Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Mid-Atlantic

And

Central Intermediate Unit #10

In collaboration with:

Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8
Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11
Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16

Present

 Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom: Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice

Announcement and Registration

•    Topic: Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom

•    When: October 7, 2009

•    Where: Penn Stater Conference Center
            Penn State University
            University Park, PA 16802

•    Time: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM (Registration/Check In)
         9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Lunch provided)

•    Expert Consultant: Dr. Michael Epstein, William E. Barkley Professor of                    Special Education, University of Nebraska

•    Cost: None

•    Note: Participants are advised to download a copy of the practice guide for use at the forum (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/)  


Program

The Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom practice guide combines standards for scientific rigor of the best available research with expert judgment to develop practical guidance for schools and districts by providing clear, concrete strategies that practitioners can use to tackle multi-faceted problems in a coherent fashion. The practice guide offers five recommendations:   

(1) Identify the specifics of the problem behavior and the conditions that prompt and reinforce it

(2) Modify the classroom learning environment to decrease problem behavior

(3) Teach and reinforce new skills to increase appropriate behavior and preserve a positive classroom climate

(4) Draw on relationships with professional colleagues and students’ families for continued guidance and support

(5) Assess whether schoolwide behavior problems warrant adopting schoolwide strategies or programs and, if so, implement ones shown to reduce negative and foster positive interactions.

Dr. Michael Epstein is the lead author of the Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom practice guide. Dr. Epstein is the director of the Center for At-Risk Children’s Services and William E. Barkley Professor of Special Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He earned his Ed.D. in special education from the University of Virginia. Dr. Epstein has published more than 200 professional papers and is founding editor of the Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. He is the author of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 and the Scale for Assessing Emotional Disturbance, and coauthor of Outcomes for Children and Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and Their Families.

Program Overview

Dr. Epstein will present and elaborate on the five critical recommendations listed in the practice guide. The keynote address will be followed by an interactive panel dialogue of local practitioners who will address the recommendations’ implications and applicability to practice and interact with the audience. Practitioners who attend the forum will benefit from the perspectives of leading researchers, policymakers, and, most importantly, from talking with colleagues who will share their experiences “on the ground.” Additionally, REL Mid-Atlantic and CIU will be gleaning recommendations from practitioners as to future research and programming suggestions aimed at bridging the research-practice gap on this and other topics.


Audience

    This REL Mid-Atlantic forum will bring together policymakers, researchers, administrators, supervisors, and teachers and engage them in stimulating conversations regarding school reform.

REL Mid-Atlantic: Background

    One of 10 regional laboratories across the country, REL Mid-Atlantic (http://edlabs.ed.gov/relmid-atlantic) is a research entity of the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES) and is responsible for conducting, locating, and disseminating evidence-based research of immediate interest to stakeholders in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. REL Mid-Atlantic is a partnership among The Pennsylvania State University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Center for Effective School Practices, ICF International, Metiri Group, and ANALYTICA.

Partner Organizations

    Joining REL Mid-Atlantic and CIU in sponsoring and supporting this forum are:

•    Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8

•    Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11

•    Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16

•    Educational Policy Leadership Center (EPLC)

•    Pennsylvania School Study Council (PSSC)

•    Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)

•    Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA)

•    Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (PASCD)

•    Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA)

•    Pennsylvania Association of Rural Small Schools (PARSS)

•    Center for Rural Education and Communities (CREC)

•    Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units (PAIU)

•    Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PAESSP)

•    Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics (PCTM)

•    Pennsylvania Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (PCSM)

•    Pennsylvania Middle School Association (PMSA)

•    Pennsylvania Parent Teachers Association (Pennsylvania PTA)

………………………………………………………………………………………
Registration Form

To register, complete the registration form below and send it to Jennifer Starner via email (jstarner@ciu10.org) or fax (814-342-5137) no later than September 30, 2009. Enrollment limit is 100.

NAME:____________________________________; EMAIL:_____________________

POSITION_________________________________; PHONE:_____________________

SCHOOL/DISTRICT:_____________________________________________________

ADDRESS______________________________________________________________

For further information, contact Dr. Albert Glennon (814-234-0118 or 814-360-6798) (aglennon@relmid-atlantic.org) or Jennifer Starner (814-342-0884).
Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Mid-Atlantic

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