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Classroom Culture

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Classroom CultureDocument
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  • Classroom culture is a “hidden curriculum” or atmosphere that influences all aspects of school life and is shaped by beliefs, history, attitudes, practices, traditions, and relationships.

  • Culture is always present, and is influenced by parents, students, teachers, administration, and the community. As a teacher, you play a huge role in forming the culture of your own classroom, but you cannot always do much to change the culture of the school or community at large.

  • Hold students to a certain expectation. They don’t always know what is best for them. Or sometimes, even if they want good things, they will often give in to the human tendency to take the easy way out.

How to Build Culture

  • Cultivating a certain type of culture in your classroom starts with you as a teacher identifying what you would like that culture to look like. Spend some time considering what type of people you would like your students to be, what sorts of things you want them to value, and what you would like the environment of your classroom to feel like. For example:

    • God is talked about often

    • Learning is rigorous

    • The atmosphere is one of joy 

    • Everyone is respected and included

    • All students are given what they need to be successful

  • After you have determined what sort of culture you desire to have, you can develop practices that will encourage that type of culture. Think of specific things you can do to shape your students in that way or ways you can encourage it to keep growing if it is already present. These may be things that you as a teacher do/say, or they may be things you require of your students.

  • Remember that culture is shaped through small, thoughtful actions and often takes patience and perseverance.

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