions of school climate with the incorporation of a larger population and the incorporation of more recent data.




School Climate


Book Description

Like a strong foundation in a house, the climate of a school is the foundation that supports the structures of teaching and learning. This book provides a framework for educators to look at school and classroom climates using both informal and formal measures. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of climate and details techniques which may be used by heads or classroom teachers to judge the health of their learning environment. The book sets out to enhance understanding of the components of a healthy learning environment and the tools needed to improve that environment. It also looks at ways to assess the impact of change activities in improving and sustaining educational excellence. The international team of contributors bring perspectives from the school systems in America, UK, Australia and Holland.







The Perceptions of School Climate, School Safety, and School Violence and Their Effects on Teacher Commitment


Book Description

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to study the perceptions of the five dimensions of school climate, the effect school safety and violence had on the teachers' perceptions of school climate, and the role school climate played on the teachers' commitment to their professional responsibilities. This research study was conducted at one high school in south central Pennsylvania and utilized the California School Climate Survey, published by WestEd, an open-ended question, and one-on-one interviews conducted by the researcher. The survey participation rate among the teachers was 77%, the open-ended question was answered by 67% of the participating teachers, and 15% of the participating teachers completed one-on-one interviews. School climate factors such as safety, relationships, teaching and learning, the institutional environment, and the school improvement process were studied in order to identify areas within the school that bolstered morale and improved the climate as well as areas that decreased the climate and need improvement. Results from the three methods of data collection indicated that a majority of teachers felt safe at this school, 56% of the participants stated that safety related issues did not affect their perceptions of school climate, and school safety either increased commitment or did not affect it at all. In addition, the teachers maintained great working relationships with one another, which increased commitment. Most teachers wanted academic success for all students, but not all teachers believed academic success to be possible. The teachers' commitment to teaching increased as a result of the need for academic improvement. The new school building and materials aided student learning, which increased commitment; and the school improvement initiatives were overwhelming, which decreased teacher commitment.







School Climate and Teachers' Perceptions on Climate Factors


Book Description

This study examined the difference in the levels of the variables related to the school climate factors among the teachers teaching social science courses, the teachers teaching natural science courses, and the teachers teaching art, music and physical education. As a result of the analyzes, all the teachers reported open climate in relation to the factors of team commitment, organizational clarity and standards, intimacy and support, autonomy, member conflict, medium climate in relation to the factors of risk and in reward. Additionally, the teachers teaching art, music and physical education reported higher open school climate than others, man than women, single teachers than married ones, the teachers with more degree of education than the ones with a lower degree of education, older teachers than younger ones, and the teachers with less seniority than the ones with more seniority. Finally, some ideas were suggested about what should be done in helping teachers to work in a more desirable open school climate. (Contains 1 figure and 6 tables.).




A Study of the Comparison Between Teacher Perceptions of School Climate and the Existence of Professional Learning Community Dimensions


Book Description

This research study was conducted to determine whether teachers' perceptions of climate within a school had a significant influence on the dimensions that support a community of professional learners. Teachers from ten middle schools in one central Florida school district completed a combined survey design which included questions pertaining to both climate characteristics and Professional Learning Community (PLC) dimensions. Foundational theories regarding both learning organizations and organizational climate were explored. Recent research on the development of professional learning communities and school climate was also examined. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to investigate each research question; these statistics included Spearman rho correlations, multiple regressions, and chi-square analyses. Findings demonstrated that the null hypotheses were rejected or partially rejected for each research question. Significant relationships were found between teachers' perceptions of school climate and the dimensions of a PLC. Of the demographic variables, only years of teaching experience was found to be not significantly related to the school climate dimensions. The implications of these results validate the importance of building a climate of supportive principal behavior and committed and collegial teacher behaviors, as demonstrated by the significant relationship of these characteristics to schools exhibiting higher degrees of the dimensions that constitute a PLC. Educational stakeholders wishing to develop schools into job-embedded communities of learners with evidence of the five dimensions (shared leadership, shared vision, collective creativity, peer review and supportive conditions) must attend to developing the climate behaviors necessary for that to occur. As demonstrated by the research results, establishing an appropriate school climate that promotes professional interaction, support, and teacher commitment to students is a strong place to begin.




THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHERS PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL CLIMATE AND TEACHER JOB SATISFACTION


Book Description

The high rate of teacher attrition has been an enduring problem that needs to be resolved for educational policymakers. Studies have demonstrated that teacher job satisfaction is associated with teachers decisions on whether to leave their profession. The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between teachers perceptions of school climate and teacher job satisfaction. This study used data from Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2013 database. Multilevel modeling results indicated that teachers perceptions of school climate have a significantly positive relationship with teacher job satisfaction. Older teachers are more satisfied than younger teachers. Teachers with more working experience have higher levels of job satisfaction than those with less experience. No significant relationship was found between school characteristics (i.e., school location, school type and school socioeconomic status) and teacher job satisfaction. The findings highlighted the importance of building a positive and sustained school climate for all teachers in order to improve teacher job satisfaction.




Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of School Climate and Sense of Efficacy


Book Description

This qualitative study examined middle school teachers' perceptions of (a) factors of school climate, (b) teacher efficacy in the workplace, and (c) school climate's effects on teacher efficacy. Participants in the study included 151 teachers from four middle schools, grade six through eight, located within the same school district in south central Pennsylvania. Qualitative data were gathered from 151 teachers who completed two survey instruments and three open-ended questions. Individual interviews were conducted with 20 teachers and observations were conducted at each study site. Findings of the data showed that three factors of school climate were consistently evident throughout the various data collection methods: (a) Academic Emphasis, (b) Teacher Affiliation, and (c) Collegial Leadership. Participants perceived the four middle schools to be orderly and serious, and teacher relationships were determined to be positive and supportive. The relationship between the principal and teachers was also perceived as friendly and helpful. Participants reported that an adequate supply of resources and materials were available for classroom use. The relationship between the principal and the superintendent was perceived as cordial. However, mixed perceptions were reported about the ability of the principals to secure resources and support for their individual schools. The survey data revealed that teachers perceived students to be (a) unmotivated to ask for help, (b) disinterested in completing assignments, and (c) disrespectful of those who succeed academically. Teacher efficacy was perceived to be high in regard to (a) student engagement, (b) instructional strategies, and (c) classroom management. The majority of the participants perceived the climate of their school to have an impact on their teaching efficacy and cited such factors as (a) an orderly environment, (b) academic focus, (c) students, (d) teacher relationships, (e) principal relations with teachers, (f) home influences, (g) instructional strategies, and (h) teacher motivation.




Relationship Between School Climate and Student Achievement


Book Description

This quantitative research study was designed to investigate the relationship between school climate and student achievement. Using survey methods, data were collected using the Organizational Climate Descriptive Questionnaire Revised for Elementary Schools (OCDQ-RE) from 599 teachers in 33 schools located within the Region VII Education Service Center area. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Pearson r correlational analysis method and descriptive statistics to determine the relationship between teachers' perceptions of school climate and student achievement. Findings revealed a moderate relationship between teachers' perceptions of teacher openness when compared to standardized test scores and a small association among teachers' perceptions of principal openness and standardized test scores. By examining the overall campus climate evidence was found that campuses having an open or engaged climate typically had a higher percent of students meeting the TAKS standard when compared to campuses with a closed or disengaged climate.