Dr. Cristina Alfaro

Assistant Professor, Credential Coordinator-Multiple Subject Dr. Cristina Alfaro teaches courses in the bilingual BCLAD MS credential program, M.A. degree program, and coordinates the Mexico MS BCLAD program.

Cristina Alfaro earned her Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University San Diego State University, joint program. She is also a graduate of the Public Scholars Program. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Policy Studies in Language and Cross-Cultural Education at San Diego State University, in California. Her background as an elementary biliteracy teacher and administrator, in linguistically and culturally diverse communities, has served her well in directing teacher preparation programs in both California and Mexico.

She is a critical literacy/biliteracy professor, who teaches in a teacher preparation program where the majority of her students are immigrants or children of immigrants, speak English as a second language, and tend to be first generation college students. Her research interests center on the education of immigrant students through deliberative pedadgogy, global pedagogy, and biliteracy practices. As a teacher researcher she has examined the role of teachers’ educational, ideological, and political clarity related to teaching practices for linguistically and culturally diverse students.

She is the director of the CSU International Teacher Professional Development Program where California teachers earn their certification for the Bilingual Cross-Cultural and Language Academic Development (BCLAD).