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Description:
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School Culture is an important factor in the improvement of student achievement . However , the literature on the improvement of school culture reports that the concept of culture is vague and where improvement is attempted , it may take from three to five years .
The purpose of this study was to describe the process of importing a culture of success to a school in a short period of fime using the Four Cornerstones . The study was divided into two phases . Phase I described changes in perspectives and understandings of the Four Cornerstones and importing a culture as a result of a weeklong workshop . Phase II described how the principal of one school used the Four Cornerstones to import a culture of success during the Inifiafion stage of change .
Eleven principals from three rural West Texas school districts participated in phase one . In phase two , one elementary principal from the workshop volunteered to participate . Data were collected using questionnaires , interviews , observation , documents , and focus groups .
Analysis was performed using the constant comparafive method . This is a research design for mulfidata sources , where the analysis begins early in the study and is almost completed by the end of the data collection . The data from all sources were reviewed through line -by -line inspecfion . Specific quotes were taken from the data and recorded under emergent categories in each phase .
In phase one , three categories emerged : (1 ) the principals' movement from descriptive to proactive ; (2 ) principals motivating teachers to become promoters of student success ; and (3 ) principals motivafing students to a belief in success . In phase two , two categories emerged : (1 ) changing the guard (new principal ) and (2 ) emphasis on success .
Findings were interpreted using the theory of symbolic interacfionism as a lens to gain insight to the reciprocal influence of the principal , staff , students , and community in inifiating change using the Four Cornerstones to import a culture of success . Interaction occurred that helped the all the above to view themselves differently and allow them to believe success would happen . The initiation stage of change was accomplished in a period of two and one half months . |