Indeed, most of the recent scholarship in this area advocates for moving away from punishment “in favor of positive behavior support,” says Sandra Chafouleas, professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut — methods that focus on preventing misbehavior without resorting to punitive measures.

The most straightforward definition of “giftedness” is one outlined by Joseph Renzulli, distinguished professor at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. Renzulli’s concept is that genuine giftedness in any sphere of activity requires three characteristics: Above-average abilities, creativity (which includes fluency, flexibility and originality of thought) and, probably most importantly, task commitment that can be observed as perseverance, endurance and sometimes a special fascination with a particular subject or topic.

Mary Mazurek Heslin 89, a life-long resident of the City of Hartford, died peacefully on Friday, June 21, 2019. The University of Connecticut always had a special place in her heart and she served as chairman of the Neag School of Education Advisory Board and was recognized by receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award.

A social studies teacher with more than two decades of experience at Southington High School has been named the district’s Teacher of the Year for 2019-2020. Heather Allenback has been teaching in Southington since 1995, and attributes her love of social studies to being part of a military family with a vast appreciation for history.

George Sugai says it’s important to note that seclusion and restraint shouldn’t be used as the sole intervention for students with challenging behavior. Instead, he encourages teachers to seek more therapeutic responses to students, such as having conversations about why they behaved in certain ways.

When Paul Funk assumes the top job at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School next month, he’ll have nearly two decades of classroom experience to guide him. “I think it’s absolutely crucial for an administrator to understand the ins and outs of the educational process at the classroom level,” said Funk, who taught science for 18 years before transitioning to administration. “I really believe that the gains that are made, are made at the classroom level with the teachers.”

“You’re going to end up with these [less diverse] enclaves,” reflects University of Connecticut professor of educational leadership and law Preston Green on what happens when parents choose. “Because with people, like will always go to like.”

UConn Today (Neag School alumna and associate athletic director for the UConn National ‘C’ Club, Jamelle Elliott, is featured)

Beyond her advocacy efforts, Lynne Henwood’s body of work includes designing a teaching unit, based on the Autonomous Learner Model, empowering fifth grade students to utilize 21st century skills such as choice, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and technology. She was honored in 2018 as Teacher of the Year for the New Jersey Association of Gifted Children, where she now serves as president.

“We really need to think systematically about how to permit charter schools to exist in a way that won’t deleteriously impact school districts,” Preston Green says. “So understand that when I’m calling for a moratorium, I’m not calling for a backdoor closure but, rather, really thinking deliberately about how they can exist and be situated in a way that their inefficiencies are lessened.”