Nomsa Gwalla-Ogisi
| Title | Professor and Student Teaching Coordinator |
| Office | Winther Hall 4032 |
| Phone | (262) 472-5807 |
| gwallan@uww.edu |
Education
General Education:
- History
- Social Studies
- Biology
Special Education:
- Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
- Learning Disabilities
- Cognitive Disabilities: Mild/Mod/Severe/Profound
- Early Childhood Special Education
Courses
- Introduction to Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (EBD)
- Education of Students with Severe Emotional Behavioral Disorders
- Introduction to Diagnostic Assessment
- Educational Diagnosis and assessment in EBD, LD & CD
- Managing the Classroom Behavioral Problems of exceptional Children
- Working with Families of Exceptional Children & Community Agencies
- Curriculum and Methods in Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Elementary & Secondary
- Fieldwork in Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Elementary & Secondary
- Individual Study/ Independent Study
- Graduate Seminar/Inservice Seminar
- Thesis Preparation
- Behavioral Management for the Inclusive Classroom
- Advanced Methods in Special Education
- Career Vocational Programming for Exceptional Educational Needs
- Advanced Behavior Intervention Strategies
- Phase 4 Portfolio
- Non Violent Crisis Intervention
- Characteristics of CD/ EBD/ LD
- Travel Study to South Africa
- Specialized Fieldwork Seminar
- Directed Teaching/Graduate Practicum in Special Education
Certifications/Licenses
- Life Space Crisis Intervention
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention: Crisis Prevention Institute: Trainer
- Discipline with Love & Logic
- Cognitive Interventions: Corrective Thinking Strategies; Errors in Thinking
- TRIBES
- Site Based Management
- Integrated Curriculum: Trainer
- University of Kansas: Pedagogies for Diversity/Learning Strategies
- Brain Based Learning: Eric Jensen Brain Based Learning Institute
- Social Justice & Conflict Resolution Training , University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Professional Interests
- International Special Education & Comparative Education
- Behavioral Instruction from Multiple Perspectives
- Culturally Responsive Instructional & Classroom management
- Preparation of Educators for Inclusive Schooling
- Working with Learners from Challenging Family Systems in Social Emotional Skills for Life & Success
- Family Support/Empowerment/Engagement
Professional Membership
- Council for Exceptional Children
- Council for Children with Behavior Disorders
- Wisconsin Council for Children with Behavior Disorders
- International Special Education Association
- Wisconsin Association for Children with Behavior Disorders Advisory Board Member: 1998-2002
- Conference Committee Chair: International Association of Special Education:1991: Milwaukee Conference; 1993: Brighton England Conference; & 1997: Vienna Austria Conference.
Awards/Nominations
Awards:
- Audrey Z. McClellan Endowed Teacher of Distinction Award Recipient, 2010-2011
- Woman of Color Outstanding Achievement Award Recipient, 2009
- University of Wisconsin College of Education Service Award Recipient: 2003-2004, 1999, 1998, 1995 & 1992
- Blue Key Honor Fraternity Recognition Award, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater: 2000; 1998, 7 1996
- Whitewater Unified School District Service Award: 1999 & 1998:
- International Association of Special Education, Vancouver, Canada. Service Award: 1991, 1997 & 1999
- University of Wisconsin at Whitewater Service Award Nominee: 1998 & 1997
- Kenosha Unified School District Service Award: 2000
- Who’s Who in American Education: 2006-2011
- Who’s Who in International Education: 2006, 2007, 2008, & 2009 & 2011
- Outstanding President Award: International Association of Special Education, 1995.
Nominations
- Nominated for the Woman of Color Outstanding Achievement Award: 2003 and 2005.
- Audrey Z. McClellan Excellence in Teaching College of Education: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
- College of Education Teaching Excellence Award Nominee: 2005, 1999, & 1997
Work Experience
- Professor, and Student Teaching & Fieldwork Coordinator, Department of Special Education, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, WI.
- Chairperson, Division of Special Education, College of Education, Missouri Valley College, Marshall, MO
- Chairperson & Professor of the Department of Student Guidance and Educational Psychology, University of Transkei, South Africa.
- Assistant Professor and Coordinator of A Federal Grant, Department of Special Education, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN.
- Director, Laboratory School for Children with Learning Disabilities Department of Educational Psychology, University of Zululand, South Africa
- Senior Lecturer, and Head of the Orthopedagogics (Special Education Department) Division, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Zululand, South Africa.
- Part time Program Support Teacher for Provisionally Licensed Teachers of Students with Serious Emotional Disturbances, Evansville, IN
- Special Education teacher, elementary & middle school, Carrier Mills, Il.
- Special Education teacher, middle and high school, Carbondale, Il
- Special education teacher, elementary, Evansville, ID.
- General Education teacher: history, social studies, and religious studies, Empangeni high school, South Africa.
- Special Education Internship, Martin Luther King High School, East St Louis, MO.
- Consulted with the following: U.S. Office of Education: Office of Special Educations Programs (OSEP); U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS); Milwaukee Public Schools; Chicago Il Public Schools; Hillcrest, Alternative School, Kenosha Unified School District, Schools in Madison, WI, McFarland, WI; Manitowoc, WI, Whitewater WI, Elgin, Il, Streamwood, Il, Stoughton, Il, Marshall, MO, Evansville, IN, Terre Haute, IN, Gary, IN, West Allis, WI, Janesville, WI.
Selected Publications
- I have published several chapters in books, several articles in refereed journals, articles in commercial magazines, chapters in professional monographs, professional newsletters etc.
- Most of the articles are on culturally responsive practices with a focus on social emotional skills and classroom management. I have also published in the area of International special education.

