School Social Climate and Its Impact on Students and Teachers
School Social Climate
A student who completes their schooling lives six to eight hours a day for 12 years in school.
Concept of School Social Climate
The concept of school social climate is similar to organizational climate.
Definition of Organizational Climate
… Perceptions shared by members of an organization for the work, the physical environment in which it occurs, relationships that take place around him and the various regulations affecting the formal work (Dario Rodriguez, 2004).
… The set of psychosocial characteristics of a school, determined by those factors or structural elements, personal and functional institution, which, integrated into a specific dynamic process, cohere a distinctive style to the center, conditioner, a while the various educational processes (Cere, 1993).
Positive School Social Climate
A positive school social climate:
- Facilitates learning of the members.
- Makes members feel welcome.
- Offers the possibility to develop as individuals.
- Creates a sense of well-being and confidence in their own abilities.
- Instills belief in the relevance of what is learned or how it is taught.
- Fosters identification with the institution.
- Encourages positive interaction between peers and with other actors.
Factors Associated with a Positive School Climate
- Continuous academic and social growth
- Respect
- Confidence
- Morale
- Cohesion
- Participation
Continuous Academic and Social Growth
Teachers and students have conditions that enable them to improve as significant skills, academic knowledge, social and personal.
Respect
Teachers and students have the feeling that an atmosphere of mutual respect prevails in schools.
Confidence
It is believed that what others do is right and what they say is true.
High Morale
Teachers and students are comfortable with what is happening at school. There are desires to fulfill the assigned tasks and people have self-discipline.
Faculty Cohesion
Level of attraction that the school has on all its members. Refers to the esprit de corps, sense of belonging to the system.
Renewal
This refers to the school’s ability to grow, develop, and change.
Care
There is a supportive atmosphere in which teachers consider the needs of students and work cooperatively as part of an organization that protects.
School Social Climate
This refers to the perception that people (children, teachers) have of the various aspects of the environment in developing their usual activities.
Positive School Climate
This is a topic that relates to the effectiveness of the school, the teachers’ burnout, and the holding power that the education system has, both in relation to pupils and their teachers.
A positive social climate is a necessary condition for students to be motivated to learn and perceive positively the other members of the educational community.
Negative School Climates or Hindering Development
Teachers experience:
- Stress
- Irritation
- Reluctance
- Depression
- Lack of interest
- Physical exhaustion
- Demotivation
- Under commitment
- Hopelessness
Students experience:
- Withdrawal from school
- Fear of punishment and mistakes
- Invisibility of positive aspects
- Unconstructive resolutions
Microclimates in the School
Examples of microclimates in schools:
- Small groups of friends within a year
- A complete course in level
- Extracurricular school groups:
- Sports team
- Art
- Religious group
- Community work
Microclimates can be found within the teaching community in different areas:
- Departments
- Staff rooms
- Ages
- Gender
- All the teaching community
Types of Microclimate in School
- Classroom Climate
- Employee Satisfaction
Classroom Climate Favoring the Personal Development of Children
In a positive classroom climate:
- Students receive support and solidarity from their peers and teachers
- They feel respected in their differences and shortcomings
- Identification with the course
- They feel that what they learn is useful and meaningful
- Perceptions of productivity, cooperative atmosphere of concern
- Feel that teachers are focused on their needs and that there is a good organization of life in the classroom
Factors Influencing the Perceptions of Students Within the Classroom
- Structural aspects of the class
- Perceptions of educational methodologies and relevance of what is learned
- Relational aspects within the group of classroom
Relational Aspects Within the Classroom Group
- Teacher perceptions and expectations regarding their students
- Teacher’s perception about himself
- Perceptions and expectations of students in relation to the teacher
- Students’ perceptions about themselves
- Perception: Confidence vs. distrust in the relationship
- Perception: Justice vs. injustice in the relationship
- Ratings vs. disqualification in the relationship
- Empathetic attitude on the part of teachers and willingness to help
- Perception of the teacher meeting the academic requirements
- Teaching style
Employee Satisfaction
Employee satisfaction corresponds to the human and physical environment in which the daily work of teachers and other school workers develops.
It is associated with the way teachers work and interact with their peers, the school, the task of teaching, their work, and educational resources.
Employee satisfaction strongly affects educational performance and thus affects their work with students.
Characteristics of a Positive Working Environment
- Personal autonomy of teachers, accompanied by adequate peer support
- Achievements are recognized and allowed the perception of self-effectiveness
- There are spaces that allow the teacher to contact with themselves and reflect on their teaching
- Allows the development of creativity
- There is a focus on strengths and resources
- It promotes self-care
- There are cooperative relationships
- Relations based on mutual respect
- The style is democratic relations and cooperation
- Resolutions are non-violent
- Workload balanced approach adequate
- Personal professional development
Effects of a Positive Working Environment
- Promotes motivation and commitment of teaching staff
- Constitutes an important source of emotional support
- Promotes organizational learning
- Facilitates the maintenance of good discipline
Epidemiology: Basics
Etiopathogenesis
Source or cause of development of pathology.
Differential Diagnosis
A procedure in which a particular disease is identified by excluding other possible causes that present a clinical picture similar to what the patient suffers.
Comorbidity
The presence of one or more disorders in addition to the primary disease or disorder.
Morbidity
Number of people or individuals considered ill or victims of disease in space and time.
Morbidity rates are frequently used: prevalence and incidence.
Prevalence
The frequency of all cases (old and new) of a pathological condition in a given time.
Incidence
The frequency of occurrence of new cases of a disease during a specified period.
Levels of Prevention
Primary Prevention
Implies reducing the incidence of adverse circumstances by fighting them before they act.
Its measures apply to the entire population (healthy and sick).
Interventions
- Prevention of mental disorder: Etiology known (Genetics, toxic, infectious, etc.)
- Mental health promotion: Etiology unknown, nonspecific intervention (stress reduction)
- Mental Protection: Reduce the risk by taking massive action (Control of Trade in alcohol)
Main Areas of Action
1. Responsible Parenthood
- Regulation of family size
- Unwanted children
- Intervals between pregnancies
- Maternal age
2. Pre- and Perinatal Care
- Prenatal: prenatal program, substance abuse, nutritional deficiencies, promotion of breastfeeding, childbirth
- Perinatal mother-infant attachment (1st hour), the presence of the father, metabolic screening (congenital hypothyroidism)
3. Infant Care
- Immunizations
- Nutrition
- Early psychosocial stimulation programs (prevention mild MR)
4. Preschool and School
- Identifying families at risk: marital dysfunction, low SE, overcrowding, parental criminality, maternal psychopathology, institutionalization
- Identifying high-risk children: children abandoned, abused, children of DD DD and exiles, early school leavers, children with substance abuse, children in the middle delict
Interventions in both areas: Referral to a specialist, social work, community support networks, legal protection measures
Mitigating the effects of chronic diseases
Prevention in Junior High
Set of actions aimed at reducing the prevalence and severity of mental disorders.
Objectives
- Early detection
- Early diagnosis
- Appropriate treatment
Some diseases are likely to be treated in primary care: ADHD, elimination disorders, sleep disorders, some eating disorders, mood, anxiety, and behavioral.
Involves the rehabilitation of the devastation from a particular disease to provide or improve social coping mechanisms.
2 Population Groups
- Children with severe disability (severe and profound MR, autism, psychosis)
- Children with less severe disabilities (ADHD, ASD, alcohol and drug abuse)
Cross-Cutting Actions at All Levels of Prevention
Parenting skills training.
Nurseries, kindergartens and day-care centers
Educational system.
Media.
Legislation.