“The things that matter most should never be at the mercy of the things which matter least” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Guest post by Jared Savage, Principal of Fairmont Elementary (Sanger Unified) Fairmont Elementary School is a School to Watch
The Culture of ONE philosophy brings purpose to the forefront of education. It naturally adds value to learning by blending relevancy and engagement together. A Culture of ONE is an organizational core identity that will stand the test of time!
This model brings together three aspects of the human experience that are important to successful organizations: connection, capacity, and coherence.
Connection, also known as transcendence by Abraham Maslow, is "the connection to something greater than self."
Capacity combines development and contribution. Assuring that the school's culture is centered on service guarantees that individual and communal progress is prioritized.
Coherence refers to the collective understanding and application of the organization's most essential tenets. High-performing schools have a "mobilized coherence." Mobilized coherence moves beyond words and considers the actions of teachers and students applied to the day-to-day context of the business of learning.
Typically each of these areas operates independently, whereas the Culture of ONE focuses on the importance of overlapping them. I refer to this as the nexus of philosophy.
If connection, capacity, and coherence inspire the work of collaborative teams, schools can create better learning environments that are safe, challenging, and motivating for students.
Additionally, a Culture of ONE provides a practical working model that fosters teacher and student voice and agency.
Lastly, a Culture of ONE permits educators to synergize the assimilation of both teachers and students into five dimensions of the PLCs:
Shared and Supportive Leadership
Shared Values and Vision
Collective Learning and Application
Shared Personal Practice
Supportive Conditions—Structures and Relationships
What we've found 👇
➡️ Increased academic and behavioral outcomes
➡️ Enhanced teacher efficacy
➡️ Shared leadership
➡️ High degrees of relevancy through experiential learning
➡️ Greater belief and confidence in teams
➡️ Connection to goals and envisioned future
➡️ Intensified motivation and engagement.
If you want to understand specific activities we've done to implement a Culture of ONE, please email me at jared_savage@sangerusd.net.