How to Establish a Growth-Oriented Culture in Schools

Table of Contents

1. Build Trust and Psychological Safety
2. Set Clear Goals and Align Initiatives
3. Foster Collaborative Learning Communities
4. Provide Professional Development and Resources
5. Normalize Feedback and Reflection
6. Measure and Celebrate Progress
7. Conclusion: Building a Culture That Thrives

A growth-oriented culture in schools prioritizes continuous learning, collaboration, and improvement for both teachers and students. Research highlights that such a culture fosters trust, increases engagement in professional development, and enhances instructional quality (Bryk et al., 2010; Knight, 2018).

Here are specific steps schools and districts can take to establish and sustain a culture that encourages growth, along with evidence-based insights.

1. Build Trust and Psychological Safety

Trust is foundational for teachers to embrace new practices like videotaping. Psychological safety—a belief that one can take risks without fear of judgment or negative consequences—is a cornerstone of effective learning cultures (Edmondson, 1999).

Steps:

• Leadership Transparency: School and district leaders should clearly communicate the purpose of videotaping and other professional growth initiatives, emphasizing their role in supporting—not evaluating—teachers.

• Model Vulnerability: Administrators and instructional coaches should model the behavior they want to see by sharing their own recorded practices and discussing areas for growth.

• Celebrate Effort Over Perfection: Publicly recognize teachers for their willingness to try new strategies, not just for achieving "perfect" outcomes.

Evidence: Trust and psychological safety are critical for team learning and innovation, as highlighted in Edmondson’s research on workplace learning environments.

2. Set Clear Goals and Align Initiatives

Teachers are more likely to engage in professional growth when they understand how it connects to broader district goals, such as improving student achievement or equity.

Steps:

• Define Clear Objectives: Align professional development initiatives with district-wide priorities. For example, connect video-based reflection to improving student engagement or differentiated instruction.

• Use Data-Informed Goals: Share data on student performance or classroom practices to highlight specific areas where growth is needed.

• Tie Growth to Student Outcomes: Emphasize how teacher growth directly impacts student learning, using research such as The Study of Teacher Coaching Based on Classroom Videos to illustrate the link.

Evidence: Goal alignment fosters greater buy-in and motivation, according to Locke and Latham’s Goal-Setting Theory.

3. Foster Collaborative Learning Communities

Collaboration enhances professional growth by providing teachers with opportunities to learn from peers, share strategies, and engage in reflective dialogue.

Steps:

• Establish Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Create structured time for teachers to review video recordings, discuss challenges, and share best practices.

• Leverage Peer Coaching: Pair teachers for reciprocal coaching, where they provide feedback on each other’s video recordings in a supportive environment.

• Celebrate Success Together: Share examples of teacher growth during staff meetings or professional development days.

Evidence: PLCs and peer coaching improve teacher effectiveness and student outcomes, as demonstrated in studies by DuFour et al. (2016).

4. Provide Professional Development and Resources

Teachers need the skills and tools to engage in reflective practice effectively.

Steps:

• Train Teachers in Video Analysis: Offer workshops on how to use tools like Vosaic to record and tag key moments in lessons. In addition to online resources, Vosaic team provides this training to all subscribers.

• Introduce Reflective Frameworks: Use frameworks like the Danielson Framework for Teaching to guide video reflection.

• Ensure Technical Support: Provide accessible technology and support to reduce barriers to adoption.

Evidence: Teachers are more likely to adopt new practices when they feel supported and prepared, as shown in research on technology integration by Ertmer and Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2010).

5. Normalize Feedback and Reflection

Feedback should be viewed as a routine part of professional practice, not a punitive measure.

Steps:

• Implement Regular Reflection Cycles: Build time into the school calendar for teachers to review videos, reflect, and set growth goals.

• Make Feedback Constructive: Train instructional coaches to provide actionable, nonjudgmental feedback using video as evidence.

• Promote Self-Reflection: Encourage teachers to identify their own strengths and areas for improvement before receiving external feedback.

Evidence: Reflection and constructive feedback are key drivers of professional growth, as highlighted in Hattie and Timperley’s (2007) work on feedback in education.

6. Measure and Celebrate Progress

Recognizing growth helps sustain momentum and reinforces the value of a growth-oriented culture.

Steps:

• Track Growth Metrics: Use tools like Vosaic to measure changes in instructional practices over time, such as increased use of evidence-based strategies.

• Share Success Stories: Highlight individual and team successes in newsletters, staff meetings, or on district websites.

• Recognize Teacher Leaders: Celebrate teachers who embrace video-based reflection and share their learning with others.

Evidence: Public recognition and celebrating small wins increase motivation and build a sense of community, as noted in Kotter’s Change Management Model.

Conclusion: Building a Culture That Thrives

A growth-oriented culture doesn’t emerge overnight. It requires intentional efforts to build trust, align goals, foster collaboration, and normalize reflective practices. Tools like Vosaic simplify the process of using video for professional growth, making it accessible and actionable. When districts implement these strategies, they create an environment where teachers feel supported, students benefit, and the entire school community thrives.

The research is clear: when schools invest in fostering a culture of growth, the returns are transformative—not just for teachers, but for every student they serve.