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Leading Vibrant Inclusive Schools


By Cathy Buyrn, M.Ed.

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By Shelley Littleton M.S. and Donni Davis-Perry M.Ed.

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There is a deep longing among educators and parents alike for schools to be places where children want to be rather than have to be, places where they thrive and are eager to engage in their biological imperative to connect with others, to learn, and to grow. We long for the kinds of learning spaces for all children that we would want for a child we love, environments that foster a sense of curiosity and wonder, playfulness, laughter, movement, creativity, and adventurous learning. (Tschannen-Moran, n.d., para. 1)

Dr. Megan Tschannen-Moran is a professor at William & Mary in the School of Education. During a recent faculty brown-bag series session, Megan shared how this deep longing led to the creation of the Vibrant School Scale, which was created with a team of doctoral students (Tschannen-Moran, 2021). This scale helps identify existing vibrancy within schools while amplifying strengths. When school communities celebrate what’s going well, it provides positive momentum to design and achieve future goals.

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The Vibrant School Scale (Tschannen-Moran, n.d.) encourages the development of strengths-based supports by identifying characteristics of enlivened minds, playful learning, and emboldened voices. We invite you to register to participate in the Vibrant School Scale and support your school in becoming a vibrant place where children and adults want to learn and work. Below is a list of 21 characteristics that are the hallmarks of a vibrant school. Select the link to register and receive scoring instructions at no cost. 

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The Vibrant School Scale


  1. Curiosity is nurtured in our school.
  2. There are opportunities here for students to pursue topics they are curious about.
  3. I have opportunities here to pursue independent learning.
  4. In our school, my voice matters.
  5. I feel that I belong here.
  6. I know there is someone in this school I can turn to for help.
  7. Students here are taught to question why things are the way they are.
  8. I feel comfortable sharing my opinions with people in this school.
  9. In our school, learning is fun.
  10. In this school, we openly explore controversial issues.
  11. We value and learn from our mistakes.
  12. We value movement and physical activity as essential to engaged learning. 
  13. Students are supported to pursue their individual interests in school.
  14. We have a lot of fun together here.
  15. Students here are taught to critique the status quo.
  16. In this school, creativity abounds.
  17. We engage in learning with a playful spirit.
  18. We take delight in experiencing other cultures.
  19. I feel an abiding sense of trust in this school.
  20. I have a voice in decisions that affect me. 
  21. In our school, we feel empowered to take responsibility for our own learning.


© 2018, Tschannen-Moran, Clement, Feldstein, & Hockaday. Use of the above scale without permission is prohibited. For permission and scoring instructions, contact dclement@email.wm.edu.

The birthplace of school vibrancy begins with the school community and a culture in which members connect and support each other. Despite pandemic conditions, stakeholders in the school community have experienced success during the 2021/2022 school year. These success stories provide an empowering opportunity to pause and reflect on what went well this school year. This celebration of success showcases examples of our schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia being vibrant places to learn and work.


Select the image below to hear stakeholders across the Commonwealth share powerful and inspiring testimonials.

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In this edition of Link Lines, we celebrate successes by showcasing examples of how our schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia are vibrant places to learn and work. Please consider sharing a story you or your students have experienced this school year. By sharing and listening to vibrant school stories, we continue to showcase our strengths and inspire our community.  Share your success story by selecting the link below to record a video.

Record Your Success Story

References


Tschannen-Moran, M. (2021, December 6). Fostering more vibrant schools! [Webinar]. William & Mary Faculty Research Brown Bag Talk. https://wmedu.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=0a63f392-8170-4b19-94c9-adf60132ddef


Tschannen-Moran, M. (n.d.). Research tools: Survey instruments to help in your investigation of schools. https://wmpeople.wm.edu/site/page/mxtsch/researchtools

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