- School of Thought Blog
How Core Values Shape Our School Culture and Ultimately Influence Student Success
This school year has presented more challenges than ever before. As leaders, we are charged with keeping it all together at the schoolhouse—while at the same time, as individuals, we are in need of support and self-care due to the uncertainty and unrest that surround us. How, with all that we have going on this school year, do we have time to think about our core values? I sincerely believe that we must make time to reflect on and challenge our core values to understand how they shape our school culture and student success.
If members of our school communities would be asked to describe us as leaders, to express what they believe are our core values, what would they say? Do we communicate our values? How do we challenge ourselves and others to keep our core values in check? These questions, along with countless others, resurface over and over for me as I strive to grow as an educational leader.
Our Students, Our Peers, Ourselves
As we work to improve schools and education as a whole, we give it all we’ve got. We look for ways to increase funding, we purchase new curricula, we plan and implement professional development, we try new strategies, we increase rigor, we track student growth and make adjustments to meet student needs, we hold ourselves accountable through high-stakes assessments; the list goes on and on. However, I propose that there is much deeper work for us to do if we truly seek continued, sustainable growth for our students. We must devote time to identify, evaluate, challenge, and communicate our core values, especially as they pertain to beliefs about our students, our peers, and ourselves.
When examining our beliefs, we have to be honest with ourselves and others. We should start with easier questions that tend to unify us as educators, like why we chose to be educators and how our work changes the world. Then we must move onto more difficult questions that sometimes require us to face hard truths, see things from others’ perspectives, and change our mindsets.
We must ask ourselves what we believe about the potential of our students, if we truly value each and every student regardless of perceived differences and/or perceived challenges. Are we prejudging students’ capabilities or labeling them based on unfair criteria? When it comes to our students, do we have the mentality that “we are just doing the best we can with who we’ve got”?
We must also ask ourselves if we truly value each and every educator in the building, in what each adult on campus contributes to the success of our students. Do we really believe in the power of the collective effort? Do we show each adult on campus, regardless of the role they serve, that we value their work?
Finally, we must reflect on our own self-worth and self-efficacy to determine if we truly believe we are up to the task of positively affecting student growth and success, if we truly believe that what we do makes a difference in this world. We must ask ourselves if we are willing to put in the work to continuously seek opportunities to grow and improve.
The Bottom Line
I think most districts and school leaders shy away from work around core values for many reasons. It is not just that we want to avoid hard work and difficult discussions, but with all the constant pressures to improve academically, many of us are on the lookout for the next quick fix. I mean, we are shaping children’s lives; there is not much time to spare, I get it! But until our core values include a sincere belief in the value of all students, of one another as educators, and of ourselves—until this is deeply rooted in our hearts and in the work we do, all the other so-called solutions to our problems will not work. Sure, new and improved programs and policies can help us find short-term wins, but we cannot sustain academic growth and student success over time without digging deep. We cannot change the world, one student at a time, if we do not have the basic belief in our abilities to do so.
As principals, we must go first by examining our own core values. We must do the work in order to be able to lead others in doing the same. For years, I have reflected on my own core values and believed that my daily words and actions were enough to communicate my beliefs and what I value. However, 2020 has prompted me to ask myself if this is enough.
Since then, one action step I have taken to communicate my belief in the value of each student and staff member, regardless of perceived differences or challenges, was to start a faculty-led Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity task force whose self-created mission is to “actively seek to understand ways we can all grow together to develop a more inclusive and equitable environment that validates the dignity of every Griffin and the rich complexities in a diverse, ever-changing world.” Although having such a task force had been on my heart for some time, I placed the idea on the back burner several years in a row because I questioned the timing of starting such an important initiative and because I felt pulled in so many other directions—and ultimately allowed other focus areas to trump what I believed was critical to our school culture and student success.
It is time we devote as much energy into who we are, what we believe, and how we value others as we spend in researching other solutions to improve. Of course, we cannot stop looking for ways to increase funding or stop looking for better curricula; we cannot stop offering professional development or trying new strategies, but the only way to ensure these best practices are authentic, effective, and long-lasting is if we dig deep and do the hard work to keep our core values in check.
