Biography

Dr. Catalano's short biography will be posted soon.

Industry Expertise (2)

Education/Learning

Mental Health Care

Areas of Expertise (4)

Developmental Approaches to Autism

Infant Mental Health

Inclusive Education

Teacher Preparation and Development

Accomplishments (2)

(2017) Roots and Wings Award (professional)

An annual award given by Montclair State University’s Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health to honor those who exemplify the highest level of dedication and service to the emotional well-being of infants, children and their families.

(2011) Lucille Weistuch Early Childhood Special Education Award (professional)

New Jersey Division for Early Childhood

Education (3)

Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ: PhD, Teacher Education and Teacher Development 2018

Dissertation: Development and Validation of the Teacher Self-efficacy for Teaching Students Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive (Early Childhood) Classrooms (TSE-ASDI) Scale

Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ: MA, Educational Psychology 1995

The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA: BA, Sociology 1985

Affiliations (6)

• Beyond My Battle : Board President 2018-Present
• NJ Association of Infant Mental Health (NJ-AIMH) : Member 2016-Present
• Spectrum Works : Advisory Board 2015-Present
• New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education (NJCIE) : Board of Directors 2016-Present
• Council for Exceptional Children Division for Early Childhood : Member 2011-Present
• American Educational Research Association (AERA) : Member 2011-Present

Event Appearances (11)

Gaining a Deeper Understanding of Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Shanker Self-Reg Perspective

(2020) Self-Reg Summer Symposium  Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Preservice early childhood teachers’ sense of efficacy for teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

(2019) Annual Meeting, American Educational Research Association  Toronto, Canada

Implementation of Routines to the Third Degree in the early childhood classroom: A social/emotional framework to support teachers’ practice and children’s learning

(2019) Zero to Three, Annual Conference  Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Inclusion and Reframing Challenging Behaviors; A Professional Development Day

(2019) Dr. Geraldyn O. Foster Early Childhood Center, presented with Budd, N.J.  Bridgeton, NJ

Young Children and Stress

(2018) Orange Early Childhood Center, Two-Day Professional Development Session, presented with McKeating, E.  Orange, NJ.

Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive Classrooms: Developing a Self-Efficacy Scale

(2018) American Educational Research Association (AERA) Roundtable Discussion  New York, NY

Young Children and Stress

(2017) New Jersey Council for Exceptional Children and Division for Early Childhood Annual Conference  Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ

Montrose Early Childhood Center: A Program Developed to Increase Inclusion for All Students in the South Orange/Maplewood Public Schools

(2016) New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education (NJCIE), presented with Joyce, R.  Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ

Grow NJ Kids: Empowering the Early Childhood Workforce

(2016) New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education (NJCIE), presented with Hicks, C.  Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ

Reframing “Autistic Behaviors”: A Critical Piece of Teacher Education and Development

(2016) Self-Reg™ Summer Symposium, Trent University  Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

Understanding and Supporting Infants and Very Young Children with Autism from Developmental, Relational and Transdisciplinary Perspectives

(2016) Headstart/Early Headstart, Michigan Association of Infant Mental Health, presented with Costa, G.  Traverse City, Michigan

Research Grants (5)

NJ Inclusive Education Technical Assistance Project

(2020 - Present) New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education 

Developed project plan and deliverables in collaboration with sub-award partner, NJ Coalition for Inclusive Education, for a technical assistance program focused on promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities into Pre-K through 12 grade general education classrooms in NJ public schools. Provide project oversight and supervision for project team. Participate in the Inclusion Leadership Development Group. Co-developed NJ Preschool Inclusion Quality Indicators with NJ DOE. Provide technical assistance, coaching and long-term systemic change partnership with schools throughout NJ. Project budget - $8,000,000 over 5 ½ years funded by the U.S. Department of Education; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Turrell Childcare & Early Learning Center Inclusion Program

(2017-2019) Children’s Aid and Family Services $25,000

Collaborate with program director and funders to develop, support, and market the Turrell Childcare & Early Learning Center as an inclusive educational placement option for local public school districts. Participate in the development of the Montclair State University Network for Inclusive Early Care and Education (MSU-NIECE) creating a partnership between early childhood centers in NJ and the University faculty and student teachers as an extension of the University’s Network for Educational Renewal. Funded by Children’s Aid and Family Services $25,000 grant.

