Category Archives: Community Engaged

Educators of Impact | Tiffany Lo

With the COVID-19 crisis making it abundantly clear the critical role that educators play in our society, Lurie College is recognizing SJSU Educators of Impact who have made a transformative difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.  Learn more about SJSU Alumni Tiffany Lo below.  To nominate an SJSU graduate who is an Educator of Impact, please complete this brief Google form.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Educator of Impact Tiffany Lo

“Tiffany is a Junior Preschool (Toddler) Lead Teacher at Gateway Child Development Center — an offsite program of the YMCA of SF. She is one out of the handful YMCA of SF staff who has been providing emergency child care services to those in need during this pandemic. I believe she is not only an amazing teacher but I consider her a front liner as well. She is waking up every morning ready to welcome the children of essential workers and take care of them while their parents take care of us and the community. She ensures that the children and staff that is at our Y Pop – Up Care is well taken care of and is in a safe, clean and healthy environment. She is truly making a big impact to our community as a front line educator!”

Lurie College Recognizes Local Future Educators

Each year at SJSU, the Lurie College of Education hosts the Celebration of Teaching. During the Spring 2020 semester, we asked local middle school teachers, high school teachers, community college faculty, and SJSU faculty to nominate students that have the qualities that would make them an outstanding future educator. Congratulations to the 64 nominees who have been recognized and awarded with a $1000 scholarship towards any Lurie College credential program!

  • 0:04 – Remarks from Dean Heather Lattimer
  • 3:29 – Middle school awardees
  • 4:54 – High school awardees
  • 7:04 – Community college and partner awardees
  • 9:34 – San Jose State awardees

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – brianpdooley.com. “Adventure” “Going Higher” “Once Again” and “Summer” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Attend the Lurie College MA in Special Education Research Presentations

Join us on Tuesday, May 12, from 7-8:30 on Zoom at https://sjsu.zoom.us/j/92109854969 to learn from 8 graduate students in our Department of Special Education as they present their thesis research!

  • Nathaly Cisneros-Mendoza: “Perceptions of Latino/a parents when accessing services for their child with autism”
  • Marissa Richers: “Cerebral Palsy: The impacts on a child’s motor and social development”
  • Monica Gonzalez: “The effect of a graphic organizer intervention on math word problem solving skills for English language learners with high incidence disabilities”
  • Dilkash Ahmed: “Teacher perceptions of assistive technology classroom implementation”
  • Ashley Highsmith: “The disproportionality of black students in special education”
  • Madison Henry: “Homeschooling vs public schooling: Decisions to homeschool children with special needs”
  • Elizabeth Sanchez: “The effect of culture on parent involvement in special education”
  • Fatema Rahim: “Impact of South Asian cultural views on parents of children with special needs”

MA in Special Ed Research Presentations

Join us for a Conversation with Fulbright Scholar Dr. Armen Mkrtchyan

You’re invited to join the Lurie College Department of Child and Adolescent Development on Friday, May 15, at 12pm for a conversation with Fulbright Scholar Dr. Armen Mkrtchyan.  During the conversation, he will discuss Armenian teenagers and aspects of their behavior (eating, risk, sexual), health, socio-emotional habits, and mental health.  Dr. Mkrtchyan is a lecturer at Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia.  Join the webinar on the day of at https://sjsu.zoom.us/j/93892115530.

This event is co-sponsored by the SJSU Armenian Students Association and the Lurie College of Education Department of Child & Adolescent Development.

Conversation with Fulbright Scholar Dr. Armen Mkrtchyan

Special Education Intern Feature: Jessica Celeridad

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way that our society functions. This is especially true at all levels of education. At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, our faculty and staff have been challenged to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities for our students. Many of our Lurie College students are also in teaching positions and student support positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. In this video series, we would like to give a special shoutout to Jessica Celeridad and all of the other Special Education Intern students who are supporting students with special needs remotely. Learn more about Jessica through this conversation with Lurie College faculty member Lisa Simpson.

