Faculty Info
Name: Lenwood Gibson
“I tell the candidates in my class to do this: if a student who is having problems has a good day, call the parents. Tell the parents he had a good day. Let them know when they’re doing positive things.”
– Lenwood Gibson
Past Profiles
Lenwood Gibson, associate professor of special education (Educational and Community Programs), is trying to make a difference in New York City’s often fractious classrooms. He trains graduate students in using applied behavioral analysis (ABA) to help young urban children—especially children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those who manifest behavioral disorders—succeed academically.
The stakes are high, particularly in special education. By third grade, Gibson says, inability to read at grade level may lead to “more and more school failure. A lot of the behavioral issues are masking not wanting to be in the classroom. Students think ‘If I act up, I’m going to get sent out. That’s happening to a number of my peers, and where we get sent out to might end up becoming fun.’” Gibson points to research indicating a “pipeline from special education to prison. In juvenile detention centers and adult prisons, the literacy rate among prisoners, who are disproportionately black and brown, is comparatively much lower.”
Graduate students (from left) LaShae Williams and Hanna Chang prepare for teaching careers under the guidance of Lenwood Gibson. The problems are complicated, he adds. Schools expect children to arrive “school-ready,” not always possible if they are from immigrant families dealing with a language barrier, or households where parents hold multiple jobs. Hard-pressed teachers and administrators may adopt an “us versus them mentality,” making them less attuned to students’ needs.
Gibson’s research is aimed at improving the core academic skills that students need to become proficient readers and learners. He promotes the use of culturally relevant pedagogies in urban classrooms. The ABA techniques that he teaches involve proven strategies for changing behavior, such as positive reinforcement.
Gibson came to QC with extensive experience in his field. He completed a BA in child psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University, an MS in applied behavior analysis at Northeastern University, and a PhD in special education at Ohio State University. He taught at City College before joining the Queens College faculty in 2014. Here, he coordinates the Board Certified Behavioral Analyst track for master’s students, which he greatly expanded, and enjoys being part of a department with four lively programs. “They’re all interrelated because they’re all working to help kids who really need it,” he explains.