Introduction Example: Kalfin

Instructor Introduction

Dr. Philip N. Kalfin has had an extensive and rewarding career in the field of educating exceptional students across the life cycle. He started his career as a special educator over forty years ago in the public schools of New York City working with students who were at that time labeled as severe behavior problems but are today recognized as students with emotional/behavioral disabilities. He moved to Florida in 1973 to pursue a master’s degree in special education as part of an early national cohort of special educators funded by the federal government. Teachers in this cohort were trained for the purpose of meeting the emerging personnel needs of the nation’s public schools created by the new federal law then known as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act.

After completing his graduate program, Dr. Kalfin taught for Miami-Dade Public Schools for several years as a teacher of varying exceptionalities eventually moving on with his education to be awarded a doctorate in special education administration from the University of Florida. After completion of this degree in the early 1980s, he spent the next twenty years of his career in the public schools of Florida as a special education teacher trainer, school administrator and district administrator. Also during this time, he served as adjunct faculty for several higher education institutions including Valencia Community College, South Florida Community College, and Nova Southeastern University.

By 2000, Dr. Kalfin had become the Director of Student Disability Services for the University of Central Florida where he served in that role for seven years until retiring at the end of 2007. During his time at the university, Dr. Kalfin also served as adjunct faculty in the College of Education teaching courses in special education and continues to serve in this role presently.

In a long career characterized as a practioner who has seen almost the entire spectrum of disabilities over a substantial period of the life cycle, Dr. Kalfin remains an advocate for students with disabilities. His advocacy is guided by the applicable state and federal laws enacted to protect individuals with disabilities, his compassion and his experience.