Four former College of Education students have taken their teaching talents into the world, and are being recognized as the top-tier educators they are.
In memos sent out this past December, President Hirshman congratulated four College of Education alumni who received the Teacher of the Year award. Three of the teachers honored all teach in San Diego County, while a fourth was awarded the honor for the entire state of Hawaii.
Maria Teran-Cruz, Mary Goins, and Khamphet Pease all received the award for San Diego County. Teran-Cruz received her initial Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from SDSU in 1993. In 2001 Ms. Teran-Cruz also received a master's degree from SDSU in Education with a focus on Elementary Curriculum and Instruction. She was congratulated for her work teaching fourth-graders about contemporary social issues in a way that allowed them to formulate their own opinions.
Goins received her BA and initial Multiple Subject Credential from SDSU in 1992. She returned to SDSU to complete the Clear Multiple Subject program in 1997. She was recognized for her creativity and dedication to teaching visual arts and many other artistic techniques.
Pease received her initial Multiple Subject Credential from SDSU in 2004. As a STEM-focused educator, Pease earned the award for her techniques related to teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The fourth alumna honored was Catherine Caine, who was selected as the Hawaii State Teacher of the Year for 2015. Caine, a second-grade teacher, was widely lauded for her expertise in allowing her students to make a difference in the community. Being chosen from a selection of over 11,000 educators is no small feat, and Caine continues to set herself apart from the rest with the work she does both for her students and for the teachers she mentors.
Teran-Cruz, Goins, Pease, and Caine are just a few examples of the innumerable educators in the world that exemplify the top-tier education provided at SDSU. Our alumni continue to make great strides in the academic world and are now being recognized for their teaching talents.