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Samuel Mason Elementary School
Roxbury, MA
School Type: Public
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School Setting: Urban
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Level: Elementary
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School Design: Traditional
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Content Presented By:
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National Awards Program for Model Professional Development
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Design and Implementation
The Professional Development Team (comprising teachers, principal, and parents) prepares the yearly school improvement plan that aligns professional development activities with the goals for student achievement. All the staff in the school, including the school secretary and the principal, are required to complete personal professional development plans. Several blocks of time are used at Mason to address the professional development needs of teachers:
- Summer and release-day time is used for schoolwide work. Mason has embraced much of the Accelerated Schools model for school improvement (schoolwide work has included a focus on the principles of accelerated learning, project-based learning, technology as a learning tool, and alternative assessment strategies).
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Creative scheduling is used to enable both grade-level teams and study groups to meet once a week during the school day; typically, a single issue is investigated across the school year. In addition, teachers frequently meet both before and after school to incorporate readings, discussion, and the use of consultants into their problem-solving.
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Lead teachers in each subject area are available to assist other teachers in incorporating new practices into their classrooms. These lead teachers engage in direct instruction, team-teaching, mentoring/consultation, and participation in common planning.
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Time is created for teachers to visit each other's classrooms (for observation and peer coaching), as well other exemplary classrooms within and outside the Boston Public School system. Finally, teachers are supported to make professional presentations at both regional and national meetings.
Several programmatic initiatives designed to raise student achievement provide teachers additional opportunities to engage in professional development: student teachers and interns from local universities work with teachers to develop best practices to enhance student learning; teachers mentor a ten-member team of young adults (sponsored by a partnership with City Year) who spend a year assisting in classrooms; and teachers work with a large number of parent volunteers.
NOTE: For tips on how this design can be replicated, select "Replication Details" from the menu.
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