the school for long-term success.
TBI embeds research-informed best practices permanently into the school’ s professional development model. Through action research, the use of a professional research wiki, and coordination by a TBI director, a dedicated research coordinator, and instructional coaches, teachers translate theory into classroom practice and share findings across the school’ s professional community. This ensures that instructional approaches remain responsive to how boys learn, think, and develop, creating learning environments intentionally designed for their academic and social-emotional growth.
Beyond direct classroom impact, TBI enhances Saint David’ s institutional strength. The initiative supports the recruitment and retention of exceptional faculty through comprehensive, scienceinformed professional development and sustained instructional coaching. It also deepens engagement with parents and the broader community through visiting scholars and speakers who address education, parenting, social-emotional development, and student well-being.
By integrating innovative pedagogical research— such as the work of Harvard’ s Project Zero, the International Boys’ Schools Coalition, and John Hattie’ s Visible Learning— TBI positions Saint David’ s at the forefront of boys’ education in New York City and beyond. In leading this work, the school not only benefits its own community but also distinguishes itself as a thought leader among peer institutions.
Each of the six years of TBI to date has been built deliberately on the last. A generous“ Jumpstart” donor helped us to launch and we are now in our fourth year, post-launch. The first year emphasized relational teaching, supported by visiting scholars, peer classroom walkthroughs, and collaborative observation practices. The second year expanded reflective practice and curriculum development, including the creation of a Teaching Boys Curriculum designed to lead to graduate credit and advanced certification. In its third year, TBI became a central driver of Saint David’ s strategic vision, advancing a research-based approach to educating boys by cultivating teachers as reflective practitioners.
A major focus in the third year was accountability as a dimension of boys’ moral and relational development. In partnership with visiting scholar Dr. Michael Reichert, the school moved from the recognition that teachers often manage relational repair to the critical question of whether boys can
20 • Saint David’ s Magazine • 75th Anniversary Edition