Toward the Development of an Equity Focused Teacher-Student Interaction Tool

Description

Many students from diverse cultural backgrounds experience disproportionalities compared to their peers in public schools. One contributing factor may be due bias behaviors. Given the impact of biased behaviors on student academic and social outcomes, it is critical that school-based behavior analysts (SBBAs) objectively measure variable interactions to assist in providing objective feedback on teaching practices. This presentation will discuss the impacts of positive teacher-student interactions, a behavioral approach to conceptualizing bias, and discuss equity research in public schools. We conclude by proposing the need for an equity-focused data collection tool for SBBAs.

About the Speakers

Dr. Nicole Hollins (BCBA-D, LBA) holds a M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University. Currently, Dr. Hollins is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at Juniper Gardens Children’s Project research program at the University of Kansas. Her research and clinical work are focused on training pre-and in-service teachers, evidence-based instructional practices for students with and without disabilities, and school wide positive behavior interventions. In addition to publishing her research in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, Dr. Hollins has also presented her research at local and national conferences as well as workshops. Dr. Hollins also sits on the Board of Editors for Behavior Analysis in Practice. She has provided services and developed efficient systems across various applied settings including public schools, private schools, universities, autism treatment centers, Head Start programs, family homes, and group homes. As for community partnerships, Dr. Hollins has coordinated several grants that focused on an evaluation of current teacher practices while providing systemic recommendations for improving equity in the classrooms.

Daphne Snyder, MA, BCBA, LBA is a doctoral student at Western Michigan University under the direction of Dr. Stephanie Peterson. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Global Health Studies at Allegheny College. Her main research interests include the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior in the school setting and training teachers to implement effective classroom management strategies. Currently, Daphne is the Project Coordinator for KRESA Classroom Consultations (KCC). KCC provides graduate and undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn about applied behavior analysis and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams in the school setting.