Culture by Design

"""If you're seeking to improve or strengthen the climate and culture of your school, then Culture by Design: The Discovery Process as a New Way for Schools is a great resource. Culture by Design is not just a book, but an in-depth and detailed guide. Malcolm Gauld provides a blueprint (25 modules) that will assist and support schools in this most necessary endeavor. If we want and expect all students to be academically successful, then we need to make the climate and culture of our schools ""the"" priority and Culture by Design does just that. This is a book that values attitude over aptitude, effort over ability, and character over talent. It is an invaluable resource."" --Jeff Rodman, Executive Director, New England League of Middle Schools ""Malcolm lays it out when he states quite simply - 'Let us value attitude over aptitude, effort over ability, and character over talent'. He and I have worked alongside each other for years as both fellow heads of school and committed educators. I saw firsthand, and in some cases up close and personally, his focus on getting to the root of education by addressing culture first in our schools. His message is clear, and this book is by a beacon leading the reader forward as well as a toolkit to aid in getting the job done. One can hear Malcolm's voice as you read. And as would be his style, you can also hear his wonderful sense of humor. This carefully annotated and considered book should be on every head of school's desk. Most importantly, it shouldn't just sit there. It should be an energizing force for school improvement. Malcolm is showing us the path forward."" --James C. Mooney, Former Head of Vermont Academy, now Deputy Director of Commission on Independent Schools Accreditation and School Improvement, New England Association of Schools and Colleges ""Malcolm Gauld has recognized the need to focus on the transformation of school culture as a necessary step to optimally nurture human goodness. Fortunately he has decades of experience at the Hyde School, a model for such an approach to education, and he has the wisdom to distill and bottle its essence and the work of others inspired by Hyde. In this book he makes his point, introduces his delivery system for helping others follow the same path to excellence, and articulates an enlightened and challenging way to re-think education in general and for character in particular...the Discovery Process."" --Marvin W. Berkowitz, Ph.D., Sanford N. McDonnell Professor of Character Education, University of Missouri, St. Louis Gauld is the executive director of the Hyde Institute, an organization he founded that provides character-based learning opportunities to school communities across the country. He is a nationally recognized expert on character education and an award-winning author on the decline of effective parenting. Gauld's decades of experience teaching students and leading schools, primarily at the Hyde School, has helped him to effectively examine the need to transform school culture. He states, ""We care more about what [students] can do than about who they are, and they know it."" In Culture by Design, he suggests a unique school culture improvement program called Discovery Process. The first step challenges school leaders to honestly reflect and examine the cultures in their schools. Gauld observes that ""Every school has a culture ... Is yours by design or default?"" He skillfully provides a path for school leaders to rethink education by focusing on character. The solution he suggests is in the reordering of priorities. Schools should value attitude over aptitude and effort over ability. This book is an absolute must-read for novice and experienced educators and school leaders who desire to enhance the climate and culture of their schools. Highly recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals. -- ""Choice Reviews"" This is the very rare book that combines rigorous theory with real-world practices--refined to the simplicity beyond complexity from decades of use by master practitioners working with countless teachers, coaches, school leaders, students, and parents. Culture by Design provides the perfect vision of WHAT culture is and WHY it matters, with concise, flexible, practitioner-friendly materials showing HOW to engage students in meaningful, transformational, real-world practice. More than knowledge about character and culture, this resource helps deliver an experience of character and culture. It provides everything you need to create the best possible version of your school, which is the foundation for your students unlocking the best possible version of themselves. If your school wants to be (even more) intentional and reflective about culture and character, courage and conscience, confidence and connectedness, everything you want and need can be found in Culture by Design! --Matt Davidson, Ph.D, President, Excellence with Integrity Institute"