The Impact of School Climate on Student Well-Being

This conceptualization has implications for research, stressing the importance of the relationship between school environment and student health and well-being. School has been recognized as one of the most important developmental context, where students can acquire skills and competencies supporting their successful adaptation (Hamilton and Hamilton, 2009). School climate can be studied at the group level, by aggregating the data collection of the different actors (students, teachers, managers, parents) involved in the school context (Cornell et al., 2016). At the school level, a negative school climate (i.e., bullying or poor relationships between pupils and teachers) may trigger drop-out. Leaving school before completing high school education is often the outcome of problems that can be related to little support in school context or to health, personal, or emotional difficulties young people face. In recent years, there is a growing interest in educational policies and research promoting student engagement at school in order to contrast the students’ passivity and the dropout rate (Archambault et al., 2009).

improving school climate and wellbeing

Maternal education.

Below is an example of a SMART goal and lesson objectives that address students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding safety behavior expectations. Therefore, the self-as-subject concept, in conjunction with SLT, can provide insight into how students can regulate their behavior and their perception of being able to adjust to school expectations. Building home-school connections helps inform parents and guardians about positive student behavior .

Two instruments were administered, the newly-developed school climate survey and a scale to assess student wellbeing, as described below. In this study, it was predicted that the school climate would be related to student wellbeing. Therefore, to provide evidence of concurrent validity, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the school membership as the independent variable, was carried out separately for students’ actual and preferred responses to items in each scale. It was hypothesised that students in one school would perceive the school climate in similar ways to each other, but differently from students in other schools. For one of the two schools, the survey was administered as a paper copy because there was limited internet access and, for the other, the teachers requested paper copies for students in year 3. The newly-developed school climate survey and a wellbeing scale (described below) were administered online in all but two schools.

improving school climate and wellbeing

Mental Health and School Adjustment

improving school climate and wellbeing

When a student feels threatened, he or she may respond to a seemingly innocuous interaction with a disproportionately negative response. This fear of being judged in terms of a group-based stereotype induces stress that impairs working memory and focus, leading to poorer performance on school tasks.Schmader, T., & Johns, M. Teachers in personalized settings report a greater sense of efficacy, while parents report feeling more comfortable reaching out to the school for assistance.Eccles, J. Personalizing the educational setting so that children can be well-known and supported is one of the most powerful levers to change the trajectories for children’s lives. Effective teachers draw those connections, create engaging tasks, watch and guide children’s efforts, and offer constructive feedback with opportunities to practice and revise work.

improving school climate and wellbeing

Finally, Temple et al. (2000) investigated the effects of students’ participation in the Chicago Child–Parent Centre and Expansion Program on school dropout, finding a decrease in in problematic behaviours and dropout rates. They found positive effects of psycho-spiritual education on school wellbeing and perceived school climate. In the study by Hess and Copeland (2001), the researchers reported that students who showed high levels of stress had equally high levels of disorderly and risky behaviour involvement, and were more likely to drop out of school. Hess and Copeland (2001) stated that students who sought more professional psychiatric help had a positive association with misbehaviour and were more likely to drop out of school. The emotional and mental state of a student can be affected by factors within or outside school.

Practical Strategies for Building a Positive School Climate

improving school climate and wellbeing

Conversely, the correlations between the WHITS-P scales and reports of bullying were all negative and statistically significant (p 0.05), suggesting that, when students experienced the school climate more positively, they reported fewer experiences of bullying. These results imply NYSED Evidence-Based Interventions that when school climate factors (as assessed using the WHITS-P) are experienced more positively, students report increased resilience and better wellbeing. The latter (perceptions of the environment) involved students’ views of their actual school climate (the subjective resources provided by the school) and their preferred school climate (subjective needs). The malleable nature of the school climate is an important consideration in school improvement efforts as it allows school leaders and education systems to target the improvement of environmental factors that are highly correlated with desired student outcomes (Wang & Degol, 2016). However, traditionally, measures of school climate have relied on assessing students’ experiences of the actual environment, without consideration of their needs. Strong and consistent findings suggest that a positive school climate is related to improved student outcomes.

  • Professional development and training opportunities are essential for equipping staff with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate changes in school culture and climate effectively.
  • Over a four-year period, there was a statistically significant increase in out-of-school suspensions (OSS) despite initial improvements in office discipline referrals in the first year of PBIS implementation.
  • We review activity interventions and recommend adopting a whole-school approach while increasing accessibility with fun, social activities.
  • Providers should build on student strengths and assets, not focus solely on deficits.
  • Underpinning a person-environment fit perspective is the innate desire for individuals to fit in their environment, which includes a need to belong (Deci & Ryan, 2000; van Vianen, 2018), have autonomy over their life (Hutchings & Chaplin, 2017; Yu & Davis, 2016), reduce uncertainty and increase consistency (Yu, 2013).
  • By fostering peer support and cooperation, schools create a sense of belonging, connectedness, and camaraderie among students, thereby promoting academic success, emotional well-being, and positive social interactions.

Each team member brings extensive experience in education and technology, working collaboratively to identify and evaluate the most effective learning tools. The CLRN team is composed of dedicated education professionals, technology experts, and content reviewers who are passionate about advancing digital learning. As a sociology major, you’ve developed a strong understanding of social structures, cultural norms, and… Passing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) requires dedication, hard work, and a well-planned study strategy. As a medical imaging technology, ultrasound technicians play a crucial role in the healthcare industry. Aspiring nail technicians may wonder if it’s possible to obtain a nail tech license without attending a nail school.

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