New Member Project Teal looks to expand educational opportunities for Staten Island students
Submitted by: Daniel Kaplin, Joseph Dear, and Mirette Misak - June 5, 2012
About Project TEAL
Project TEAL, a non-profit organization, comprised of licensed psychologists, based in Staten Island was created by Joseph Dear and Professor Daniel Kaplin to address the erosion of scholarly investigation, which puts our students at a reduced ability to compete in the international marketplace. Project TEAL, which stands for The Experiential Approach to Learning, is dedicated to improving the quality of teaching and learning, starting in kindergarten and continuing through college. This organization wishes to nurture a student’s innate creative abilities and engage them in a hands-on learning process that supplements the classroom experience.
Project TEAL will provide comprehensive services to students, teachers, and parents. Students will be provided ongoing assessment, onsite and offsite tutoring, mentoring, counseling, peer socialization and mediation services. Teachers will be provided monthly seminars on strategies to increase classroom engagement, dealing with problematic behaviors, and students with ADHD, Autism, and Learning Disabilities. Parents will be given guidance and training on how better understand their child’s needs by capitalizing on their strengths and addressing their unique concerns.
Project TEAL has sought the counsel of the Chamber of Commerce, Jay Anderson, Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC), Assemblyman Matthew Titone, Business Professor Shirley Zaragoza, Past-APA President Dr. Stanley R. Graham in its development. This guidance has led to our partnership with Principal Rodriguez of P.S. 18. We are preparing a curriculum for their afterschool program for the 2012-2013 academic school years. The organization is in discussion with several other schools on Staten Island to join in this process.
Front Row (from left to right): Mirette Misak; Dr. Mary Vu; Dr. Jennifer Tam
Back Row (from left to right): Prof. Heath Downes; Prof. Daniel Kaplin; Joseph Dear
Meet the Project TEAL Team
Project TEAL is unique in that our team consists of highly trained business people, educators and psychologists. Consequently, our programs are carefully designed to cultivate the physical, cognitive, social and emotional aspects of each student.
Joseph Dear, the Chief Executive Officer, brings his 20 years of business experience to Project TEAL. He has collaborated with many major Fortune 500 companies which include, but is not limited to, CIBC Oppenheimer, Goldman Sachs, AIG and Citibank. Professor Daniel Kaplin, the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Postsecondary Education, has an exemplary teaching and scientific record that has led to numerous awards, scholarships, and grants. He is an active advocate for the psychology profession at the regional, state, and national level. Joseph and Daniel seek to utilize their personal, educational, and professional experiences to improve the quality and performance of classroom learning.
They have assembled a diverse group of specialists in the areas of education and psychology which include: (a) Dr. Jennifer Tam- Director of K-8 Education (b) Professor Heath Downes- Director of Secondary Education (c) Aliza Lichtenstein, MS- Director of Special Education and Gifted Students (d) Dr. Mary Vu- Director of Behavioral Health and (e) Mirette Misak- Program Coordination.
Categories: Chamber Blog
