Professional Experience

Jim Whitaker began his career in education as a Special Education teacher. During his 15 years of classroom experience, he worked with a variety of students identified as having emotional/behavioral disabilities at the middle and high school levels in both traditional and alternative school settings.

In his twelfth year in the classroom, he took a position as a behavioral consultant with the Kentucky Model Schools Program, a three-year project that implemented school-wide interventions statewide. At its completion, he continued as a trainer in a three-year replication of the project, the Kentucky Instructional Discipline and Supports Project (K.I.D.S.), which involved 50 schools statewide.

Before taking a full-time job as a Safe & Civil Schools trainer, Jim served as a Safe Schools Consultant with the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (serving 6 school districts), allowing him to work directly with individual schools, teachers, and administrators to develop positive behavioral interactions ranging from individual student to school-wide culture and climate initiatives.

Safe & Civil Schools Affiliation

Over the years, Jim has proven to be an excellent trainer in the following SCS materials:

• Teacher's Encyclopedia of Behavior Management
• CHAMPs: A Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom Management
• Foundations: Establishing Positive Discipline Policies
• Interventions: Collaborative Planning for Students at Risk
• Administrator's Desk Reference
• ParaPro: Supporting the Instructional Process

In addition to his skillful and humorous presentations, Jim is recognized for his insightful coaching abilities. He has had great success in helping a variety of school personnel across the country implement SCS strategies.

Education

M.Ed. in Learning and Behavior Disorders, University of Louisville

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