Approach

Communication and collaboration are the key to our integrated team approach and families are the most important members of any treatment team.

Why Titus?​

Ask yourself: Where does my child feel good about him/herself? Does my child have the opportunity to feel successful? Is my child’s level of need and/or behavioral challenges excluding him/her from living a full life? Is my child being denied access to an appropriate education and an authentic school experience because his/her current school placement lacks the time, resources, and expertise to meet his/her unique developmental needs or challenges? Are his/her providers equipped to help your child build vital foundational skills? With those answers in mind, take a look at what Titus has to offer.

Applied Behavior Analysis​

Applied Behavior Analysis is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree, and to demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behavior.

Theory of Multiple Intelligences​

Theory of Multiple Intelligences, developed by Howard Gardner, suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. It proposes teachers be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, and inner reflection. Gardner maintains that his theory of multiple intelligences should "empower learners," not restrict them to one modality of learning.

Instructional
History​

Instructional history pertains to what has worked, what has not, what should be carried over, and what should be left behind. Understanding where a student has been and what approaches have been tried will help guide our treatment plan.

Best practice is established on an individual basis.

We cannot approach a student with a preconceived notion or predetermined plan of what will “work.” Our experienced, dedicated, and integrated team of multidisciplinary professionals will approach each student with an arsenal of expertise. Through the use of assessments, research-based techniques, a passion for collaboration, and a desire to innovate, our team works together for each student’s progress and success.

The Titus Touch​

When the idea of The Titus School was first taking shape, we kept coming back to the question, “what makes a setting appropriate?” In order to create an appropriate physical setting, we consulted a team of experts and combed codes and laws. We researched curriculum, furniture, materials, and staffing. All the crucial pieces to the appropriate puzzle were falling into place, except one: methodology. As a team we felt like ascribing to one approach, philosophy, or methodology over another felt incomplete. How do we reconcile this? Should we? Ultimately, we decided not to ascribe or adhere to one methodology over another. As a team, we came to believe an appropriate setting does not prescribe one approach for all of students. An appropriate setting gets to know each student and creates individualized programs based on each students’ needs. We decided not to think of our students in quantitative terms measuring how smart our students are. Instead we decided to ask, “how are you smart?” It was this question that helped us put the last piece of the puzzle in place. The only way to provide an appropriate educational setting for our students is to include a variety of research-based approaches and methodologies. The Titus School takes into account how our students learn. It is this philosophy that drives us.

How are you smart?

At Titus, we do not approach a student with a preconceived notion or predetermined plan of what will “work.” We believe the needs of an individual student should be met by highly skilled and trained providers who are knowledgeable in a variety of therapeutic interventions and approaches. Our integrated team of multidisciplinary professionals collaborate to assess, develop, and implement educational and therapeutic programs that meet the unique needs of our students. Rather than limiting ourselves to one philosophy or approach, we ascribe to the theory that learning and progress occur on an evolving continuum and we must evolve with it.

Howard Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences provides the framework for us, as educators, to identify the different learning styles of our students and to understand their multiple intelligences. We have created a setting that affords each of our students the opportunity to learn how they learn best. Whether it is linguistic (language based), logical-mathematical (numbers and reasoning), spatial (pictures, shapes, and space), bodily-kinesthetic (movement and body), musical (rhythm and sound), interpersonal (with others), intrapersonal (independent), or naturalist (in nature), we have created a learning environment that allows our students to be able to exercise and explore their multiple intelligences.

The Titus School is an ungraded special education program. In our multidisciplinary setting, each student learns in his or her appropriate setting. Whether that is 1:1 in a quiet space with limited distractions, or among peers of similar age and ability in small cohort. Groups are established to target specific goals, activities, and individual needs. When making grouping decisions, the dynamics of the group and abilities inherent to each student are always considered. We offer several classroom formats whereby support is provided on an as-needed basis in order to promote independence.

Guiding Principles