Laura Ficarra
Lecturer of Education Studies

Office:  Palamountain Hall, Room 214
Tel:     (518) 580-5143
Email:  lficarra@skidmore.edu

CURRENTLY TEACHING                               

ED 213- The Exceptional Child in the Elementary School

EDUCATION

• Ph.D., (in progress) Educational Psychology and Methodology, Special Education Leadership in RTI & PBIS, University at Albany
• M.S., Special Education with Behavior Modification concentration, University at Albany
• B.S., Special Education & General Education with Psychology concentration, College at Geneseo

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS

Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Special Education Teacher Preparation Programs, Pedagogy, Andragogy

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

• Arcidiacono, M. B., Ficarra, L. R., Bak, N. L., & Ellis Robinson, T. (2011).  Preparation of     Doctoral Leadership Fellows to Deliver High Quality Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction to     Pre-service Special Education Graduate Students.  Presented at Teacher Education Division     of the Council for Exceptional Children Conference: Austin, TX.
• Ficarra, L. R. (2010).  Social Skills Development for Head Start Preschoolers.  Paper presented at the Council for Exceptional Children State Conference: Saratoga Springs, NY.

EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

• Ficarra, L.R. (2010). Social Skills Development in Head Start Programs. Graduate Poster Presentation, University at Albany: Albany, NY.
• Ficarra, L. R., & Bak, N. L. (2011).  The Effectiveness of Small Group Direct Social Skills Instruction through a Literacy Medium on Social Skills, Problem Behavior, and Early Literacy Skills for Head Start Preschoolers, Graduate Poster Presentation, University at   Albany: Albany, NY.

WORKSHOP FACILITATION

Facilitator of Roundtable Training and Discussion regarding Setting Expectations from the First Day of Class for annual Graduate Teaching Assistant Symposium through the Institute for Teaching, Learning and Academic Leadership Interactive Strategies Approach as RTI for literacy instruction for Master’s students Training of Master’s-level students regarding developing instructional sequences and lesson plans.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Phi Delta Kappa
• Council for Exceptional Children