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – http://brianpdooley.com. “Going Higher” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Educators of Impact | Mario Rocha

With the COVID-19 crisis making it abundantly clear the critical role that educators play in our society, Lurie College is recognizing SJSU Educators of Impact who have made a transformative difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.  Learn more about Mario Rocha below.  To nominate an SJSU graduate who is an Educator of Impact, please complete this brief Google form.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Educator of Impact Mario Rocha

“Mr. Mario Rocha joined the O.B. Whaley Elementary School staff during the 2019-20 school year as a Resource Specialist Teacher.  Immediately, he was a perfect fit for our student population, a diverse Title 1 school.  He created an inviting learning environment where students easily made connections with him and felt his genuine love for them.  Within weeks of him as the school’s new resource teacher, student absenteeism improved, students made academic gains, and students enjoyed school!  Mr. Rocha is one of a kind, and we are so fortunate to have him as an educator.”

Special Education Intern Feature: Rosa Gonzalez

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way that our society functions. This is especially true at all levels of education. At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, our faculty and staff have been challenged to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities for our students. Many of our Lurie College students are also in teaching positions and student support positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. In this video series, we would like to give a special shoutout to Rosa Gonzalez and all of the other Special Education Intern students who are supporting students with special needs remotely. Learn more about Rosa through this conversation with Lurie College faculty member Lisa Simpson.

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – http://brianpdooley.com. “Going Higher” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Educators of Impact | Derica Malaca

With the COVID-19 crisis making it abundantly clear the critical role that educators play in our society, Lurie College is recognizing SJSU Educators of Impact who have made a transformative difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.  Learn more about Derica Malaca below.  To nominate an SJSU graduate who is an Educator of Impact, please complete this brief Google form.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Educator of Impact Derica Malaca

“Derica is helping families and individuals stay certain during this uncertain time through her work as an administrator for the YMCA of SF and as a Financial Educator for World System Builder.  Her work at the YMCA of SF has really helped the organization as they set up Pop – Up Child Care Services for our essential workers in the community.  She is going out of her way to ensure that families in her community are staying connected and informed with the different newsletters that she sends out weekly!  She offers a hand when needed as a front-line teacher as the Y welcomes more kids at their centers while their parents are out helping the community.  As a financial educator, she works night and day to ensure that everyone’s financial future is taken care of.  She has been holding daily Zoom conferences educating families and individuals about their personal finances and doing what she can to share her knowledge and give clarity to those who have lost their jobs, wealth and security.  Derica is an educator of impact by helping all walks of life, one day at a time.”

Special Education Intern Feature: Rachel Mein

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the way that our society functions. This is especially true at all levels of education. At the SJSU Lurie College of Education, our faculty and staff have been challenged to create accessible and equitable educational opportunities for our students. Many of our Lurie College students are also in teaching positions and student support positions at the K-12 and higher education levels. In this video series, we would like to give a special shoutout to Rachel Mein and all of the other Special Education Intern students who are supporting students with special needs remotely. Learn more about Rachel through this conversation with Lurie College faculty member Lisa Simpson.

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley – http://brianpdooley.com. “Going Higher” provided royalty free by bensound.com

Educators of Impact | Connie L. Lurie

With the COVID-19 crisis making it abundantly clear the critical role that educators play in our society, Lurie College is recognizing SJSU Educators of Impact who have made a transformative difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.  Learn more about Connie L. Lurie below.  To nominate an SJSU graduate who is an Educator of Impact, please complete this brief Google form.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Educator of Impact Connie L. Lurie

Connie L. Lurie’s commitment to education has had a tremendous impact on both San José State University and the Bay Area as a whole. Her dedication to the university and her philanthropic spirit exemplify the ideals of the College of Education and San José State University.

Connie graduated from San José State with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and psychology in 1964. She taught in elementary schools on the Monterey Peninsula for six years and later ventured into real estate investment. In her heart, Connie has always been an educator. She established the Guardian Scholars program, which provides support and mentorship to former foster youths at SJSU and endowed the university’s Lurie Author-in-Residence program, which attracts renowned national and international authors to serve as distinguished visiting scholars for one or two semesters. She launched Spartans in the Desert Golf Tournament and Dinner, which brought SJSU faculty and alumni together for a weekend of events in Palm Desert for thirteen years. In May 2013, Connie served as SJSU’s commencement speaker and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the California State University System. On May 4, 2007, the SJSU Connie L. Lurie College of Education was named in her honor.

