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Mark Gunning, MEd

Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities
Rhode Island College
600 Mount Pleasant Avenue
Providence, RI 02908
 
Phone: 401-456-4733
Email: mgunning@ric.edu
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Last Updated: July 23, 2008

 

Project/Program/Clinic Contacts: Master Teacher, Transition
 
Discipline(s): Special Education

Vita/Bio

 

Curriculum Vita

 Mark B. Gunning

EDUCATION:

 Candidate in Philosophy

 A.B.D. Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois                             October, 1984

Learning Disabilities

Cognates:       Clinical Psychology

                       Creative Drama

                                               

M.A.     Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois                             August, 1981

Learning Disabilities

B.A.     University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island                 May, 1977

English Literature

Concentrations:  Speech

                            Secondary Education

 Areas of Educational Certification: 

Administration: Special Education Director, Pre-K-12

Teaching:

                     * Elementary/Middle/Secondary Special Educator

                     * Elementary, General Educator

                     * Middle/Secondary, General Educator, English

                     * Secondary, General Educator, Psychology

Current Position:

Assistant Professor, Special Education                                             June, 2007-Present

           Rhode Island College, Feinstein School of Education

           Providence, Rhode Island

 Duties:

  • Teaching: Undergraduate/ graduate levels
  • Supervision:  Secondary student teacher placements
  • Teacher Training:   IDEA 2004 Transition Training, Statewide/ Providence, RI School District : Professional Development Initiative

Previous Experience:

Master Teacher/RI Statewide Transition Coordinator  September, 2003-June, 2007

The Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, Rhode Island College

Providence, Rhode Island

Duties/Accomplishments:

 Transition Capacity Building/Systemic Change Agent:

  Facilitator: Transition Initiative of the Rhode Island  September, 2003-June, 2007

    School Improvement Grant (RISIG):                                             

 

1.RISIG Teacher Workshop Development/Teacher Trainer:  Developed a three-hour comprehensive training for the grant-funded, designated RI low-performing high schools; implemented/provided on-site transition training to general/special education personnel at targeted funded-schools, 2003-2007.

                                      Focus:  

  • Overview of IDEA Transition requirements

•·         Overview of the Division of Developmental Disabilities referral     process/eligibility/timelines

•·         Overview of the role of Vocational rehabilitation in transition IEP development/referral process/eligibility/timelines

•·         Overview of the development of transition-focused/standards-based IEPs

•·         Overview of the development of transition-focused/standards-based curriculum in the general education classroom for general/special education students

•·         On-site, hands-on training in writing transition IEPs

•·         On-site, hands-on training in the development of transition-focused/standards-based project-based learning activities in the general education classroom

  • 2. RISIG Transition Outcome Data Facilitator: Facilitated the collection/analysis of transition outcome data for special education high school graduates of targeted grant-funded RI low-performing high schools, 2003-Present.

Focus: Outcomes for special education students in the transition areas of: 

  • Post-secondary Education
  • Employment
  • Independent Living
  • Community Participation

3. RISIG Transition Program Improvement Facilitator: Adapted and piloted a transition self-study instrument to be used at targeted grant-funded low-performing high school to evaluation the quality of transition services and establish specific targets for improvement; facilitated the development of formal Transition Plans of Improvement, 2003-Present.

Focus:

  • Systemic change
  • Work-based learning program development
  • Transition-focused/standards-based curriculum infusion in general education classroom
  • Self-determination student activities
  • Student-driven IEP development
  • Baseline data collection through formalized transition assessment

RISIG OUTCOMES:

                                  * Publications Developer/Editor:  Researched/developed/wrote/edited RI Transitions and College Link quarterly newsletters for statewide distribution to middle/secondary special education teachers/students, 2003-Present; developed/edited online teacher guide: Guide to Developing Transition-Focused/Standards-Based IEPs and Curriculum, June, 2007. 

  

           * Committee:  RI Transition Council; RI Rhodes to Independence Transition Council; Youth in Transition Committee; RI Regional Transition Council; Advisory Board RI CCRI Transition Academy and RI Transition Employment Center, Pawtucket , RI, 2003-Present

           * Liaison for Transition:  RI Department of Education,

    Office of Special Needs/ RI Regional Transition Centers, 2003-2007

           * Providence Schools Teacher Workshop Development/Teacher Trainer:  Developed    and provided Transition IEP/curriculum training for Providence middle/high school teacher Professional Development, 2003-Present.

 Conference Presentations:

  • Lead Presenter: Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) 13th

International Conference, Albuquerque, NM, October, 2005: Transition training: An All Teachers Agenda:  Success in Providence, RI

Publications:

Print:

  • RI College Link, quarterly newsletter, The Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, 2003-Present
  • RI Transitions, quarterly newsletter, The Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, 2003-Present

Online:

  • Guide to Developing Transition-Focused/Standards-based IEPs and Curriculum, The Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities, June 2007
  • School-to Career Transition Program, American institutes of Research, Washington DC, June 2002

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE

Director of Special Education                                                                         2000-2001

Narragansett School System, Narragansett, Rhode Island

 

Director of Special Education: New Shoreham School Department             1990-1993

Block Island, Rhode Island

 

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 

Transition Specialist/Coordinator (Special Needs)                                        1997-2003

Narragansett, Rhode Island

 

Special Education Teacher:                                                                           1993-1997

Grades 7-12, Co-teaching, Resource and Content Area

Narragansett, Rhode Island

 

Special Education Teacher:                                                                           1989-1993

Grades Pre-K-12, Resource and Self-Contained

Block Island, Rhode Island

 

Secondary English Teacher                                                                           1989-1993

Block Island, Rhode Island

 

Learning Disabilities Remedial Teacher: Grades 9-12                                  1980-1985

South Kingstown, Rhode Island

 

English/Drama Teacher: Grades 9-12                                                           1977-1978

South Kingstown, Rhode Island

 

DIAGNOSTIC EXPERIENCE

 

Multidisciplinary Chair: New Shoreham School Department                         1991-1993

Block Island, Rhode Island

 

Diagnostic Prescriptive Teacher: New Shoreham School Department        1989-1992

Block Island, Rhode Island

 

Diagnostician: Pre-School - Adult: Learning Disabilities Clinic                    1980-1985

Northwestern University                                                                                 

Evanston, Illinois

 

ACADEMIC HONORS

 

Graduate Assistantship                                                                                  1980-1985

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

 

Zeta Phi Eta (Winifred Ward) Graduate School Award                                  June, 1982

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

 

Danforth Fellow Representative                                                                     May, 1977

University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island

 

Kappa Delta Phi Honor Society                                                                      May, 1977

University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island

 

 Cum Laude                                                                                                  May, 1977

 

Rhode Island Governor's School Scholarship                                                May, 1971

 

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