Faculty and Staff
Dr. George Helton
Dr. George Helton serves as the coordinator of the UTC school psychology program. He teaches 3 of the 4 assessment courses in the program (epsy 516, assessment of mild disabilities; epsy 630, individual ability testing; and epsy 635, practicum in assessment). His most recent publications and conference presentations are on professional ethics and he currently serves as the Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Tennessee Association of School Psychologists (TASP). Before coming to UTC, Dr. Helton was the Director of Student Services in the Corpus Christi (Texas) School System and President of the Division of School Psychology of the Texas Psychological Association.
Dr. Pamela Guess
Dr. Guess serves as the co-coordinator of the UTC school psychology program. She began her career as an early childhood educator, working in classrooms with 4-and 5-year old children. This teaching experience that lasted for several years influenced her ongoing interest in social-emotional development, behavioral challenges, and the key role adults play in facilitating resilience and supporting the mental health of children and adolescents.
Dr. Guess' professional experiences and undergraduate training in psychology further focused her interest in child and youth development and she pursued a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. Following completion of this degree, she continued working in a school setting located within a rehabilitation center for individuals of all ages with a variety of disabilities. This experience solidified her interest in coping strategies and variation in responses in individuals with disabilities and their families. This topic later became the focus of her dissertation for completion of a Ph.D. in School Psychology.
Other professional experiences that have paralleled her research interests have included working as a school psychologist and behavior specialist in p-12 schools, consulting with school systems regarding system level interventions, and working with individuals with autism and their families.
Dr. Guess has taught full-time at UTC since 2000. In addition to teaching courses in the School Psychology Program, she has been involved with the Summer Institute for special education teachers, the Osborne Fellows program for teachers in urban school settings, and the Alternative Certification program for regular and special education teachers.
Dr. Ted Miller
Dr. Ted Miller teaches in the School Psychology and Special Education programs at UTC. He also teaches in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. In the School Psychology program Dr. Miller teaches online coursework in Learning Theory (613) and in Program Evaluation (610). His research interests include alternative measurement practices and action research procedures of improving classroom effectiveness. He is also interested in procedures that improve online instruction and in teacher effectiveness, both of which will be sabbatical leave activities during the 2007-08 school year. Prior to joining UTC, Dr. Miller was a professor at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Miller is a UC Foundation Professor; he holds a doctorate in Educational/School Psychology from Indiana University
Dr. James Tucker
James A. Tucker, Ph.D. Currently Dr. Tucker holds the McKee Chair of Excellence in Learning at UTC. He is a member of the faculty in the school learning and leadership program as well as being a member of the school-psychology program. Dr. Tucker teaches two courses in the school-psychology program: EPSY614 Historical, Legal, and Ethical Foundations of School Psychology; and EPSY 645 Psychological Foundations of School Psychology. Prior to arriving at UTC in 2001, Dr. Tucker was Professor of Educational Psychology at Andrews University. Formerly, Dr. Tucker served as Director of the Bureau of Special Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Director of Federal Programs for the Department of Special Education, Texas Education Agency, and perhaps most importantly, High School and Elementary School Teacher in Florida. Dr. Tucker’s doctoral training in school psychology at the University of Texas emphasized mental-health consultation as the intervention strategy of choice. Dr. Tucker is one of the leading authorities in America on the subject of integrated educational program-development for at-risk students, including students with disabilities. He has served as a Consultant/trainer to hundreds of school systems, both public and private in more than 40 states and provinces in North America, as well as to school systems in Brazil, Canada, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, and the West Indies.
