• In your own words, describe "School Climate".

School climate is when the quality and character of school life joins together as one. It is based on the outlines of students, parents and the schools personnel experience and knowledge of school life. It also reflects goals, values interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practice. A maintainable school climate nurtures youth development and learning in the society. Everyone works together to develop live and contribute to shared school vision.    

• In your own words, describe "School Culture".

School Culture is refers to the beliefs, perceptions, relationships, attitudes and written/unwritten rules. These are to influence every feature of how schools function. However, the term also includes more important issues. For example, the physical and emotional safety of students, the order of classrooms and public spaces, or the degree to which a school embraces and celebrates racial, ethnic, linguistic, or cultural diversity.

• Describe the four (4) dimensions of School Climate.

The four dimensions of school climate are:

Safety states that the physical and emotional safety of students and the rules and procedures in place to ensure that all students remain safe at all times.

Relationships is when student social support from educators and parents, the level of respect students have for others, school and community engaged, and student and parental leadership.

Teaching and Learning is a positive and professional student teacher-school relationship, social and emotional skills training, civic education, and positive support for learning.

Institutional Environment plays the part of physical environment of the school.

• The "Whole Child" initiative seems to be interwoven with School Climate. Describe the "Whole Child" approach towards education.

The whole child approach towards education is similar to the school climate.  The whole child approach explains that it structures education within the most fundamental context. It can also personalize engagement and nurturing of the whole child. It defines how the focus on one-size-fits-all education has marginalized the uniqueness of our children and eroded their capacity to learn in whole, healthy, creative, and connected ways. It plans a new learning compact with our children. For example, one that rightly puts the children and their learning needs within the centre of every educational program and resource decision.

Citation: "Whole Child." Education. Web. 11 Sept. 2015.

• Regarding the video for this lesson, would a positive school climate and whole child approach save this school? Describe.

Yes, I think that that a positive school climate and whole child approach would save this school because the school would get measured by using surveys. It would engage those students who do not feel safe at school and who don’t feel welcomed because they are not being treated with respect. Those dimensions that I spoke about before will be used in school climate to help the students and the school. 

• List and describe some of the positive outcomes associated with a positive school climate and educating the whole child.

Some of the positive outcomes associated with positive school climate and educating the whole child are the academic outcome and behavioural impact. The academic outcome has a significant on the schools passing percentage and gains in all subject areas by using the school climate. The behavioural outcomes have increased in student’s attendance and decreases on student’s suspension. 

• What can schools do to develop a positive school climate? Describe.

Schools can do many things to develop a positive school climate. For example the schools can use GaDOE Resources. For example, the school can apply a school safety assessment which is an on-site review of the school facility, policies and procedures to access the schools environment. Another good example would be for the school to use a safety hotline. This is a toll free and anonymous hotline that has been created to prevent crisis.   

• What can YOU do, as a teacher, to help develop a positive school climate? Describe.

As a teacher, to help develop a positive school climate for the students at my school I would make sure I am providing safety to all students. I would make sure I would have good relationships with all my students. I would provide all my students with positive teaching and learning for them. I would also provide an institutional environment for everyone.   

• Summary

This lesson has been interesting to research about. I enjoyed watching the video on “trouble school”. It is crazy to think what goes on in some other schools other than your own and to think how much children could/are in danger being at that school. I also enjoyed answering the last question because it made me think “what would I do, as a teacher to help develop a positive school climate?” I know I would do anything and everything I could to develop a positive climate for the students in my school.

• Research Question

Should teachers be armed?

• Research Analysis

In my opinion teachers should not be armed. What if a student were to get their hands on the gun somehow? That would be dangerous. If the school wants to be safer then the school need to get people who are trained, like security guards. Also teachers are there to teach the students and if there was a shooting inside the school then the teachers have a protocol to follow. This protocol involves instructions to keep the students safe.

Debate.org says that some people think teachers should be armed for many reasons. The first and most common reason is that they believe that the students will be safer if their teachers had guns. They think that there would be less crime, fights and violence in the schools if the teachers were armed. Finally, they think that most targets in the school shootings are the teachers. If a teacher had a gun they would be able to take out and shoot the shooters before they got a chance to shoot the students.

http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-teachers-be-allowed-to-be-armed-during-school-hours

Each moment we live never was
before and will never be again.
And yet what we teach children in school is 2 + 2 = 4 and Paris is the capital of France.
What we should be teaching them is what they are.
We should be saying: “Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique.
In all the world there is no other child exactly like you. In the millions of years that have
passed, there has never been another child exactly like you. You may become a Shakespeare,
a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel.”

—Pablo Casals