Language Impacts Culture

I recently saw Won't You Be My Neighbor?, the documentary of Fred Rogers' life working in children's television. This documentary had so much to say about healthy child development and education, but I left the movie theater with a profound appreciation of the importance of language. Fred Rogers understood that words matters. He intentionally chose every word said by the puppets (most of whom he voiced) and every song that was sung on the show. This demonstrated his understanding of the power of the word.

Words can impact culture in significant and positive ways. Unfortunately, words can also negatively impact culture; television shows, music lyrics, politicians, and celebrities provide us with daily examples of this fact. I cannot imagine what Fred Rogers would say about children's television and media today ... talk about "turning over in his grave."

Language Matters
The corporate world also understands that language matters. Companies that want to create culture begin with language. Three of the best examples of this are Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, and In-N-Out Burger. Starbucks refers to their employees as "partners" and have redefined sizes for the world: a small is now called "tall," a medium is "grande," and if you want a large, it is a "venti." Chick-Fil-A answers every "thank you" with a "my pleasure." And, of course, the entire country knows what a Double-Double is, even though In-N-Out Burger is limited to the Southwest.

Did you know In-N-Out
 even has a "secret menu"?

Each of these companies intentionally created their own language to build a distinct and positive culture. Customers who can speak the "language" of the culture feel part of the community, part of the inner circle. They feel accepted.


Language in a School Culture
Of course, educators can learn much about using language to strengthen culture from both Mr. Rogers and the corporate world.

Here are a few steps for educational leaders to consider

1. Recognize that words matter. A phrase like "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me" tend to downplay the importance of words, but words (and its positive or negative impact on school culture) can significantly impact teacher and student performance. Start at this point ... words can be used powerfully.

2. Take the temperature of your school culture. One needs to measure the temperature of the room before he/she knows whether to turn on the air conditioning or the heat. These temperature measurements can be informal ("I am sweating ... do you feel warm?") or formal (check the thermometer). Likewise, school culture can be measured informally or formally.

• Informal Measurement -- Talk regularly with your staff, student leaders, and parents about topics of concern. Assemble a focus group of appropriate stakeholders to get feedback/insight.
• Formal Measurement -- Find or create a survey to measure your school culture; begin collecting this data annually.
• US Department of Education has created ED School Climate Surveys that can be administered for free. Check out the resources HERE, including the pdf of the survey.
• AdvancEd MS/HS Student Survey ... see sample HERE.
• MGSSE and HSSSE -- the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) at Indiana University has developed two instruments to measure student engagement and school environment. These instruments are not free, but will provide the school with helpful data to evaluate school culture. More information can be found HERE. 

3. Reflect on the results. With your ed leadership team and valued stakeholders, discuss the results of the measurement. Celebrate 2-3 areas of commendation and identify 2-3 areas needing improvement.

• Think about language ... does your school community struggle with disrespect, gossip, complaining? Do staff/students in your school tear down rather than build up?

4. Be intentional (as Mr. Rogers). Take careful steps to select words that will become part of your school culture. Create a distinct language for your school and over-communicate those words.

• Many schools will choose words from a mission/vision statement -- my school's words come directly from our mission statement: Inspire, Equip, Engage. However, if you are addressing a specific culture issue, general words like these may not suffice.
• Schools trying to change a culture may have to adopt a new procedure or program. Schools struggling with negative words may want to adopt the How Full is Your Bucket? program.

5. Continue to tend your school culture. Language can have a powerful, positive impact on school culture; it can also be a culture killer. Keep a close eye on language. Unfortunately, we live in society rife with crude, vulgar, degrading, mocking language. This language enters our hallways and classrooms and will negatively impact the school culture. Don't give in ... keep monitoring language. Language monitoring is culture tending. Like tending a garden, tending your school culture requires hard work every single day. 

• Challenge your student leaders to help monitor the language. You know you are winning when students say to each other ... "Hey, we don't use that language here!"

I know we don't live in Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, but words matter wherever you live. Language impacts culture, and culture impacts everything else.

Continue to lead and learn!