About the Author
Carli A. Francois is the principal of Dutchtown High School in Geismar, LA, and the 2020 Louisiana Principal of the Year. She is the wife of Reuben Francois and has three amazing children: Reuben II, Olivia, and Isabella; they, along with her extended family and friends, have always supported her in her life’s work to make a difference in the lives of others. Follow her on Twitter ( @carliafrancois ).
Well said! Thank you for being such an incredible and understanding principal!
I can tell you that being a part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion group has led to a deeper understanding of my colleagues and students. I am honored to be a part of this group and learn with the best.
Love the article and could not agree more! We have run professional development where the entire faculty and administration at my high school has shared Personal Professional Mission Statements….Our Student Equity Team has hit its stride after four years and we started a Parent Equity Team. Leaders need to develop their own skills, that of their teachers as leaders, and make that connection to Students and Parents as well in leading change.
Excellent ! As a new Griffin, I can say I feel valued and am learning so much from my co-Griffins. We Griffins don’t just talk about it, we live it. I absolutely love the culture at our school and it is an “infectious dream-come-true.” By infectious I mean, one of my “needs improvements” is being able to see past my stress with coping with “these times” and carry on with the teacher I am. Teaching is not my job–it’s who I am. The infectious environment at our school keeps me focused on pushing students up to and past what they believe their potentials are. I truly believe in the “power of a good teacher.” Time and time again–I find a kid thinks he doesn’t have what it takes, and I tell him, “no–you have more potential than it takes Less effort than your most is not acceptable.” Once the kids are onboard with me, things begin to change. That is the “power of a good teacher.” They begin to see themselves the way I see them: not as a particular part of society–but rather, just a great kid that can and will succeed in our ever changing world. I absolutely love being a Griffin!
Beautifully said!
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
- More Networks
Essays About Values: 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts
Similar to how our values guide us, let this guide with essays about values and writing prompts help you write your essay.
Values are the core principles that guide the actions we take and the choices we make. They are the cornerstones of our identity. On a community or organizational level, values are the moral code that every member must embrace to live harmoniously and work together towards shared goals.
We acquire our values from different sources such as parents, mentors, friends, cultures, and experiences. All of these build on one another — some rejected as we see fit — for us to form our perception of our values and what will lead us to a happy and fulfilled life.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
| Grammarly | ||
| ProWritingAid |
5 Essay Examples
1. what today’s classrooms can learn from ancient cultures by linda flanagan, 2. stand out to your hiring panel with a personal value statement by maggie wooll, 3. make your values mean something by patrick m. lencioni, 4. how greed outstripped need by beth azar, 5. a shift in american family values is fueling estrangement by joshua coleman, 1. my core values, 2. how my upbringing shaped my values, 3. values of today’s youth, 4. values of a good friend, 5. an experience that shaped your values, 6. remembering our values when innovating, 7. important values of school culture, 8. books that influenced your values, 9. religious faith and moral values, 10. schwartz’s theory of basic values.
“Connectedness is another core value among Maya families, and teachers seek to cultivate it… While many American teachers also value relationships with their students, that effort is undermined by the competitive environment seen in many Western classrooms.”
Ancient communities keep their traditions and values of a hands-off approach to raising their kids. They also preserve their hunter-gatherer mindsets and others that help their kids gain patience, initiative, a sense of connectedness, and other qualities that make a helpful child.
“How do you align with the company’s mission and add to its culture? Because it contains such vital information, your personal value statement should stand out on your resume or in your application package.”
Want to rise above other candidates in the jobs market? Then always highlight your value statement. A personal value statement should be short but still, capture the aspirations and values of the company. The essay provides an example of a captivating value statement and tips for crafting one.
“Values can set a company apart from the competition by clarifying its identity and serving as a rallying point for employees. But coming up with strong values—and sticking to them—requires real guts.”
Along with the mission and vision, clear values should dictate a company’s strategic goals. However, several CEOs still needed help to grasp organizational values fully. The essay offers a direction in setting these values and impresses on readers the necessity to preserve them at all costs.
“‘He compared the values held by people in countries with more competitive forms of capitalism with the values of folks in countries that have a more cooperative style of capitalism… These countries rely more on strategic cooperation… rather than relying mostly on free-market competition as the United States does.”
