Culture and ethos

In 'An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students,' Berger argues that ‘students adjust their attitudes and efforts in order to fit the culture. If the peer culture ridicules academic achievement—it isn't cool to raise your hand in class, to do homework, to care openly about school—this is a powerful force. If the peer culture celebrates investment in school—it's cool to care, this is just as powerful. Schools need to consciously shape their cultures to be places where it's safe to care, where it's cool to care. They need to reach out to family and neighbourhood cultures to support this’ (34). Perhaps this is patently obvious but it captures everything I have been thinking this year: that culture and ethos is more important than teaching and learning. That is, as important as teaching and learning is there is something that must come before it. Too many of my students have, underneath, a fragile sense of their own ability. Berger goes on to argue that it is through their work and focus on it that their self esteem will grow.