Beyond SJSU, Connie is involved in many worthwhile education-focused causes throughout the Bay Area and California. She has served on numerous boards, including the San Francisco Zoological Society, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, Strive for College and California State Parks Foundation. She has been active with The Living Desert, Kipp Schools, Aim High, and United Religions International. She’s championed summer science camps for kids through the Boys and Girls Club of Coachella Valley and was awarded their Champion of Youth Award in 2019. Connie is particularly proud of the role that she has played in connecting non profits so that they can work together to benefit children and youth.

With her dedication to education, leadership in promoting access to higher education, charitable giving, and longstanding support of the university, Connie L. Lurie is an outstanding “Educator of Impact.”

Watch the Faces of Learning Student Researcher Panel

During the Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 semesters, a group of SJSU undergraduate student researchers met with students across campus to get a deeper understanding of their learning experiences and then utilized photography and narrative to shine a light on those students’ learning experiences.

Watch this virtual Student Researcher Panel to learn from those who were most involved in this project and visit http://sjsu.edu/education/faces to view their student-curated exhibition.

Student Spotlight: Anthony Zelaya-Umanzor

Congratulations to Anthony Zelaya-Umanzor, graduate student in the Lurie College Department of Counselor Education, who recently earned the James William Allen Service Scholarship from the H.B. McDaniel Foundation. Watch this video to learn about his professional goals related to service in the field of school counseling!

Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life! Video edited by Brian Cheung Dooley. “Adventure” provided royalty free by bensound.com

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Project Coordinator Briettny

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to graduate student Briettny Curtner for sharing her experience with us!  When asked about what motivated her to participate, she said, “This project was my first hands-on experience with qualitative research. It provided the opportunity for me to support students, learn a methodology, and curate authentic representation of each Spartan who shared their learning story with us.”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Lurie College of Educaiton Counselor Education Department Graduate Student Briettny Curtner

– Name: Briettny Curtner
– Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
– Year and Major / Minor: Second Year, Graduate Student / Education, Counseling and Student Personnel
– Fun Fact / Hobby: I have been to 13 states!
– What motivated you to participate in this project? This project was my first hands-on experience with qualitative research. It provided the opportunity for me to support students, learn a methodology, and curate authentic representation of each Spartan who shared their learning story with us.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Sydney Ahmadian.

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Co-Researcher Isabel

The Faces of Learning Project is an arts-based research initiative designed to elicit student voices to provide insights into learning experiences at SJSU. Huge thanks to undergraduate student Isabel Rangel Hernandez for sharing her experience with us!  When asked what one of her biggest takeaways from the project was, she said “listening to other students’ stories and learning how different their experiences were.”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Faces of Learning Isabel Rangel Herhandez

– Name: Isabel Rangel Hernandez
– Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
– Year and Major / Minor: 5th year, Child and Adolescent Development with a Preparation into teaching major
– Fun Fact / Hobby: I’ve been dancing Folklorico for over 10 years.
– What motivated you to participate in this project? I learned the process of conducting qualitative research: learning how to be respectful and authentic to my friends who are also the participant and how to honor their narrative and their experience.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Syney Ahmadian.

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Co-Researcher Edith

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to undergraduate student Edith Urbano for sharing her experience with us!  When asked what she learned about herself during this project, she said “I really enjoyed hearing my fellow peers and other students’ stories.  As a fellow student myself, it was reassuring to know that we all go through the same struggles and experience our own little victories.”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Faces of Learning Edith Urbano

– Name: Edith Urbano Ixta
– Pronouns: she/her
– Year and Major / Minor: Child and Adolescent Development major,  Sociology of Education minor
– Fun Fact / Hobby: Fun fact: I am left-handed. Hobby: I love going thrifting with my friends.
– What motivated you to participate in this project? I was motivated to be part of this project to bring the stories of students to life and put faces to the statistics that come from the school.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Syney Ahmadian.