YWCA of Bergen County Youth Services Department

(2016) YWCA of Bergen County Youth Services Department $15,000

Provided professional development sessions and on-site support in inclusion principles and practices for the 100 staff members that provide before and after-school services to children from ages 3 to 13 years old at 21 different sites in 7 public school districts in Bergen County, NJ funded by a $15,000 inclusion grant.

Grow NJ Kids, NJ’s Early Childhood Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS)

(2015-Present) New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development $1,200,000

Provide statewide professional development/technical assistance and on-going support in the areas of social/emotional development and inclusion of young children with disabilities in childcare and early learning programs. Developed the request for support system and outcome measures aligned with the environmental rating scales (ECERS-3, ITERS-3 & FCCERS-R), the Pyramid Model and the state-approved early childhood curriculums (Tools of the Mind, Creative Curriculum, Curiosity Corner & High Scope). Developed and provided webinars and on-site workshops on early childhood inclusion policy and practice. Funded by $1.2 million MSU-Socio-Emotional Initiative grant.

Bergen Family Center – Infant Toddler Mental Health Program

(2014-2016) Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation $40,000

Provided reflective supervision and professional development targeted at supporting staff’s capacity to understand and address the emotional and social developmental needs of infants and toddlers as well as preschool age children in the early childhood program. Project funded by the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation $40,000 grant.

Articles (6)

Preservice early childhood teachers’ sense of efficacy for teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

(2020) Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education.

Catalano, C.G., Fives, H., McKeating, E. & Barnes, N. Preservice early childhood teachers’ sense of efficacy for teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. (Accepted – June 2020)

Reducing Anxiety Among Those with Autism Spectrum Disorder

(2020, April 22) Psychology Today

Catalano, C. G. & McKeating, E. (2020, April 22). Reducing Anxiety Among Those with AutismSpectrum Disorder. Psychology Today [web blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyched/202004/reducing-anxiety-amongthose- autism-spectrum-disorder (Invited).

Reframing Autism Spectrum Disorder for Teachers: An Interdisciplinary Task

(2017) Frontiers in Neuroscience / Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective

Catalano, C.G. (2017). Reframing Autism Spectrum Disorder for Teachers: An Interdisciplinary Task. In Autism: The Movement Sensing Perspective, E.B. Torres and C. Whyatt (Eds.). Frontiers in Neuroscience, CRC Press. (Invited).

Inquire Within: Reframing Our Understanding of Children with Autism

(2016) Infant Crier – Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health Newsletter

Catalano, C.G. (2016). Inquire Within: Reframing Our Understanding of Children with Autism. Infant Crier – Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health Newsletter. (Invited).

Supporting Children with Autism in an Inclusive Early Childhood Center: Why & How We Do It

(2009) PBS Parents / Inclusive Communities

Catalano, C.G.

We call this a developmental approach to educating young children with autism. In a developmental approach, we meet the child at her current level of growth and learning. This means that we take the child’s lead and learn from the child what she can do and where she needs some help. The main goal is to help children to be active learners who learn by exploring their environments -- watching, listening, playing and communicating with others. The adult assists the child in learning new skills that the child might not learn without adult help, such as zippering his jacket or asking a peer to borrow a toy. With the necessary support, children will be able to do these things on their own!

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A Child’s Self-Statement: Who Am I?

(2002) Exceptional Parent Magazine

Catalano, C.G., Hernandez, P. & Wolters, P. (2002). A Child’s Self-Statement: Who Am I? Exceptional Parent Magazine, 32 (4), 60-65. (Invited)