MED 7702 Classroom and School Culture: Creating Environments for Learning

The focus of this course is on the central role of the school leader in establishing and maintaining a school culture that is safe, attractive, and positive; where all students are treated with respect and dignity; where barriers to opportunity and student achievement are removed; where rules and procedures honor student integrity and autonomy; where teachers and students share the sense that their work is important and relevant; and where the school functions as a learning environment for the staff and a center of learning for the larger community. The course takes the position that students learn from the total school environment and from the structure of the school itself; and explores ways for the school leader to ensure that all aspects of school culture and environment are designed to support teaching and high-level learning.