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 three-week intensive
experience at an isolated village school.
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.”
Quick Takes
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.”
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.
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.
CULTURAL IMMERSION — 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.
