Justin Garwood (Photo provided)

SARANAC LAKE — Justin D. Garwood, who grew up in Saranac Lake and moved back with his family last year, recently saw the publication of a book he wrote about classroom management.

“Reclaim Your Challenging Classroom” is intended to guide new and veteran teachers in developing effective classroom management techniques, with a particular focus on students with emotional or behavioral disorders and those experiencing trauma. This guide empowers teachers to create a positive and engaging learning environment that is grounded in the student-teacher relationship.

Garwood is a professor of special education at the University of Vermont, where he teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels focused on behavior management, academic intervention and inclusion. He completed his doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and for two years prior to coming to UVM was an assistant professor at Appalachian State University. He maintains teacher licensure in both English Education and Special Education.

He is active with the Council for Exceptional Children, and he currently serves as secretary on the executive board of the Council for Children with Behavior Disorders. He routinely presents at the CEC national conference as well as at the annual conference for Teacher Educators for Children with Behavior Disorders.

An author of more than 45 peer-reviewed journal articles, Garwood’s research and teaching has received national accolades. In 2018, he was awarded the CEC Early Career Publication Award for his research focused on relationship-based behavior management of youth with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). That same year he was awarded the Outstanding Early Career Award in Teacher Preparation from the North Carolina CEC. In 2019, he received the Research Article of the Year Award from the American Council on Rural Special Education for his study of burnout among educators serving youth with disabilities. In 2020, he served as an expert witness testifying before a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights regarding appropriate approaches to disciplinary practices in schools. Currently, and with support from the U.S. Department of Education, he is studying burnout among special education teachers serving students with EBDs.