West Virginia University Behavior Analysis for Teachers Program will graduate first class this summer

The state of West Virginia may be in line to almost double the number of BACB certificants above the state's current number of nine when West Virginia University (WVU) graduates its first class from the Behavior Analysis for Teachers program in the summer of 2010.

This collaborative project between Monongalia Couny Schools and WVU aims to provide working teachers with graduate level training in behavior management principles and strategies and qualify them at completion to to sit for Behavior Analyst Certification Board examination, either at the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) level; the program is unique in that the instructors go to the enrolled students rather than a typical university enrollment model. The focus of training is core behavioral principles and those related to the classroom - such as Functional Behavior Assessments and applying that information to the development of function-based interventions for students.

The first class of eight Monongalia County teachers began program in the summer of 2009 and at completion in the summer of 2010 will have gone through four semesters of graduate-level academic training and a year-long supervised practicum.

While the program is potentially open to all teachers in the Monongalia County Schools, only top candidates from competitive application are chosen for admission.

The program was created by the West Virginia University Department of Psychology and is currently coordinated by Claire St. Peter Pipkin, Ph.D.

For more reading
New WVU program trains teachers to help children with autism
By Ryan Tegeder, WVU School of Journalism student; audio story by Emily Corio
March 31, 2010

WVU works to increase the state's resources in behavior analysis
March 9th, 2010

Teachers Go to “BAT” for Effective Behavior-Management Skills
Psychology Department News
West Virginia University

© 2010 Regina G. Claypool-Frey
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