The Road is Never Straight - CSUSB Magazine - California State ...

COLLEGE NEWS
Patricia Arlin, dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Education
CULTURAL IMMERSION
DISCIPLINE — In a rural public elementary school
in Atlacomulco, Mexico, a Bilingual Crosscultural
Language and Academic Development credential
student, Eric Lowy, worked with 5th graders.
BCLAD students such as Eric are placed in city
schools, where teacher-to-student ratios are
1-to-60 and discipline problems are rare.
An
aspiring
teacher,
Annie
Goddard
thought it
important to
be bilingual in
her desired profession.
But the
Cal State San
Bernardino Spanish major soon
realized that a university setting
would not be enough.
She wanted something that
would encourage intensive language
study.
She found the College of Education’s
BCLAD (Bilingual Crosscultural Language and
Academic Development) credential program, the only
out-of-state teacher preparation program approved by the California
Commission on Teacher Credentialing and offered at 10 CSU campuses,
including CSUSB. In BCLAD, Goddard would have the opportunity
to study and speak the language daily with the host families and the students
whom she taught.
BCLAD provides an international student teaching experience for
students seeking multiple-subject teaching credentials. The yearlong program
combines education coursework conducted in California and
Mexico with cultural immersion and intensive language study in Mexico.
Eligibility for the program requires strong academic skills, personal
maturity, commitment to the teaching profession and the freedom to
spend a year abroad. Living in Mexico can be a cultural shock for many,
so selection and training are intense. Students are eligible for financial
aid, because the BCLAD program is a regular credential program. And
because the teaching is in Spanish, students must have successfully completed
at least one intermediate college-level Spanish course or have
equivalent skills.
All the CSU students study together as a cohort group, first at a summer
orientation in San Diego, then at the fall semester in Queretaro,
Mexico. Nena Torrez, a CSUSB language, literacy and culture department
faculty member, has served five years as the CSUSB program coordinator.
“Students observe and participate with children in a private,
bilingual, city school named JFK where instruction is in English and
Spanish,” Torrez said. “Then, they are placed in city schools, which have
teacher-to-student ratios of 1- to-60.” Students are also provided a threeweek
intensive experience at an isolated village school.
Marjorie McCabe, a professor
in the special education
department, received a
$345,000 grant for
Alternative Certification in
Special Education funded by
the California Commission on
Teacher Credentialing. The
grant pays for 133 interns to
complete the two-year professional
clear credential in
the mild/moderate disabilities
(MMD) program while they
teach full time in special education
classrooms.
■
Amy Leh of the science, math
and technology department
at CSUSB is now president of
the International Division of
the Association of
Educational Communications
and Technology (AECT).
The organization encourages
practice and research in educational
communication for
social and economic development
across national and cultural
lines. Also from the science,
math and technology
department, Herb
Brunkhorst has been elected
to the rank of AAAS Fellow.
The AAAS is the American
Association for the
Advancement of Science.
Brunkhorst, the department
chair, is being honored for
“distinguished contributions
to science education as a
leader in bringing fresh ideas
and new approaches to the
preparation and development
of science teachers.”
QUICK TAKES
Barbara Flores from the language,
literacy and culture
department was one of the
founding members of the
executive board of the
National Latino/a Research
Agenda Project in 2003. This
project’s focus is on research
and school reform to
improve academic outcomes
and life chances of Latino/a
students, families and communities.
Students spend the spring semester student teaching in assigned
schools in Queretaro while continuing their education coursework. Then
the students return to California to a school site in Chula Vista to finish
their coursework and to create a capstone portfolio showcase to present
to new cohort groups to help them understand expectations of the program.
Goddard planned to be an elementary teacher, but was offered a job
teaching high school English instead. “I got the job over other applicants
because of my BCLAD credential,” she said. “I now teach sophomore
English and remedial reading classes. The program helped because I
learned elementary reading strategies that remedial high school students
need, as many are at that level.”
■
The Illinois State University
Alumni inducted Irvin
Howard, an education leadership
and curriculum professor,
into its Alumni Hall of
Fame for his contributions in
the area of early adolescent
education, middle grades
reform, anti-bullying policies
and global education.
■
A program that will train
teachers to work with infants,
toddlers and preschoolers
who have disabilities, as well
as how to work with the
families of these children, has
been funded by a state grant.
Currently, there are 35 students
in the early childhood
special education program,
which was started by special
education faculty member
Ann Selmi.
Spring/Summer 2004
11
CSUSB