My research is informed by the rich history of empirical work in the fields of education and psychology, and also by the needs and interests of teachers, school psychologists, and other leaders in education.
As a researcher in education, I hope to partner with applied professionals to identify the parameters of effective education, and to help create systems of support that foster the adoption of effective educational practices.
When asked to distill the belief system that underlies my research, I often highlight two fundamental beliefs:
1. Environmental supports drive student outcomes.
Students’ academic and social competence–while certainly under the control of internal factors–are not fixed. Rather, they are highly susceptible to the supports available in critical learning environments, such as the classroom. These supports are what makes teaching a science and should continue to be our focus point as we think about how to improve outcomes for students.
2. Data are powerful.
If used appropriately and effectively, the data we collect in schools should drive decision-making for individual students and the systems in which they learn. In practice, this means being planful, creative, and efficient in our data use.