Good Things Happen Here: Building a School Culture

★★★★★

In this video, Mark Kurtz describes the steps his school takes to build a positive culture. Culture is difficult to create, he reminds us, but we should not ignore the value of traditions and repeated practices.

Beyond simply preventing bad behavior, we want to give students the sense that school is a place where good things happen. Rhythms can offer students a sense of security, and doing things together outside the normal classroom makes teachers more accessible.

Mark also encourages schools to focus on “something bigger”:

a school theme or a student’s sense of life purpose, can bring meaning to daily assignments.

Mark says, “We want to have a place where it’s safe, where we can become more fully human, and in that we’ll find joy and fulfillment.”

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Matthew Mast

7 years ago

Good, solid, practical ideas and advice from Mark! I like how he emphasizes the importance of small, daily habits. Culture is built in the small moments of every day, not in the big flashy events.

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