The majority of his teaching years, Rick spent working with special needs children from 4 – 21 years old. He is currently a professor at Fanshawe College’s Child and Youth worker program and owns the consulting firm, <a href="http://www.rickharper.ca">Behavioural Management Systems</a>, which is dedicated to training parents to assess and manage their children’s behavioural problems. Rick and his wife Marlene have 2 grown children and have been long-time foster parents, opening their home to many special needs children. One of Rick’s regular practices is taking theories developed by academics and developing practical ways to implement them in ordinary homes and classrooms.