AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
SCHOOL CULTURE AND THE RELATED ISSUES
a
ERICH PETLÁK
Catholic University in Ruzomberok, ul. Hrabovská 1, 034 01
Ruzomberok, Slovakia
email:
a
erich.petlak@ku.sk
Paper is published within the frame of project KEGA 007KU-4/2017 Devalvatory
manifestations of pupils towards teachers - manifestations, causes, prevention.
Abstract: The results of education process are not dependent only on methods and
forms used by teachers but also on environment where students work. School culture
is a topic that requires systematic attention. Different literature describes different
types of school culture. The author describes them and also compares them from the
point of contribution to school reality. School culture is not a problem that does not
deal with other aspects, it also functions externally. School culture is very important
part of school image, it consists of various aspects, e.g. pedagogical and didactical
activities, organizational activities, school presentation, school routing. These basic
aspects are analyzed in the relation to basic areas and also with the relation to school
types.. These are the main ideas the author stresses in his paper.
Keywords: school, culture, model, school climate, pedagogical-didactic
1 Introduction
The article deals with some aspects of school culture. School
culture, school climate and similar related issues have occurred
in pedagogical terminology in the last decades. These aspects are
closely related to the fact that the results of the education process
depend not only on the forms and methods applied by teachers
but also on the environment where pupils work. Teachers have
been aware of this fact for many years. That is why they have
paid much attention to the school environment and climate.
Unfortunately, under the knowledge pressure, schools used to
focus on scientism a lot and some important aspects have been
neglected. However, we have turned back to them recently and
we have adapted them to current conditions. One of the
neglected aspects is the school culture which is being discussed
in this article.
1.1 School culture and related aspects
The term “school culture“ has been intensively used in pedagogy
in recent years which is related to the need of complex
understanding of school roles. School is a “miniworld“ in a
“macroworld“, the two worlds being mutually interrelated and
influenced. Their common objective is to prepare a man to social
life.
School culture has several different definitions depending on the
view of an author. It is thus characterized from a social, didactic,
management, organization, etc. point of view. Regardless the
point of view, school culture implies severalfunctions related to
all education factors. I. Lukšík (2012) mentions the following
aspects:
analytical and practical requirements, e. g., organizational
needs, common language, power, status, standards of
cooperation , inter-human relations, etc.
anthropological conceptions, e. g., specific group
phenomenon, value system, material aspect of culture –
symbols, curriculum, school code, school rituals, etc.
sociological conceptions, e. g. inter-connection of
individual school elements related to the environment –
location, festivals, etc.
culture as textuality – various documents characterizing
school.
It can be stated that school culture can be described in many
ways depending on a given school function.
D. Jakubíková (2001) says: “School culture is its internal
phenomenon primarily created and applied in management and
relationship to its employees. It includes the complex of ideas,
attitudes and values generally respected and maintained in
school in a long-term perspective.”
M. Pol (2006) characterizes school culture as follows: “…as a
hardly defined but an omnipresent and stable factor including
conviction and values, understanding, attitudes, meanings,
standards, symbols, rituals, ceremonies, preferred behavior
manifested in school people´s conduct. School culture includes
an experience basis and the potential of change. Values usually
form its core.”
Another point of view is given by
J. Světlík (In I. Lukšík, 2012):
formal school model – focused on the implementation of
objectives, with a strong authority of school management,
collegial model – based on cooperation and collegiality,
school values are accepted,
political model – the collective is divided into smaller
groups, school objectives are not primary,
subjective model – individual interests prevail, but member
interaction works,
model of uncertainty – unclear objectives, school is
unstable, activities are unpredictable.
According to many authors school culture is manifested in both
material and non-material way, not only internally but also
externally. L. Eger (2006) lists the following:
Material external manifestation:
buildings, playgrounds, school land,
stands at fairs and exhibitions,
external school labelling, signs, school emblems, school
flag,
façades, doors, windows,
school color,
clothes of employees and pupils,
school press, visiting-cards, school promotion materials,
school souvenirs.
Material internal manifestation:
entries, yards, front-yards,
playground, use and design of the land and area,
school presentation at the noticeboards inside,
achievements of school, pupils and alumni,
inside school area,
architecture,
lights, furniture, decorations,
information systems (orientation boards, labels, etc.).
Non-material external manifestation:
school educational program,
school fees,
behavior of employees and pupils to the public,
form and offer of education,
communication,
school promotion and publicity,
relationship pupil – teacher – parent – public.
Non-material internal manifestation:
process and organization of education,
school climate,
relationship superior – subordinate,
formal and informal communication between teachers,
pupils and employees,
basic values and ethics,
time-management, value of time,
stories, ceremonies,
relation to the profession and work.
According to D. Touhy (2002) to deal with school culture means
to consider three aspects:
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