Culture is defined as the set of learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideals shared by a society or group. It includes norms, knowledge, language, and symbols that are communicated among those who share a way of life. Culture represents the entire way of life and everything learned and shared in a society. Schools' culture plays an important role in students' experiences, performance, and sense of belonging. A supportive school culture with respect, trust, and care promotes positive student outcomes.

1. CULTURE???

2. WHAT IS CULTURE?
Culture
Is defined as the set of learned behaviours,
beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideals that are
characteristics of a particular society or
population (Ember, 1999).
As defined by Calhoun, et al.,(1994) is the
learned norms, values, knowledge, artifacts,
language, and symbols that are constantly
communicated among people who share a
common way of life.

3. Allan Johnson (1996), said that culture is the sum of total symbols,
forms of expressions, and material products associated with a
collective way of life reflected in such things as beliefs, values,
music, literature, art, dance, science, religious ritual and technology.
An eminent English scholar, E.B.
Taylor, defines culture as that
complex whole which includes
knowledge, belief, art, morals, law,
custom, and any other capabilities
and habits acquired by man as a
member of society (Panopio,
1992).
Culture means the
entire way of life of
people and
everything learned
and shared by
people in society
(Hunt et. Al, 1998).

4. The Schools as
Communities Framework
Dewitt et. Al (2003) explored on questions such as:
What role foes the culture of a school play in a student experience
and performance? and What factors promote a student’s sense of
belonging?
According to the framework,
“ The Schools as Communities”, students are un likely to experience
academic or behavioral problems if they are exposed to a school
culture in which students and teachers respect trust, and support one
another and where students have voice and their opinions are heard.

5. This framework substantiates the enabling
qualities that culture as a whole aims to
develop, namely: belonging, equality, fairness,
cooperation, trust, recognition, shared beliefs,
and values, and a caring attitude among others.
The social environment of the school is the
key factor in influencing the healthy
development of its student.

6. Characteristics of Culture
1. Culture is learned. The first essential characteristics of culture is
that it is learned.
2. Culture is shared by a group of people. For a thought or action
to be considered cultural, it must be commonly shared by some
population or group of individuals.
3. Culture
4. Culture change. All culture knowledge does not perpetually
accumulate. At the same time that new culture traits are added,
some old ones are lost because they are no longer useful.
5. Culture is dynamic. This is a characteristics of culture that stems
from its cumulative quality. No culture is ever in a permanent
state.

7. 6. Culture is ideational. Culture is an ideal pattern of behaviour
which the members are expected to follow.
7. Culture is diverse. The sum total of human culture consists of a
great many separate cultures, each of them different.
8.Culture gives us a range of permissible behavior patterns.