Administrators, Teachers and Parents be on the Lookout for Signs in Schools that Show Negativity

Administrators, teachers, and parents be on the lookout for signs in schools that show negativity. One article from ASCD by Alexa Epitropoulos was published on September 1, 2019. The title is 10 Signs of a Toxic School Culture. It talks about how to identify struggling school culture. In the article, one example of a toxic environment is “Hostile relations among staff, students, and parents.” The article gives some ideas on how to develop a better environment by relooking at the mission, values, and vision of the school.

This article Signs to Look for in a School that is negative. It is going to identify red flags that warn of a negative environment. Survey the environment for any posters/pictures that communicate negatively. One example that I noticed in a school was the principal secretary had a large sign on her desk that said “Chaos Coordinator”. As a visitor to the school, it sent an antipathetic opinion of what was happening in the school. I had questions about the school’s learning environment. Clearly, the school was struggling. The school had some problems. Even though it can be seen as a small thing. That symbol communicated the concerns for everyone to see. Also, in several of the classrooms, teachers had a sign that said, “The best thing about teaching is June, July, and August.” Those small and some would say insignificant displays do hint at larger issues. Those types of signals can create environments that were not intended.

Administrators really observe everything in the environment and how it impacts the school. Another sign to look for is staff yelling. It can be at students or others. Many times, the staff yell out of frustration. One example was a principal yelling at a kindergarten student because she did not line up when told. In another school, a teacher yelled at a student in the hallway waiting to go to the bathroom because he was not standing still. The child could have been moving because he had to go to the bathroom. Yelling destroys relationships and trust. Yelling exhibits frustration. It also takes longer to rebuild those relations. Administrators support the staff and provide tools to deal with frustrations.

Another clue is how guests are greeted and welcomed in the school office. In many school offices, personnel are so busy that the visitors and staff are ignored. No one in the office acknowledges visitors and they feel invisible. What needs to be done is a statement that someone will be with the visitor shortly. Be mindful of non-school conversations which can be overheard. It creates an environment that is uncooperative and lacks respect. It indicates the school environment could be toxic. The first encounter a visitor experience in a school communicates a positive or negative feeling. The school office is the most important area to communicate a welcoming environment. It also reveals the effectiveness of the school. If you have a school office that is not welcoming develop it. Identify some professional development opportunities for the staff. It can be as simple as how to deal with visitors when you are extremely busy. It could be that you need to hire an extra person to help with the workload. The school office needs to be the first positive experience that anyone encounters.

Look for ways to help build positive environments. With effective gestures, the subtle signs communicate volumes. It is a beacon of how the school is functioning. Several things can be done to improve. First, have peer walk-throughs and peer- observations. It focuses on all the aspects of the learning environment and how to improve. Next, develop professional development for creating a welcoming environment. Create with staff what entails a more positive area. Lastly, review your school’s mission, vision, and values. Make sure all the ideals are fully implemented or revise them. So be on the lookout for hints that could derail your school environment.