T. E. A. M. S. Model

Jefferson Hills, United States

T.E.A.M.S. (Teaching Engaging Academics Made Special) is a model for equity and accessibility for students with special needs.

Our mission for the T.E.A.M.S model is to inspire special educators to rethink, redesign, and re-envision what special education is in order to realize every student's potential.

bookmark_border

Bookmark

Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Web presence

2016

Established

-

Children

1

Countries

Updated

December 2018

Providing equity through opportunity and accessibility through differentiation

About the innovation

#MakingMadeSpecial

Our initiative is our TEAMS lab, which stands for Teaching, Engaging, Academics, Made Special. The TEAMS model and lab’s mission is to inspire special educators to rethink, redesign, and re-envision what special education is in order to realize every student's potential.

Our vision for the TEAMS model is to provide our proven framework for students with severe cognitive and emotional disabilities that has allowed equitable access to STEAM and Computer Science competencies through a differentiated model that focuses on the integration of classroom norms and strategy development.

Our model focuses on the accessibility of common outcomes in technology, including: problem solving, critical thinking, and computational thinking, as well as what these skills look like for students with severe cognitive and emotional disabilities.

Differentiation of these outcomes allows us to focus on the processes and the learning surrounding them. By focusing on the journey and not just the destination, we maximize learning opportunities.

Media

Engineering and Coding

Lego engineering with block coding:Students displayed foundational skills of problem solving and computational thinking by following single and multi-step directions, sequencing and cause and effectStudents were given opportunities to synthesize communication and collaboration classroom norms and to display competencies on varied levels through differentiated assessments

IDEA Model/matrix page

Problem solving model slidesGoogle slides used as a strategy to critically think through a presented problem

Math with Coding

PBL in math using coding:Access to grade level learning in GeometryAssessments allowed for students to demonstrate understanding on several different levels. Differentiated through the use of a model or a matrix as s strategy to critically think through a presented problem Classroom Norms were implemented to provide opportunities to communicate, collaborate, and problem solve.

Engineering and Design - PBL

Access to grade level learning through PBL:Classroom Norms used to teach communication and collaborationCross-curricular mathAssessments allowed for students to demonstrate understanding on multiple levelsDifferentiation through the use of a model and matrix as a strategy to critcially think through a presented problem

Engineering and Design

Access to grade level standards through:Classroom Norms learned through Problem SolvingDifferentiated through the use of a model and matrix as a strategy to critically think through a presented problemStart points and Outcomes where varied for student accessAssessments allowed for students to demonstrate understanding on several levels

Art with Robotics!!!!

TEAMS differentiated block coding:Student products were differentiated on 3 levelsOutcomes with products were different but the learning objectives were the same for all studentsNorms were followed that allowed students to reflect on their learning Assessments that were cognitive and social emotional allowing a whole student approachAccessibility through differentiation

Differentiated Unplugged coding activities

As part of our schools first Hour of Code to kick off Computer Science Education Week TEAMS model was used to differentiate coding activities for students with severe cognitive disabilities. Our model was able to give our students an opportunity to participate in activities that they have not had access to before.

Implementation steps

T.E.A.M.S. Model Playbook

This is the introduction to the T.E.A.M.S Model Playbook. This introduces our vision and mission. As you move through the steps, you will learn about our classroom norms and be given steps, hacks and resources to implement in your class. Each norm has a lesson plan that can be used at the beginning of the school year to provide a foundation for your students. We will share steps, hacks and resources for outcomes, assessment and groups as well.

Norms

1. Review the T.E.A.M.S model norms

2. Implement these norms into the classroom using our steps, hacks, and lesson plans

Communication

1. Follow steps to build communication into your classroom as a norm

2. Take the T.E.A.M.S. model hacks to support communication