The only way Clarksdale school district test scores will improve is if everyone works with the sole goal of improving learning among students.
New JW Stampley 9th Grade Academy principal Chris Turner is working getting teachers to remember that teaching is a calling, with immense rewards, and not just a paycheck.
Turner brought in former Coahoma County administrator Daniel Vassel to lead the teachers in team building exercises last week. Turner had worked with Vassel in similar areas at previous schools.
“He’s very mild,” said Turner of Vassel. “He has patience. He delivers well.”
The team building exercises ranged from stacking cups to putting sticks and candy together.
“The purpose of team building activities was an effort to unify us, bring us together so that we can perform collectively as one body so we can support our students,” Turner said. “The better we are with each other, the better we are in the classroom. If we can create that family environment to support adults, then our children will gain from the benefit of it.”
Turner said the exercises convey messages on how to work together, each teacher doing his or her part and not worrying about things they cannot control.
“We’re looking to do some ongoing activities with the team,” Turner said. “That was just a snippet or a start.”
Turner said the goal is to articulate each member of the team is important.
“In my opinion, when you create the learning environment, when you create the team environment, when you create the right building culture, it will flow into the classroom,” Turner said. “It will spill over into the classroom. The right culture and the right relationship will impact student outcomes.”
Turner said that will help teachers deal with certain situations in ways that will best help the children.
“You can have all the money,” Turner said. “You can have everything, but if you don’t have a good working relationship, it makes it difficult to work with your colleagues as well as support students.”
The results of the team building exercises are expected to show in the coming days and weeks.
“I think that it’s going to be a gradual progression,” Turner said.
“I think we should see good results from this in the coming weeks.
“I think it's a great start for our staff. It’s a great start for our team. This step will help us move forward in the direction we want to go in.”