The form of capitalism we have created today has shaped our high value for material happiness. In this process, psychologists said we have allowed our moral and ethical values to drift away from us for greed to take over. You can also check out these essays about utopia .
“From the adult child’s perspective, there might be much to gain from an estrangement: the liberation from those perceived as hurtful or oppressive, the claiming of authority in a relationship, and the sense of control over which people to keep in one’s life. For the mother or father, there is little benefit when their child cuts off contact.”
It is most challenging when the bonds between parent and child weaken in later years. Psychologists have been navigating this problem among modern families, which is not an easy conflict to resolve. It requires both parties to give their best in humbling themselves and understanding their loved ones, no matter how divergent their values are.
10 Writing Prompts On Essays About Values
For this topic prompt, contemplate your non-negotiable core values and why you strive to observe them at all costs. For example, you might value honesty and integrity above all else. Expound on why cultivating fundamental values leads to a happy and meaningful life. Finally, ponder other values you would like to gain for your future self. Write down how you have been practicing to adopt these aspired values.
Many of our values may have been instilled in us during childhood. This essay discusses the essential values you gained from your parents or teachers while growing up. Expound on their importance in helping you flourish in your adult years. Then, offer recommendations on what households, schools, or communities can do to ensure that more young people adopt these values.
Is today’s youth lacking essential values, or is there simply a shift in what values generations uphold? Strive to answer this and write down the healthy values that are emerging and dying. Then think of ways society can preserve healthy values while doing away with bad ones. Of course, this change will always start at home, so also encourage parents, as role models, to be mindful of their words, actions and behavior.
The greatest gift in life is friendship. In this essay, enumerate the top values a friend should have. You may use your best friend as an example. Then, cite the best traits your best friend has that have influenced you to be a better version of yourself. Finally, expound on how these values can effectively sustain a healthy friendship in the long term.
We all have that one defining experience that has forever changed how we see life and the values we hold dear. Describe yours through storytelling with the help of our storytelling guide . This experience may involve a decision, a conversation you had with someone, or a speech you heard at an event.
With today’s innovation, scientists can make positive changes happen. But can we truly exercise our values when we fiddle with new technologies whose full extent of positive and adverse effects we do not yet understand such as AI? Contemplate this question and look into existing regulations on how we curb the creation or use of technologies that go against our values. Finally, assess these rules’ effectiveness and other options society has.
Highlight a school’s role in honing a person’s values. Then, look into the different aspects of your school’s culture. Identify which best practices distinct in your school are helping students develop their values. You could consider whether your teachers exhibit themselves as admirable role models or specific parts of the curriculum that help you build good character.
In this essay, recommend your readers to pick up your favorite books, particularly those that served as pathways to enlightening insights and values. To start, provide a summary of the book’s story. It would be better if you could do so without revealing too much to avoid spoiling your readers’ experience. Then, elaborate on how you have applied the values you learned from the book.
For many, religious faith is the underlying reason for their values. For this prompt, explore further the inextricable links between religion and values. If you identify with a certain religion, share your thoughts on the values your sector subscribes to. You can also tread the more controversial path on the conflicts of religious values with socially accepted beliefs or practices, such as abortion.
Dive deeper into the ten universal values that social psychologist Shalom Schwartz came up with: power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity, and security. Look into their connections and conflicts against each other. Then, pick your favorite value and explain how you relate to it the most. Also, find if value conflicts within you, as theorized by Schwartz.
Make sure to check out our round-up of the best essay checkers . If you want to use the latest grammar software, read our guide on using an AI grammar checker .
Home / Essay Samples / Life / Values / Fostering Core Values in Education: A School’s Responsibility
Fostering Core Values in Education: A School's Responsibility
- Category: Education , Life
- Topic: School Curriculums , Student , Values
Pages: 3 (1321 words)
Views: 1303
- Downloads: -->
- Values education. (2019, September 21).
- Tucker, K. (2019, January 10). Pros & Cons of Teaching Values in Schools.
--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.
Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?
are ready to help you with your essay
You won’t be charged yet!
Forgiveness Essays
Tolerance Essays
Ambition Essays
Loneliness Essays
Nostalgia Essays
Related Essays
We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.
By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.
Your essay sample has been sent.
In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.
samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->