Programs

Therapeutic Learning Center - East School

 

12 Beacon Street ~ Stoneham, MA. 02180

Phone: (781) 438-0320

Fax: (781) 438-8716

Principal: Karen Walker

The SEEM Collaborative Therapeutic Learning Center (TLC)is a public therapeutic day school program for students ranging in age from 11 to 15 years. Students enrolled in the program require support beyond significant modifications to the curriculum and intense special education intervention's provided in the home school district, in order to acquire the skills necessary to meet the day-to-day demands of traditional elementary or middle school programs. Students attending the Therapeutic Learning Center have academic, cognitive, social, and emotional needs that in the Team's judgment, warrant out-placement in a therapeutic day school program.

Students' educated at the Therapeutic Learning Center have individual needs that include but are not limited to expressive and receptive language processing difficulties, developmental delays, autistic spectrum disorders and attention difficulties that significantly impact their overall functioning. Due to the unique nature of their needs, these students require a highly structured, low stimulation environment with clear, consistent routines and specially designed behavioral programs. Student to staff ratios are low to ensure student safety and educational success. The Therapeutic Learning Center programs provide social, academic, pre-vocational, and recreational activities to enhance students' skills and allow increased success in all areas.

The staff and students work together to create a positive learning environment where students can feel safe and learn respect for themselves and others. The behavioral support system (Red, Yellow and Green) is clearly defined and consistently enforced throughout both schools. Behavioral plans are implemented for individual students who, because of age or ability, require a modified behavior system. Safe behavior is reinforced with such activities as visits to the school store, special lunches, field trips, time with preferred staff and immediate reinforcers such as verbal praise, stickers for positive behavior, and bonus points.

Students of the Therapeutic Learning Center demonstrate cognitive abilities that fall below the average range which greatly impacts their performance in academic areas. All curriculae taught at the Therapeutic Learning Center follows the standards specified in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks while at the same time provides individual students with the support, adaptations and accommodations they need in order to learn to their full potential. Students are also supported through physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and vision and mobility instruction as outlined in their IEPs.

Due to the complex nature of the population we serve, staff works with a Reading consultant and coach in order to utilize a balanced approach to literacy development. Reading programs focus on improving language skills at students' instructional levels. Reading instruction ranges from learning functional sight words and phonemic awareness to improving fluency and comprehension. Teachers utilize a wide array of resources, combined with high-interest themes, to enhance motivation and learning. Some of these resources include, but are not limited to: books on tape/listening centers, computer programs, and videos. Instruction is designed throughout the grades to allow for easy transition from one grade to the next.

Through the support of a Math consultant and coach, staff provide mathematical experiences that not only teach basic computational skills, but also assist children to develop the thinking skills necessary to solve real-life problems. Students are encouraged to become good problem solvers through opportunities to formulate questions, model problem situations in a variety of ways, generalize mathematical relationships, and solve problems in both mathematical and everyday contexts. Mathematics is taught using a hands-on approach. Visual aides and manipulatives are used to help students understand abstract concepts. Math skills are reinforced with functional activities such as cooking and vocational projects.

The overall academic curriculum includes themes relevant to the students' daily lives, community knowledge, life skills development as well as pre-vocational skill development for middle school students. All student participate in daily and weekly activities to facilitate their development on independence and self-care. Dressing, toileting, washing, feeding and care of hair and teeth are incorporated into the daily programs of the students where applicable. Throughout the year, students work on personal hygiene and health curricula, which may include a home checklist for the older students. Students with severe delays are learning how to eat independently, while others are learning more advanced skills such as nutrition, food preparation, and cleanup skills. Lunch and snack times also serve as social skills development time, with students being supervised by staff around requesting food items, not touching other students' trays, and clearing personal areas without assistance.

All students participate in monthly community and recreational field trips, and enjoy adaptive physical education and social skills groups; this aspect of the curriculum is essential, as students are able to apply skills learned in the classroom to a variety of community settings and real life experiences. Additionally, students are taught strategies to cope with the anxiety inherent in participating in new experiences outside of the security of the school building. Students are exposed to age appropriate activities in which they practice social skills, impulse control and practice functional academics in a real life situation.