Attend Our Teacher Residency Program Info Session

Are you pursuing a career in teaching because you want to serve diverse students in a high-needs school district?  Are you planning to student teaching Fall 2020 – Spring 2021?  If so, then join us on Wednesday, April 29, at 4:00pm via Zoom for our teacher residency program info session!

If you are interested in the teacher residency program but can’t attend the meeting, contact Prof. David Whitenack at david.whitenack@sjsu.edu.  If and when you are ready to apply to the teacher residency program, in addition to applying to the credential program (if you aren’t already admitted or enrolled), you’ll need to complete this supplementary application.

Attend the Lurie College Critical Bilingual Authorization Program Speaker Series

Join us on Friday, May 1, from 4-5pm for a conversation with Dr. Tomás Galguera, Professor at Mills College, about Language Over Language: Explorations of Pedagogical Language Knowledge (PLK).  This event is part of the SJSU Lurie College of Education CBAP Speaker Series and you can RSVP for the Zoom event at tinyurl.com/CBAPspeakerseries.

SJSU Lurie College of Education CBAP Speaker series 3 Dr. Tomás Galguera PLK

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Co-Researcher Alberto

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to undergraduate student Alberto Camacho for sharing his experience with us! When asked about what motivated him to participate, he said, “I firmly believe in the power of testimonio as a form of teaching. Testimonio brings in an entirely different perspective to the classroom by creating a community; similarly this project allows for Spartans to share their experience at SJSU and through Testimonio, create an even more welcoming community here on campus. ”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Faces of Learning Alberto Camacho 2

– Name: Alberto Camacho
– Pronouns: El/He/Him/His
– Year and Major / Minor: Graduating 4th year / English Major — Chicana/o Studies Minor
– Fun Fact / Hobby: I dance Folkloriko with Grupo Luna y Sol de San José. — I love to write!
– What motivated you to participate in this project? I firmly believe in the power of testimonio as a form of teaching. Testimonio brings in an entirely different perspective to the classroom by creating a community; similarly this project allows for Spartans to share their experience at SJSU and through Testimonio, create an even more welcoming community here on campus.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Sydney Ahmadian.

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Co-Researcher Eliana

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to undergraduate student Eliana Villafuerte for sharing her experience with us! When asked about what motivated her to participate, she said, “I really wanted to experience being in a research team. While also being part of a cause to help spread and let others around the community hear student voices.”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Faces of Learning Eliana Villafuerte

– Name: Eliana Villafuerte
– Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
– Year and Major / Minor: 4th year, Linguistics major, Chicana/o Studies minor
– Fun Fact / Hobby: I love doing my makeup, and experimenting with different color eyeshadows
– What motivated you to participate in this project? I really wanted to experience being in a research team. While also being part of a cause to help spread and let others around the community hear student voices.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Sydney Ahmadian.

Lurie College Student and Faculty Published in Multilingual Educator Journal

Congratulations to Teacher Education Department graduate student Danielle Patenaude and faculty member Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz, whose respective articles “Classroom Translanguaging: Building Identity and Agency” and “¿Qué español debo enseñar en mi clase? Permanezcamos en silencio, escuchemos, apreciemos y aprendamos” were recently published in the spring issue of the California Association for Bilingual Education’s (CABE) Multilingual Educator.  Give the articles a read at https://bit.ly/2RU2npY.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Education Graduate Student Danielle Patenaude

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Education Faculty Eduardo Munoz-Munoz

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Co-Researcher Octavio

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to undergraduate student Octavio Martinez for sharing his experience with us! When asked about what motivated him to participate, he said, “I love getting to know people and understanding what makes them function the way they do. What at their core makes them, them. This project opens the opportunity for that.”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Faces of Learning Octavio Martinez

– Name: Octavio Martinez
– Year and Major / Minor: Senior, Design Studies major, Human Systems Integration minor
– Hobby: A fun hobby that I like to partake in is Muay-Thai fighting
– What motivated you to participate in this project? I love getting to know people and understanding what makes them function the
way they do. What at their core makes them, them. This project opens the opportunity for that.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Brian Cheung Dooley. “Upbeat party” by Scott Holmes provided royalty free by freemusicarchive.com

Attend the Lurie College NSSLHA Virtual Happy Hours

The SJSU Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Chapter is hosting a series of virtual happy hours for the remainder of the semester!  If you are a Communicative Disorders & Sciences students, you should have received the links to participate in these events in your email.

