Jason T. Downer
Professor of Education; Program Area Director, Clinical and School Psychology; Director, CASTL
- Ph.D., University of South Carolina-Columbia, 2003
- M.A., University of South Carolina, 2001
- B.A., University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, 1996
Why I Became A Psychologist
I was driven to become a psychologist by a desire to help others and in particular those vulnerable children and youth who may experience educational inequities. What stood out to me early in this pursuit were the limits to traditional clinical psychology with its focus on psychopathology and intensive, one-on-one interventions, rather than on promotion of well-being through setting-level changes. Given that schools have a significant contextual influence on children’s development and well-being, I believe that psychologists should be actively engaged in understanding, supporting, and enhancing classroom and school contexts to help youth reach their full potential. This places a high priority on studying and implementing interventions that sit at the intersection of school psychology, developmental science, and education, with an explicit emphasis on prevention and promotion. My attention has been on the prek-elementary school period, when academic and social-emotional skills are tightly coupled. I am particularly focused on the potential of teachers as key agents of change to influence sustained, longer-term impacts on the trajectories of at-risk youth.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
As program director, I am committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, with the goal of providing an enriched, supportive climate for all members of our learning community. It is important to me that the program promotes an open dialogue about culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, disability, among other identities; I see this as critical to producing the next generation of mental health leaders who bring cultural humility to their scholarship and practice. In my own line of work, I am passionate about understanding the diversity of experiences that students have within classrooms – as just one example, does teacher-student racial-ethnic match contribute to a student’s classroom opportunities and success? I am also interested in studying universal, mental health promotion efforts in schools that foster social-emotional skills of all students. In particular, how do we train and support teachers so that they can connect with their full range of students, including those from historically marginalized groups? In your graduate application, please share with me the ways that you could see us working together to address diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools.
Dr. Downer will be accepting a student to start Fall 2021 in the Clinical and School Psychology program.
View CASTL's Early Childhood Initiatives
Select Publications
- Rucinski, C.*, Sutton, E.*, Carlton, R.*, Downer, J., & Brown, J. (in press). Classroom racial/ethnic diversity and elementary students’ academic, social and emotional development. Applied Developmental Science.
- Downer, J.T., Williford, A., Bulotsky-Shearer, R., Vitiello, V., Bouza, J.*, Reilly, S.*, & Lhospital, A. (2018). Using data-driven, video-based early childhood consultation with teachers to reduce children’s challenging behaviors and improve engagement in preschool classrooms. School Mental Health, 10, 226-242.
- Sabol, T.*, Bohlmann, N., & Downer, J. (2018). Low-income children’s engagement as a predictor of school readiness above and beyond preschool classroom quality. Child Development, 89, 556-576.
- Downer, J.T., Goble, P., Myers, S., & Pianta, R.C. (2016). Teacher-child racial/ethnic match within pre-kindergarten classrooms and children's early school adjustment. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 37, 26-38.
- Downer, J. T., Stuhlman, M., Schweig, J.*, Martinez, J. F., & Ruzek, E. (2015). Measuring effective teacher-student interactions from a student perspective: A multi-level analysis. Journal of Early Adolescence, 35, 722-758.
- Downer, J. T., Lopez, M. L., Grimm, K., Hamagami, A., Pianta, R. C., & Howes, C. (2012). Observations of teacher-child interactions in classrooms serving Latinos and dual language learners: Applicability of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System in diverse settings. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27, 21-32.
Active Research Projects
- RULER - IES-funded randomized controlled trial of emotion-focused, universal social-emotional learning approach in 60 K-6 schools
- 4Rs+MTP - IES-funded randomized controlled trial of social-emotional curriculum paired with video-based coaching in 60 elementary schools
- P2K - NIH-funded longitudinal study of children's development from preschool through kindergarten
Resources
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- Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) Predoctoral Fellowships
- Promoting Effective Teaching Methods by New Teachers: Good Behavior Game + My Teaching Partner
- Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program
- Understanding the Power of Preschool for Kindergarten Success (P2K)
- Learning About Teacher-Student Interactions (LATSI)
- National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning (NCQTL)
- National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE)
- MyTeachingPartner: Geneva Head Start and Elementary Teachers
- MyTeachingPartner: 4Rs Social-Emotional Learning Program
- Learning to Objectively Observe Kids (LOOK)
- Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System (inCLASS) Project
- Head Start Impact Study: Third Grade Follow up
- Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) Program for Post-Doctoral Fellows
- Examining the Efficacy of RULER on School Climate, Teacher Well-Being, Classroom Climate and Student Outcomes
- Advancing Effective Interactions & Instruction in VPI Classrooms
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- Faculty Earn Top Honors
- Faculty Kudos
- This UVA Center is Making Classrooms Better, from Child Care to Grad School
- New Online Program Aims to Strengthen Teacher-Student Relationships, Promote Classroom Engagement
- Does it Matter if Teachers and Students Are the Same Race?
- ‘Deep Dive’ Study Aims to Map How Children’s School Readiness Skills Develop
- NCRECE Releases Data on Extensive Teacher Professional Development Study
- Leadership Academy: Working Together to Make VPI+ a National Exemplar
- 4Rs+MTP: A Teacher Consultation Model and Social-emotional Intervention With an ‘Innovative Twist’
- VPI+ Coaches: We Are Ready to Start Making a Difference
- Va. Legislature Awards Researchers $1M to Assess Kindergarten Readiness
- CASTL Plays Vital Role in ‘Bold and Innovative’ VPI Plus
- Curry Early Childhood Researchers Sign Consensus Letter to Support Increased Investments
- Curry Faculty and Students Head to AERA
- Curry Doctoral Students Provide Summer Support to Local Elementary Students
- Independent Schools Partner with CASTL’s MTP Team to Expand Teacher Professional Development
- CASTL Meeting Tackles Issue of Measurement in Schools
- NCRECE Hosts Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education Meeting
- Unlocking The Mysteries of Autism: It Takes a Village
- CASTL Director Jason Downer Speaks at Center of Excellence Research Consortium Annual Event
- Dangers of Teacher Stress: CASTL Researchers Speak Mindfulness at Learning & the Brain Event
- Let’s Go to the Tape: Study Uses Classroom Video to Improve Preschool Behavior
- Curry Interns Gain Confidence in Their Career Paths During SURP Program
- Curry School Students Win Award for Connecting Teacher Burnout to Teacher-Student Relationships
- $10M in Funding Awarded to CASTL Researchers in 2018
- CASTL Researchers Have Strong Presence at SRCD Meeting
- University's New Public Service Awards Highlight Faculty Outreach
- Back-To-School Tools for Those Who Support Students
- UVA Researchers Ask: How Does This Popular Social-Emotional Learning Program Benefit Teachers and Students?
- With $3.4M Grant, Researchers Will Examine Professional Development Impact on Preschoolers’ Behavior