School Climate Innovativeness and Organizational Effectiveness Among Selected Teachers of Saint James Academy

School Climate Innovativeness and Organizational Effectiveness among Selected Teachers of Saint James Academy

A Research Paper

Presented to:

Research 2 Teacher

Presented by:

Chapter 1

The Research Problem

Introduction

Teachers take part in one of the vital roles in creating and maintaining effective schools. It is impossible to manage schools in line with effectiveness criteria without the efficient performance and innovativeness of teachers.  

School climate is described as the heart and soul of the school and the essence of the school that draws teachers and students to love the school and to want to be a part of it. Every school setting has a set of psychological and institutional attributes that give it a distinctive interpersonal climate (Kuperminc, Leadbeater, Emmons, & Blatt, 2010). Psychological attributes include levels of trust, cooperation, and openness among staff, teachers, and students; institutional attributes include teaching practices, level of collaboration, and staff, student, and parent expectations (Bulach, Malone, & Castleman, 2011; Way, Reddy, & Rhodes, 2007). School Climate perception of a teacher is referred to as teacher’s subjective experience in school and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching learning practices and organizational structures (Brookover,2008; Cohen, 2006; Johnson, Stevens & Zvoch, 2007). Individuals within an organization are essential for the generation of innovations. However, in order for an organization to capitalize on its innovative capacity, work climates that support risk taking are equally necessary components. Positive climate has been associated with opportunities for collaboration and input in adapting to non-routine challenges (Hage, 2009). Work climates that provide for more flexibility and encourage participation in decision-making by members of organization have been associated with generation of new ideas (Daly, 2009). Therefore for teacher’s innovative work behavior suitable school climate is a crucial factor.

However, expecting high job performance and innovative behavior from teachers requires suitable school conditions. The organizational climate of schools is especially important among these conditions since it involves various dimensions related to school administrators, colleagues, work environment and quality of work. In addition to the factors resulting from the conditions of schools; the characteristics of teachers can also be a determinative factor regarding their job performance. Especially the innovative behavior of teachers is a driving power in attaining high job performance since the efforts that teachers show for being innovative and creative make them have high job performance at the same time.