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Class Culture - the PGCE

· 5 min read

Reviewing notes from my PGCE drew out some points about culture.

Most were presented through the lens of teaching and learning or classroom management instead of a broader approach to culture. They are however a helpful basis for how to start to implement culture. They also reminded me how the kind of culture I want might look in practice.

Relevant motivating questions

  • What is my vision for culture? and what is it grounded in?
  • How do you develop culture in a secondary classroom?

Teaching and learning​

As the core activity in the classroom, how you approach teaching and learning should reflect the culture that you want to develop.

1. Make mistakes welcome​

In my experience, fear of making mistakes often appears to hold less confident students back. Teaching a class to make mistakes, and accept others mistakes is a core part of the culture I want to build.

This is also discussed by Barton (2018, 11.2) and Lemov (2015) as a "culture of error".

2. Whole class response​

My PGCE advocated for seeking whole class response, or at least a pair/share where possible. Culturally my goal is for all students to feel like their opinion is valued and that they have the space to share it. Prioritising whole-class approaches over individual questioning helps reflect this. Individual questioning remains an essential tool that I will continue to use, but my focus will be building clear routines for the other techniques.

Barton (2018) advocates for whole class response, and Rosenshine (2012) says 'ask a large number of questions and seek answers from all students'.

Classroom management​

Classroom management is often conflated with classroom culture. I feel that how you manage a classroom should reflect the culture you want, not define it.

3. Relationships​

My tutor was fond of the quote "Teachers are in the business of relationships". Cultivating positive relationships with effective boundaries is essential to teaching. These relationships need to be able to survive conflict (i.e. behaviour / sanctions). Relationships should reflect and reinforce your culture at a personal level.

Dix's (2017) 30s intervention has proved a useful model for me to communicate boundaries before consequences, this helps maintain to maintain the relationship with the student even in conflict.

4. Routine​

Outside of relationships, the classroom management approach suggested by my PGCE focused on consistency, high expectations and clear boundaries. Being consistent is challenging both within a school and from lesson to lesson. Routine seems to be the main way to build and embed culture in your classroom. In defining a vision and values for my classroom I hope it will help my routines to more consistently reflect the culture that I want.

Dix (2017) low stakes rehearsal is how I intend to implement routines in future. The Tom Bennett (2016) resources for trainees highlight needing to teach routines.

5. Response​

My PGCE tutor emphasised the importance of loud praise, quiet correction. Where you require an immediate response to demonstrate a boundary you issue the reminder / sanction concisely and move on as objectively as possible. Teachers direct attention, and in building culture that attention should be directed at behaviours that we want to encourage. Therefore how you respond to the negative behaviours of a minority should draw as little attention as possible away from the positive values being shown by most students. Specifically praising cultural values in action is likely to be a core part of getting students thinking about the culture I want within my classroom, and getting them to remember it.

This approach is reinforced by Dix's (2017) 30s intervention, Lemov's (2015) "narrate the positive", and by Willingham's (2021) "memory is the residue of thought".

6. You are playing the long game​

The PGCE focused on relationships, behaviour and routine, but it applies to culture more generally. Establishing a culture will take time and consistency. Defining the values I want upfront should allow me to plan consistent routines that will work towards a desired culture. This is a different approach to the the less-planned cultures that have emerged in my current classes.

Bennet (2016) talks about routines taking time to become habit, Dix (2017) also emphasises allowing time for routines to be established.

7. You work within a wider system​

Particularly during the PGCE, you have no influence over the school's policies or existing culture. You do your best to follow the existing approach while also trying out your own ideas. As an ECT, this is much the same, but you now balance supporting your colleagues through school-wide consistency with your own goals for your classroom. Any approach to culture I take should use the school values and routines as much as possible. I should share my thinking with my team and more broadly to get a more varied insight into what makes an effective culture and spot opportunities for collaboration.

References​

  • Barton, C. (2018) How I Wish I'd Taught Maths: lessons learned from research, conversations with experts, and 12 years of mistakes
  • Bennet, T. (2016) Trainee Teacher Behavioural Toolkit
  • Dix, P. (2017) When the Adults Change, Everything Changes: Seismic shifts in school behaviour
  • Lemov, D. (2015) Teach Like a Champion
  • Rosenshine, B. (2012) Principles of instruction: Research-based strategies that all teachers should know.
  • Willingham, D. (2021) Why Don't Students Like School?: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom