The Three Pillars
Acceptance & commitment therapy, Social emotioal Learning and Individualized education all combined with Trauma INformed care
Therapeutic: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Pillar
ACT is a model of values driven behavior change that increases a person’s psychological flexibility. Through this model we teach students how to become aware of their own values, and notice how their behavior is moving them toward or away from those values. In the process, students learn how to notice thoughts and feelings that come up for them (whether aversive or pleasant) and make some space between those thoughts and feelings and the behaviors in which they engage.
Developing these skills of noticing, accepting, and engaging in values-driven behaviors allows what some might consider time to ‘think before you act’. ACT also helps develop a set of tools to increase perspective taking.
The empirical support for ACT as an effective model for social emotional learning and growth is robust and growing. Currently over 300 randomized control trials have demonstrated that the use of ACT has decreased psychological suffering and led to more functioning and workable engagement with life. Students engage in weekly sessions with our ACT therapists.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is embedded in everything we do at Two Roads Academy. Students receive consistent social coaching and support from our highly qualified staff throughout each day and across all settings. At Two Roads, we also provide each student with individual SEL opportunities through (1) Behavioral Supports and (2) the “MySELF” program.
Behavioral Supports: At Two Roads Academy, we offer individualized behavior programming for every student created by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). These plans are written to give students the opportunity to learn and practice functional communication skills and prosocial behaviors that will aid them in better accessing their education and community. At TRA, we focus on teaching and reinforcing behavioral and psychological skills that will open up each student's world. The overall goal of our behavioral programming is to coach and provide support to students while they increase behavioral & psychological flexibility, learn self-advocacy & self-awareness skills, and ultimately, become positive agents of change in their own lives. Behavioral Support at Two Roads Academy is rooted in Applied Behavior Analysis, which is an empirically based science, where plans are created through ongoing observation with data-based decision-making to produce socially significant outcomes for those being served. With this highly individualized, function-based approach, we can ensure that we will always be able to meet students where they are at and provide them with effective therapeutic interventions to get them where they need and want to be.
“MySELF”: My Social Emotional Learning Foundations (MySELF) is designed to give all students the opportunity to learn and explore topics related to emotional health and social skills at their own pace. This program is delivered through carefully selected and designed instruction in the form of videos and worksheets, as well as continuously embedded social coaching by our uniquely and highly qualified Behavior ACTivists. The “My SELF” program covers the areas of: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social-Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Pillar
Two Roads Academy strives to provide targeted academics for students in alignment with graduation requirements; providing individualized, appropriately paced, and modified curriculum for students while still maintaining fidelity to Vermont’s Flexible Pathways and ACT 77 requirements. TRA is fortunate to have multiple general education teachers and multiple special education teachers on staff who provide rigorous instruction which is accommodated and modified to support each student's learning.
Academics are provided to students in a small group, individualized manner. Students are assigned to a mixed grade group reflective of their programming (either small group supports or one-on-one supports), with academics that are differentiated to meet students at their individual learning levels.. All students are exposed to the same academic content; with our teachers rotating through topics throughout the year in order to address each school’s graduation requirements as they pertain to core content areas.
Our curriculum is designed to reflect learning outcomes as represented by Vermont's use of the Common Core standards and Proficiency Based Graduation Requirements, with a specialized focus on the social emotional growth and transferable skills our students need. We strive to stay current with research and current teaching practices; utilizing a data driven approach to evaluate student learning in order to help close any achievement gaps.
We will provide sending schools with proficiency based grading information to demonstrate the approach to proficiency for each student, based on Vermont’s Transferable Skills, Next Generation Science Standards, National Core Arts Standards, and Common Core State standards as are relevant to the student’s course of study and personalized learning plan. TRA will provide academic updates to schools once per quarter; providing corresponding credit assignments once per semester; sending schools will grant both credits and diplomas. This information will be used by the sending school to determine credit accrual and graduation readiness in accordance with ACT 77.
According to Vermont State Law, as applicable, students will be offered the opportunity to participate in college courses for credit. TRA staff will accompany students to the college classes to support as indicated in the student’s IEP and/or Behavior Support Plan.
