George Lucas Educational Foundation

School Culture

What beliefs, values, and assumptions does your staff share? Read how to cultivate a strong team by fostering shared norms, values, and traditions over the long term.

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  • Nurturing Positive School Relationships

    Administrators and teachers can join to improve a school’s culture by strengthening relationships with students and colleagues.
    Cathleen Beachboard, Rashard Wright
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    285
  • Powerful, Evidence-Backed Ways to Connect With Students in the First Week of School

    Start the new school year on the right foot with these research-backed tips.
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    4.7k
  • Making Students Feel Safe

    A trauma-informed approach ensures that students feel safe, supported, and nurtured—to improve their chances of academic success. 
    129.6k
  • A Daily Support System for Students

    Students who need extra social and emotional support have a quick check-in with an adult at the start and end of each day.
    89.8k
  • The Science of Belonging and Connection 

    Feeling like you belong in school is critical to academic success—and there are research-backed strategies that educators can deploy, says Stanford psychologist Geoffrey Cohen.
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    966
  • Under the careful watch of principal Keith Moore (r) and a staffer, in-person learning resumes for the first time since March at Campbell Elementary in Austin.

    Schools, Not Teachers, Must Reduce Stress and Burnout—Here’s How

    Educators’ health and well-being should be prioritized in school culture; school leaders can help create the conditions for that.
    38.1k
  • 23 Ways to Build and Sustain Classroom Relationships

    These teacher-approved activities will help create the sort of classroom bonds that pave the way to academic success.
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    2.2k
  • Illustration concept for growth

    Too Much Focus on ‘Learning Loss’ Will Be a Historic Mistake

    Learning loss is real and needs to be addressed, but how we go about it should be commensurate with the size of the moment.
    32.6k
  • How to Elevate Your Buddy Program

    Cross-grade buddy programs are well-regarded for building positive school culture. With the right planning, they can boost academic and social skills as well—for both older and younger students.
  • Illustration of hand holding wires

    Defending a Teacher’s Right to Disconnect

    Remember personal time? For many educators, technology has driven it toward extinction—and it’s time to get serious about reclaiming it.
    23.3k
  • Making Sure Each Child Is Known

    A middle school in Nevada uses a simple strategy to build deeper connections between teachers and students.
    63.2k
  • How One Principal Builds Strong Relationships

    An award-winning principal shares how she navigates social and emotional learning and community building at school.
    3.2k
  • 4 Steps to Managing Conflict in Schools

    Skillfully embracing conflict can help administrators create a more welcoming and transparent school culture.
    3
    227
  • How a School Made Play Central to Learning

    At a primary school in the UK, both students and teachers have become more engaged and curious as a result of a shift to a fully play-based approach—and learning has become more joyful for everyone.
    3.6k
  • Group of teachers meet in a classroom

    Building a Culture that Respects Teachers and Reduces Stress

    When teachers are given time to work closely with other teachers, and have achievable goals—school culture thrives.
    18.2k

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.
Edutopia® and Lucas Education Research™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries.