Momentum is very difficult to build and maintain when shifting school-wide culture around standardized exams. The challenge is that the exams feel so far off and there are so many shorter term priorities competing for attention. It’s easier for a teacher to get students amped up for a unit test because it isn’t years away. However getting a 9th grader excited to perform well on the ACT or SAT that awaits them years into the future is daunting, even when they know it’s important. This is why aligning content and instruction to the exams within classes is a key lever for building academic success. But on top of that, leaders have the power to build excitement by celebrating progress along the way.
Honor Improvement
It’s imperative to celebrate not only the top scores but also improvement. Celebrating improvement and progress for individuals and cohorts of students builds momentum and shows students that hard work and effort leads to results. Who doesn’t want more of that once they’ve had a taste of success? This is the flywheel effect we want to make clear for students. If you put in hard work and use these strategies then your score will go up bit by bit and you’ll achieve a great outcome. Inspiring leaders find ways to help students (and teachers) feel this over and over with genuine celebrations and recognitions. These recognitions can be published in school emails, announcements, or on websites.
Make Success Replicable
Narrate the habits and actions that are leading to progress. If you see one teacher’s classroom is making outsized gains, study the teacher and student actions leading to that change and amplify that to your school community. Help other teachers through coaching and professional development to gain the instructional skills needed to lead their students to similar results. It’s inspiring to educators to learn directly from their peers so you might create a PLC with that teacher guiding the group on the skill being developed. Make the habits visible to all so that others can replicate them and achieve more.
Ritualize Recognitions
Whatever the recognition a campus chooses to celebrate, they should consider if the recognition is something they can continue to honor and execute for future students and other cohorts. It’s very deflating for a student to see the class above them earn a recognition for achieving a milestone but then have the goalposts changed for them or even have the ritual not continue. Building culture is about ritualizing special moments so everyone has at least the chance to be included and celebrated.
Make the goals and milestones almost obnoxiously clear. Post them around the school. Restate them in staff meetings, assemblies, and in written communications so that everyone around you knows your priorities as the leader of the school. Amplify those who make progress towards those goals and celebrate like they won the World Series when a goal is achieved.
Reflection Questions for School Leaders:
- How can we effectively communicate the importance of these exams to students and keep them engaged in their preparation over time?
- Evaluate the school’s approach to celebrating both top scores and improvements on standardized exams. How can we ensure that all students feel valued and motivated by recognizing their growth, progress, and excellence?
- Systematize how the school identifies and amplifies successful teaching and learning strategies that lead to academic progress.
- Are academic walkthroughs monitoring for key habits and strategies related to the ACT/SAT?
- How can we learn from exceptional teachers and replicate their effective practices across the school community?
- What rituals and traditions exist that consistently honor student achievements and milestones, ensuring inclusivity and continuity?
- What traditions or recognitions could be added to further celebrate academic culture?
- How can we ensure that all stakeholders are aware of and aligned with the school’s priorities, and how can we celebrate achievements in a manner that reinforces these priorities?
Building a positive school-wide culture around ACT and SAT assessments is challenging and essential. This blog is part of a series, “10 Strategies for Building a Culture of ACT and SAT Success,” where we’ve outlined strategies to help school leaders. If you have questions or need support as you build a school-wide culture, please reach out to Thomas O’Brien at thomas@winwardacademy.com.
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About Winward Academy – Winward Academy is one of the world’s leading innovators in the online education space, providing web-based academic support that enhances students’ knowledge, confidence, and competitiveness in middle and high school academics and in college applications. We help thousands of students every year by providing personalized, comprehensive ACT and SAT test preparation and extensive math curriculum support. The Winward Academy learning platform honors over 40 years of education and cognitive psychology research, incorporating proven techniques that promote effective learning.
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