Monday, March 19, 2018
5:30 - 8 p.m.
12th-Floor Lounge | Lowenstein Center | Lincoln Center Campus
113 W. 60th Street | New York, NY | 10023
Families, educators, and community members must carefully consider the impact of dramatic shifts in our social, political, and environmental conversations and actions on the development and experiences of children, youth, and young adults. Rather than assuming a "wait-and-see" approach, educators and behavioral mental health providers are now being urged to explicitly adopt a preventive approach and “double-down” on behavioral practices that address the direct and indirect effects of trauma, discrimination, harassment, and violence. In addition, since students spend 6 hours a day, 180 days per year, and 12 years of their lives in schools, educators have unique opportunities to teach, model, and reinforce caring, safe, and responsible learning environments. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the core features of this behavioral and prevention sciences approach and logic, and emphasize what educators can do daily and hourly with all their students to reduce risk and strengthen their social, emotional, and behavioral skills.
George Sugai, Ph.D., is the Carole J. Neag Endowed Professor in Special Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut with expertise in behavior analysis, classroom and behavior management, school-wide discipline, function-based behavior support, school-wide positive behavior supports, and educating students with behavioral disorders. He has been a teacher in the public schools, treatment director in a residential program, and program administrator. Professor Sugai conducts applied school and classroom research and works with schools to translate research into practice, especially at the school-wide, district, and state levels. He is currently co-director (with Rob Horner and Tim Lewis) of the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports the University of Connecticut and University of Oregon, co-director (with Mary Beth Bruder) of the Early Childhood Personnel Center, and Research Scientist for the Center on Behavioral Education and Research in the Neag School of Education.