Nurturing Success
The "Tree of Knowledge" (A painting in the principal's office)
The Symmes teaching community is rich with varied learning styles, skills, and talents which all contribute to a pool of resources ready to be tapped into. To build capacity for success, success for teachers, success for students, Symmes teachers and administration have build a community of which collaboration, sharing and trust are key components. These three words, co-operation, sharing and trust, hide an exciting and complex reality that can be seen in the way people interact and work together.
The school slogan, ?We believe in ourselves and each other? comes alive in their working environment as teachers turn to each other in their daily work. This is reflected in their team meetings when the team structure changes according to their needs.
- Teachers may meet about a common group of students to share and support each other in finding the best path of engagement for those students.
- Or, they may meet to share and learn about their own successes and failures, what has been tried, what works and what doesn?t.
- Or again, they may meet for an in house workshop where a teacher or teacher team shares a particular expertise they have developed.
Principal George Singfield?s motto ?Trust ? To Respect, Understand, Support Teachers and Students? is an essential element of the working relationship teachers have with each other and with their administration. In co-operating and working together in this way, the teachers are acquiring the skills, behaviours and attitudes (competencies) required to transform a group into a creative and dynamic entity:
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Teachers are acquiring the skills, behaviours and attitudes (competencies) required to transform a group into a creative and dynamic entity. |
- they are progressively building a common understanding of problems that need resolution and objectives to aim for;
- they are learning to communicate effectively by using a common language and by understanding the language of others, by taking the time to read and discuss the content of the QEP for example.
- they go beyond their strict discipline by working together on common broader problems or issues such as the peaceful school movement and success for all;
- they are learning to ?read? each other because they work together often and in meaningful contexts;
- they accept conflict (different points of view and different criteria) and are learning to manage and resolve them;
- they create mechanisms and organisations, such a varying team structures or teacher-led training sessions, to attain their various objectives;
- they are able to synchronise their actions, as when they all move to support a common strategy for dealing with students who have difficulties;
- they pay attention to detail.
This relationship serves as a model for students and parents. In their working relationships, staff members create the environment that helps students develop their own identity and world view, a view that enables them to believe in themselves and in each other. This lofty goal is a work in progress. The essential need for trust and mutual respect sets the bar high for everyone.
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This relationship serves as a model for students and parents. |
The hallmark of the school:
TRUST is To Respect, Understand, Support Teachers and Students.
TRUST drives all:
- It allows us to believe in ourselves and each other
- It fosters collaboration, sharing and collegiality
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From the Symmes 2002 Story
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