Project TEAM, the Torah Approach to Emotional Awareness and Middos, is making waves internationally as children enrolled in TEAM schools, from San Diego to South Africa, Montreal to Argentina, are growing spiritually, emotionally, and developmentally by leaps and bounds.
The innovative 30-theme curriculum is a project of Tzivos Hashem and offers schools an interactive middos and social-skills training program for children ages four to seven, to help them make positive choices, all through puppet shows. The program has already made huge impacts in the classroom, with both teachers and parents reporting visible positive changes in children’s behavior.
Mrs. Esty Greenberg, Director of the Gan Yeladim Preschool in Anchorage, AK, sees the far-reaching effects of the program: “Project TEAM has had great impact on our Talmud Torah and preschool program. The children love and look forward to the puppet shows, integrate the lessons they learn every day and talk about it at home as well.”
Experienced educators, rabbis, and child psychologists have consulted to approve Project TEAM’s innovative model. Mrs. Susan Goutkovitch, LMSW, a member of the TEAM board and Social Worker at a TEAM school in Michigan, is full of enthusiasm when describing Project TEAM: “Working with a child to reinforce skills that were presented in a classroom setting helps the child feel motivated and included instead of secluded. Project TEAM will bridge the gap between specialists and educators that we’ve been feeling for so long.”
The highly customizable 30-theme curriculum provides teachers with social-skills training and social-emotional vocabularies to guide children to understand their emotional reactions and brainstorm solutions. The curriculum provides supporting tools for both teachers and parents to reinforce the themes throughout the week. As one parent writes, “We love the newsletter – it enables us to go over and review the information together as a family during dinner, and gives parents as well as children the vocabulary needed to discuss such important topics!” (See what other parents are raving about.)
Project TEAM’s curriculum covers a variety of topics, including safety, self-regulation, and respect, all while instilling within children a love for Hashem. With an emotionally-responsive teaching model, young children are given the tools to understand and explore their emotional world, giving them the ability to overcome daily struggles and build strong friendships. Jay and Ricky Scharf, pleased parents at Lubavitch on the Palisades School in Tenafly, NJ, boast about the program: “We highly recommend Project TEAM! Our daughter, Ella, comes bouncing home from school with a sense of accomplishment as she shares with us the incredible middos that she worked on that day. What pure joy to watch her motivation and participation in such an amazing and important educational program.”
In only its second year, TEAM is already impacting close to 2,000 children and 200 staff members. Registration for the 2015/16 school year is now open and will be on a first-come first-served basis with limited space. All schools that register by 9:00 PM Sunday evening, 26 Shvat, February 15, whether online at TorahTeam.com or in person at the Kinus HaShluchos TEAM table, will be entered into a raffle for a free puppet kit (a $185 value).
Visit the TEAM table in the Tzivos Hashem Jewish Children’s Museum on Thursday 10:00-5:00, and Friday 9:00-12:00, to meet with Morah Sima, Project TEAM coordinator, or to register. Morah Sima is available to answer any questions about the program, as well as help you decide if Project TEAM is a good fit for your school. For you convenience, you can also email her at info@torahteam.com, to arrange for a time to talk.
Project TEAM is offering 10% off puppets until Thursday, March 2 (11 Adar). If schools purchase all three parts by this date they will receive 10% off the entire program as well. To learn more about Project TEAM and to contact the program’s director, please visit the Project TEAM website, www.torahteam.com.
