School of Education

March 1st, 2020

To Whom It May Concern,

I am delighted to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of Alicia Sage. Alicia is currently

completing her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction at Cal Poly’s School of Education, where I am a
Professor of Teacher Education. In addition, she is also a full-time teacher at Fesler Jr. High School. I first
met Alicia four years ago when she was attaining her teaching credential. Throughout this time, I have
witnessed her develop into a culturally responsive educator, teacher-scholar, and student advocate.

In Fall 2016, Alicia was enrolled in Education (EDUC) 412: Access to Learning in a Pluralistic Society,
which I served as the professor. EDUC 412 is one of the more challenging courses in the Teacher
Education program. The course has students examine educational disparity, culturally responsive
teaching strategies, and develop a plan for creating an inclusive classroom. While many students initially
struggled to connect course readings and concepts to teaching practice, Alicia’s performance in the course
was outstanding. She was one of the top students in the class. Her participation displayed a serious
engagement with the course material and drew implications for her professional development as a
teacher. Her assignments and assessments demonstrated a robust capacity for theoretical analysis and
the ability to teach effectively to a diverse student body. In all, her performance in the course revealed a
serious commitment to her studies and an impressive degree of intellectual sophistication. The
coursework she submitted exemplified an ardent concern with developing as a teacher-scholar that
embodies Cal Poly’s motto of “learns by doing.”

After completing the program, I would often run into Alicia in various educational settings and also
provide mentorship. In one instance, I saw her present at the Social Justice Education Conference in
Santa Maria. Her presentation was dynamic and engaged the audience with a unit on culturally
responsive teaching. Around this time, we spoke of her interest in applying for the Masters in
Curriculum & Instruction. I was pleased yet not surprised to see her accepted into the program. What
did surprise me was how much she had grown as an educator. She was able to connect complex
educational theories and apply the concepts into her classroom. For example, in one assignment, she
developed a podcast to support the development of English Language Learners. The learning segment
had students research the linguistic capital of their family members in the form of an interactive podcast.
Not only did the lessons support her ELL students, but it also centered their families in the learning
process while engaging in critical media literacy. I currently use her assignment as an exemplar with my
current students.

It has been a pleasure to see Alicia grow these past four years. Throughout my time as faculty at Cal
Poly’s School of Education, she has been one of our top students, and best exemplifies our "Learn by
Doing" motto. It is for the reasons described above that I whole-heartedly recommend her for
employment. If I can be of further assistance in your evaluation of Alicia’s application, please feel free to
contact me.

Sincerely,

Oscar Navarro

Oscar Navarro Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Single Subject Credential Program
School of Education
California Polytechnic State University
osnavarr@calpoly.edu

California Polytechnic State University | San Luis Obispo | CA | 93407-0389 www.soe.calpoly.edu