To the casual observer, schools are schools. Distinctions between
different schools are not considered and often not even noticed. But
to the people who work and play within schools--the students, teach-
ers, administrators, and concerned parents--schools are different from
one another. A school has its own vibrations and soul; different schools
express tones of feeling that are both important and distinguishable
from one another.

These vibrations emanate from the interpersonal relationships in
the school; they compose the school's "human culture." We call these
vibrations or feelings the "climate" of a school. Evidence of the
"climate" can be seen in how learning activities are carried out, how
play occurs, and how school participants typically interact with one
another. To us, the term "climate" is useful in dealing with the culture
of a school and with groups within a school such as classrooms,
committees, and councils.

In this chapter, we will first elaborate on the general connotations
of the term "climate" and offer an analysis of the measurable aspects
of a school which determine the nature of its climate. Second, we will
elaborate on what we mean by "a humanized climate for learning."
We will focus on four categories of group processes and show that
members of humanized schools have shared influence, that affection
and confrontation are openly expressed, that such schools and their
members are attractive to one another, and that people communicate
with one another there freely, regardless of their status positions.

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