Madison Park Technical-Vocational High School

Evidence-Based Teaching & Learning

Professional Development Plan

Building Capacity for Excellence in Education

1

Professional Development Overview

Goal: Build supervisors/coaches capacity to conduct this work with teachers with minimal support by August

Implementation Timeline

Key Components

2

Four Foundational Questions

40 Years of Action Research Seeking Responses

How can we...

  • Set and maintain high expectations for all students in all classes?
  • Ensure consistent evidence that students meet these expectations?
  • Establish brother and sisterhood among students and teachers to increase motivation and accountability?
  • Generate deep satisfaction when students produce evidence of meeting high expectations on meaningful tasks?

Proven Results

These strategies have delivered high expectations, created community, provided evidence, and generated accomplishment for thousands of students across multiple schools and districts.

3

Research Foundation & Track Record

5,000+
Classroom Observations Conducted
40+
Years of Action Research
100s
Teachers & Supervisors Involved

Leadership Experience

Methodology: Each observation followed by debriefing within one school day, with subsequent discussions leading to strategy refinements and professional development material improvements.

4

Proven Success Across Multiple Districts

Boston's English High School (1984-92)

  • New England Association recognition as "unique model"
  • Carnegie Foundation Award recipient
  • Transformed from 68% involuntary assignment to 250+ student waiting list
  • Worst to first in district reading and math scores

Boston Public Schools (1995-2007)

  • Three-time Broad Prize finalist, then winner
  • Outperformed all large urban districts on NAEP
  • Highest student growth in grade 8 math

Malden Public Schools (2007-11)

  • #1 in student growth on MCAS among comparable districts
  • 185% increase in AP enrollment
  • 155% increase in AP qualifying scores for low-income students
  • Special Education enrollment reduced to 14%

Recent Successes

  • Health & Human Services HS: Level 1 within three years
  • New Bedford HS: Significant score improvements in EBTL classes
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How Students Learn: The MPHS Method

READ
About content/procedures
→
ANALYZE & WRITE
Close Reading Notes & Organizers
→
DISCUSS & REFINE
Think-Write-Pair-Share
→
APPLY
Creative Summative Products

Learning Through Guided Instruction

Success Formula

Students succeed by applying TWPS performance criteria that help them know what to do, assess their progress, and receive feedback through clipboarding and data-informed instruction.

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Think-Write-Pair-Share (TWPS)

A Habit of Mind & Work

TWPS is a structured routine that engages all students in thoughtful work and conversations focused on content and procedures being taught.

The Four Components

THINK
Review assignment & performance criteria
Understand requirements
Gather resources
WRITE
Complete work independently
Meet performance criteria
Self-assess progress
PAIR
Exchange work with partner
Provide feedback
Discuss improvements
SHARE
Share with whole group
Learn from others
Revise work

Building Community

TWPS creates a community of learners who care about each other's success, take risks to ask for help, and look forward to helping one another succeed.

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Performance Criteria

Definition

Performance criteria thoroughly and explicitly itemize everything that needs to be included in an exemplary product (Close Reading Notes, essays, lab reports, math solutions, etc.)

Key Benefits

Application Areas

  • Close Reading Notes
  • Argumentative Essays
  • Lab Reports
  • Math Problem Solutions
  • Technical Projects
  • Presentations
  • Creative Performances
  • Think-Write-Pair-Share Process
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Guided Instruction: Three Components

1. Interactive Modeling
Teacher models meeting performance criteria while students construct notes and provide feedback
2. Guided Practice
Students practice together, guided by performance criteria and TWPS
3. Independent Work
Students apply learning with minimal support using performance criteria

Teacher's Role Evolution

LEAD
Think aloud, question, model
→
GUIDE
Observe, redirect, provide feedback
→
ASSESS
Step back, support only when needed

Building Student Competence

These components create a learning environment where students build competence, independence, understanding, and confidence.

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Units to Effective Lessons: Organization

UNIT
Organizes instruction on a particular topic (e.g., American Revolution, Triangles, Photosynthesis)
CYCLE
Portions of the topic addressed sequentially (e.g., Causes, War, Effects)
DAILY LESSONS
Multiple lessons leading to formative products and summative assessment

Instructional Objectives

Content Objectives

  • Topics, concepts, themes
  • People, events, phenomena
  • Aligned with standards

Procedural Objectives

  • How to complete products
  • Meeting performance criteria
  • Creating exemplars for future use

Language Objectives

  • Tier 1 & 2 vocabulary strategies
  • Reading, writing, speaking, listening skills
  • Academic language development

Student Products

  • Daily formative assessments
  • Close Reading Notes
  • Cycle summative products
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Assessment Strategy: Clipboarding

Purpose

Clipboarding is a tabulating technique that helps teachers assess engagement, distribute questions equitably, and assign points for quality participation.

Teacher Benefits

Student Benefits

Four-Point Scale Example

  • 1 Point: Little engagement or progress
  • 2 Points: Reasonable engagement, low-quality work
  • 3 Points: Solid engagement, reasonable progress
  • 4 Points: Deep engagement, solid progress
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Teaching Guides by Department

Core Teaching Guides

English Language Arts
Close Reading/Readers Response: Narrative Text
History
Close Reading/Readers Response: History, Social & Economic Studies, Current Events, Arts
Science, Math, Tech-Voc
Close Reading Notes: Explanatory Text
Physical Education
Close Reading Notes: Explanatory Text (Procedures)

Integration Elements

Building Literacy Across All Subjects

Teaching guides demonstrate how to build literacy, numeracy, and collaborative thoughtfulness through evidence-based teaching and learning practices.

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Implementation Timeline & Next Steps

Summer Professional Development (June 23-August)

Steps 1-6
Multiple sessions with supervisors/coaches
→
Step 7
Supervisors familiarize with Teaching Guides
→
Step 8
Read EBTL Handbook
→
Step 9
Integrate with curricula

August/September Launch

Success Indicators

By August, supervisors and coaches will be able to conduct this work with teachers with minimal support, creating a sustainable professional development model.

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Curriculum Integration: OpenSciEd Example

Integration Components

Ongoing Products

  • Progress Tracker completion
  • Close Reading Notes with "Words We Earn"
  • Electronic exit tickets
  • Scientific models with self/peer assessment
  • Science labs with performance criteria
  • Additional organizers (I See/It Means, Cause/Effect)
  • Mid- and End-of-Unit Assessments
  • TWPS integrated throughout curriculum

Unit Goal Structure

Driving Question: Answer the unit's driving question using performance criteria
Daily Building: Cumulative vocabulary and concept development
Assessment: Formative and summative products aligned to learning objectives

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Expected Outcomes & Success Metrics

100%
Student Engagement in Learning
↑
Academic Achievement Scores
↑
Critical Thinking Skills
↑
Collaborative Learning

Measurement Indicators

Madison Park's Future

"Madison Park Technical-Vocational High School, 2025- Let's find out!"

With proven strategies that have succeeded across multiple districts for over 40 years, we're positioned to achieve remarkable results for our students.

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Ready to Transform Education

Evidence-Based Teaching & Learning

Madison Park Technical-Vocational High School

Our Commitment

High expectations • Concrete evidence • Brother and sisterhood • Deep satisfaction