Escobar-Hamilton, Dolores A.
Date Updated
12-2010
Department
Elementary Education
Academic Rank
Professor and Dean Emerita
Year Retired from SJSU
1998
Educational Background
University of California, Los Angeles, 1950, B.A., Elem Ed Interdeptmental: Hist; Geog; English (Phi Beta Kappa)
University of California, Los Angeles, 1957, M.Ed., Curriculum, Admin, Supervision
University of California, Los Angeles, 1962, Ed.D., Social Foundations of Education
Teaching Experience
Los Angeles Unified Schools - classroom teacher 1950-1951
UCLA Lab School - Demonstration Teacher/Supervisor 1951-1955
UCLA - Instructor 1960-1962
CSU-Northridge - Assistant, Associate, Full Professor 1962-1984
Administrative and Professional Experience
Dean, SJSU College of Education 1988-1998; Associate Dean, CSUN College of Education 1984-1988.
National President, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education 1995-1996; National Board Member AACTE 1988-1994; National Commission on Teaching and America's Future 1994-1996; National Board Member, National Center for Learning Disabilities 1989-1995; Charter Member California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Committee on Accreditation 1994-1997; Accreditation Evaluation Teams: WASC and National Commission on Teacher Accreditation 1996-2008; Director; Title VII Bilingual Teacher Training Grants; Director N.D.E.A. Institute on the Role of Minority Groups in American History (1967) 1976-1982; Fellow: CSU Administrative Fellowship 1975-1976.
President of General Faculty, CSUN, 1974-1975; President of SJSU Emeritus Faculty 2000-2001.
Selected Publications
Textbooks:
Social Studies Instruction at the University Elementary School, UCLA, University of California Press, 1965.
The Challenge of Teaching Mexican-American Students, American Book Company, New York, 1973.
Book Chapters and Essays:
Essay, “School Violence, A Close Look,” Leading a Profession, Defining Moments in the AACTE Agenda, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Washington, DC, 2005.
Chapter, “Communities within Community,” Teachers and Teacher Education: Essays on National Education Goals, (With C. Mukhopadhyay) Eric Clearinghouse on Teacher Education AACTE, 1993.
Editor/Chapter: “Language Acquisition, A Central Issue in Minority Education,” California Council on the Education of Teachers, Claremont Graduate School of Education, 1984.
Chapter: “Environmental Stress and Politics—Issues Affecting Schools,” History, Cultures and Current Problems of Ethnic Minorities, Los Angeles Unified Schools, 1974.
Chapter: “Developing Curriculum for the Chicano Student,” Mexican-Americans and the Public Schools, Desegregation Project, Boise State University,1974.
Chapter: “The Bilingual Child Learns to Read,” A Reading Monograph, California State College Press, 1970.
Chapter: “Group Concepts in Educational Practice in the United States,” Socialization and the Group Concept, the International Scene, Ed. Ernst Meyer, Stuttgart, Germany, 1962.
Files
Personal Commentary
The exercise of preparing this biography for the Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association, SJSU, has provided an opportunity for me to reflect over my 43 years in education. I realized that, over-all, it has been a wonderful journey characterized by creativity, variety, accomplishment, recognition and satisfaction.
My career has enabled me to focus on areas meaningful to me, personally; that is, the education of ethnic minorities, language acquisition and bilingual education, social studies and civic education, equity, diversity, and access to the “good life.” My publications and other creative efforts reflect these interests; they speak to cultural differences and needs, but never advocate the sacrifice of excellence and achievement in meeting those needs.
Teaching has always provided the foundation for other activities. I was fortunate to have solid teacher preparation at U.C.L.A. and classroom experience at the University Elementary Laboratory School that stretched both the imagination and intellect. The support in my home life enabled me to pursue graduate education and move into university teaching where I might more easily balance career and family responsibilities.
At the university level, horizons expanded exponentially. Leadership qualities evolved from directorships of federally funded programs to prepare teachers, participation in the “CSU Administrative Fellowship Program,” election to the Academic Senate and President of the Academic Senate at CSUN, Associate Dean of the College of Education at CSUN and, eventually, Dean of the College of Education at SJSU.
Hard work and acceptance of leadership roles led to considerable personal and professional recognition. Scholarship at the undergraduate level was recognized by my election to Phi Beta Kappa, and at the graduate level by receiving The Corinne Seeds Fellowship, as well as publication of my dissertation by the California Press. Professional recognition took many forms: Chairperson of the CSU Deans of Education; charter member of the California State Committee on Accreditation; member of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future; National Center for Learning Disabilities Advisory Board. A highlight of recognition as a teacher educator was representing over 700 institutions involved in teacher preparation as the President of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. This brought prominence to San Jose State’s College of Education as I carried the theme of “Equity, Access, and Excellence” throughout the nation and abroad through speaking engagements and writings.
Finally, this career has provided me great satisfaction in at least three major areas. First, I have stayed long enough in leadership roles to realize changes and provide direction to the organizations I’ve served (four years as an Associate Dean and ten years as a Dean). Second, I have had the opportunity to teach young, enthusiastic learners of all ages. They, in turn, kept me motivated and learning. Third, I have spent decades in the company of colleagues whose intellectual vigor has challenged and nourished my own. Most important, from all these levels of association, I can identify friends of long standing. Fortunately my participation in the Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association of SJSU has enabled me to continue these relationships.