BUILDING A COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL CULTURE USING APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

Abstract

This article reviews the benefits of a collaborative school culture, including
reduced teacher isolation, social and emotional support, opportunities for professional
development and learning, and closer ties with significant stakeholders, such as
families and community organizations. While collaborative cultures may be powerful,
they also may be either misguided or superficial. Further, cultural change is difficult
and norms such as teacher isolation and autonomy are well entrenched.
These concerns point to the need for a change process that has a positive focus,
is essentially self-organizing, encourages deep reflection, and avoids the pitfalls of
manipulation by school administrators. This analysis points to consideration of
appreciative inquiry, a strengths-based process that builds on ‘the best of what is’ in an
organization. The second portion of the article reports on the impact that an
appreciative inquiry process had on building a collaborative culture in 22 schools
located in British Columbia, Canada and reflects on its strengths and limitations