Former, Current TAMIU Faculty Publish Book on Classroom Management

A new book by former Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) faculty member Dr. Terry L. Shepherd, associate professor/department head, special education, Indiana University, South Bend and TAMIU College of Education associate professor/chair, special education, Dr. Diana Linn, aims to provide teachers with multicultural classrooms with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to make proactive, active and reactive interventions necessary to create a positive learning environment in which all students can learn.

The book, “Behavior and Classroom Management in the Multicultural Classroom,” was published by SAGE Publications.

“Going beyond the traditional rules and hierarchy of consequences and reinforcements, the book demonstrates how to incorporate basic classroom management plans, functional behavioral analysis, functional behavioral assessments and behavioral intervention plans into the development and implementation of response-to-intervention and school-wide positive behavior support programs,” explained Dr. Shepherd.

Every chapter has real world examples and case studies, which are used to explore how language and culture affects students’ responses to behavior and classroom management. Unique chapters cover social skill training and collaborating with families of diverse students.

“An important concept integrated in the book not found in similar books is the universal design for classroom management. The universal design for classroom management is a proactive approach to developing a behavior and classroom management plan that considers the needs of students with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse students, struggling learners and the ability levels of students,” said Dr. Linn.

She explained that a behavior and classroom management plan is designed to meet the academic, behavioral, emotional and social needs of each student.

The book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students wanting to be general education teachers, elementary education teachers, secondary education teachers and special education teachers.

Shepherd and Linn incorporate the book into their classroom management classes. Shepherd and she presented aspects of the book at the Council for Exceptional Children Annual Convention and Expo “Universal Design for Classroom Management for All Students” in San Antonio in April 2013.

Work on the book took approximately two and a half years.

Spring Semester 2015 begins Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015 at TAMIU.

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