STE’s Ginsberg Earns Classroom Excellence Honor

By Michael Klitzing

It was early in his career as a high school English teacher in the early 2000s that Eric Ginsberg had something of an epiphany. He observed how his students at Helix Charter High School in La Mesa talked about hip-hop music — particularly the enthusiasm with which they consumed and analyzed artists’ lyrics.

He realized it was something powerful that he needed to harness.

Bilingual Education Program Earns National Honor

By Michael Klitzing

San Diego State University has been honored by a Latinx education and policy consortium for its success in meeting community needs for bilingual educators.

The National Latino Education Research and Policy Program (NLERAPP) — a consortium of universities and community-based organizations — selected SDSU as one of four National Grow Your Own Model of Education sites. The designation recognizes the work of SDSU’s Department of Dual-Language and English Learner Education (DLE), which has recently grown into the largest bilingual credential program in the nation.

Project FORECAST Trainings Build Connections Between Faculty, Partners

SDSU faculty and partners take part in a Project FORECAST trauma-informed training. Photo by Nolan Voge.

By Michael Klitzing

During the first week of spring semester classes, several San Diego State University faculty members — along with their community partners — were the ones receiving an education. The topic: trauma-informed child advocacy.

Sixty participants from across SDSU and other local agencies gathered at the Chinese Cultural Center Jan. 22-24 for the Project FORECAST trauma-informed learning collaborative. The free training — brought to campus by Dr. Audrey Hokoda, Senate Distinguished Professor at San Diego State University in the Department of Child and Family Development (CFD) — provided three days of interactive problem-based learning simulations designed to build the skills needed to effectively work with children and families exposed to traumatic stress.

Six Things I Learned Studying Abroad in Nepal

Obed Morales Betanzo (left) with classmates and local students in Nepal.

From Jan. 4-18, Obed Morales Betanzo was one of 20 San Diego State University students who visited Kathmandu, Nepal as part of a College of Education study abroad program. Led by Dr. Jacki Booth and Dr. Alyson Shapiro from the Department of Child and Family Development (CFD), the program explored both the Nepalese school system as well as historic and cultural sites. Below, Obed provides six observations on his perspective-altering experience in the Himalayas.

Community-Based Block Alumna Makes Difference at SDSU as EOP Counselor

As a graduate student at San Diego State University, Michelle Cadena (’11) immersed herself in multicultural community counseling and social justice education through COE’s Community-Based Block program (CBB). Today, she’s still at SDSU — and still committed to making a positive difference.

Since 2017, Michelle has been a counselor in Educational Opportunity Program and Ethnic Affairs (EOP), providing academic, career and personal counseling to SDSU students from low income backgrounds and historically underserved communities. She’s part of a team that recently won a Presidential Staff Excellence Award for their work to support students in the Guardian Scholars Program, which serves current or former foster youth, wards of the court, individuals under legal guardianship or unaccompanied homeless youth. We chatted with Michelle about what motivates her work and how her COE experience shaped her.

COE News in Brief

Accomplishments, awards, events and more — here’s a glance at a few things you may have missed in the College of Education since our last issue:

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Manny Uribe

You may know Manny Uribe as COE’s web and multimedia specialist — and all-around Swiss army knife. But did you know he’s also a San Diego-raised Trekkie who nearly became a teacher? Find out more about Manny in this edition of 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Faculty and Staff!

PODCAST: President's Fireside Charla Features Autism Research of Dr. Jessica Suhrheinrich

Dr. Jessica Suhrheinrich, assistant professor in special education, was featured in a Fireside Charla podcast with San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre. Listen to learn more about Suhrheinrich's work to improve learning environments for children with autism.

Listen to Fireside Charla.