  • Fri., Apr. 17, 4pm | Crafty Happy Hour
  • Wed., Apr. 22, 3pm | Grad Application Panel
  • Fri., May 1, 4pm | Yoga & Pets Happy Hour
  • Fri., May 15, 4pm | QuaranTEA Party & Trivia

SJSU Lurie College NSSLHA Happy Hour Series

SJSU Faces of Learning Project | Meet Co-Researcher Dalia

The Lurie College Faces of Learning Project shines a light on SJSU students’ learning experiences – huge thanks to undergraduate student Dalia Hernandez for sharing her experience with us!  When asked what she learned from this project, she said, “What I learned from this project is how diverse everyone’s experience is.  Whether it’s because of their background or because of their major, everybody had a different experience here [at San Jose State University].”

Visit sjsu.edu/education/faces to view the student-curated photo exhibition and RSVP to attend our student panel on Thu., Apr. 30, at 12pm.

SJSU Faces of Learning Dalia Hernandez

– Name: Dalia Hernandez
– Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
– Year and Major / Minor: Senior, Behavioral Science major, Applied
Computing for Behavioral and Social Science (ACBSS) minor
– Fun Fact / Hobby: Fun fact is that I visited two new states last year which were Tennessee and New York.
– What motivated you to participate in this project? What motivated me was an eagerness to gain research experience and participate in advocating for student voices. This project gave me the chance to learn about different perspectives that each student has and gave me a chance to capture and share it.

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Connect with Lurie College at https://linktr.ee/sjsulurie to receive more news about academic and student life.  Audio edited by Brian Cheung Dooley. “Upbeat party” by Scott Holmes provided royalty free by freemusicarchive.com

Watch the Lurie College Faculty Research Symposium

Watch the recording from our Faculty Research Symposium, which took place on Friday, April 10, and showcased SJSU Lurie College faculty and the impact of their research! Presenters in this symposium included:

  • Eduardo Muñoz-Muñoz, PhD | Assistant Professor, Department of Teacher Education | “Targeting linguistic targets: Academic English, Standard English, and ideologies among preservice teachers” | Presentation starts at 5:34
  • Nadia Sorkhabi, PhD | Professor, Department of Child & Adolescent Development | “Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parenting Style and Emerging Adults’ Academic Achievement: Self-construal, Self-esteem, and Parental Psychological Control as Mediators” | Presentation starts at 32:19
  • Shawn Vecellio, PhD | Lecturer, Department of Teacher Education | “Using Clearness Committees to Address Teacher Candidates’ Critical Incidents” | Presentation starts at 1:05:39

#IBelongAtLurieCollege | Justine Vuong

What provides you with a sense of belonging at Lurie College?  Is it your drive to become a transformative educator, counselor, therapist, school or community leader?  A faculty member, advisor, your friends or student groups?  The events and culture?  Share with us on Instagram by tagging @sjsulurie and using the hashtag #IBelongAtLurieCollege in your caption or email us at brian.cheungdooley@sjsu.edu so we can share uplifting stories from our community.  Learn about Justine Vuong, Department of Child and Adolescent Development alumni and Department of Teacher Education credential student, and what provides her with a sense of belonging!

“I’ve been to countless schools throughout my life and can say with absolute certainty that the love and support I’ve found in my peers, advisors, professors, and deans here are truly unparalleled to anything I’ve experienced anywhere else. It was here where I not only found my voice, but felt empowered enough to *actually* use it to advocate for myself, for others, and more importantly, for the greater good within my community. This has been invaluable in my work as a preservice teacher because I’ve learned how to become a champion for my students (and their families, too). Above all, though, it’s the relationships I’ve made here that I’m most thankful for – and it’s been a real privilege to be part of the Lurie College family.  What provides you with a sense of belonging at our college?”

SJSU Lurie College of Education Teacher Eduation Department student Justine Vuong