The educational method of Saint John Bosco as school culture in the Salesian high schools in the United State

Every school has its own character or unique personality. The research of Deal and Peterson (1990) and Sergiovanni (1984) refer to this character as the school culture determined by all the elements of a particular school. Catholic schools have common cultural traits, many with a distinctive cultural flavor. The Salesians, a religious order dedicated to youth ministry and founded by Saint John Bosco, promote a school culture based on a family environment through a holistic educational methodology. This study describes the extent of the practice of the Salesian educational methodology and determines the characteristics of a Salesian school culture that arise from the literature.;The methodology for this descriptive study was survey research augmented by qualitative data. The researcher developed an eighty-eight item instrument based on elements of the Salesian methodology. Eight attitudes and five areas of the methodology were employed from the Salesian experts (Braido, 1964; Stella, 1985). A representative sample of 946 students and 425 educators completed and returned the survey. Data were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed to show the extent of the methodology according to the perceptions of students and educators. A three-dimensional graph was developed to visually capture the landscape of the Salesian school culture. A "landscape" structure was selected to convey the multi-faceted dimensions.;The surveys indicated that the Salesian methodology and school culture studied were strongly perceived by the students and educators. Students and educators agreed that a unique blend of components of the methodology pervade the school and create a particular "feel" within it. Recommendations included the need for an organized training program, a new written resource on the Salesian educational methodology, increased involvement by students in planning and decision-making, and an increase in emphasis of the methodology as important to preserving the school culture.;The study indicated that the educational methodology promotes a Salesian school where every member of the educative community is involved in shaping the school culture. The study also furthers the research on school culture and provides a model for Catholic schools administered by religious congregations for identifying their school culture.