Student Testimonials
“I have encountered many classes and professors and countless assignments, yet few will have a material impact and even fewer will be recollected in years: with the exception, education 190”
“To me, the structure of this class worked really well. Paula always made us think critically and analytically. She exercised our minds rather than feeding us with useless less pertinent information…I have to say that I feel extremely privileged to have taken part of this class. I have learned and grown so much due to my experiences here. I will take what I have from Ed 190 and utilize the knowledge towards the further developments of my education, career, and life.”
“I’ve learned not to be a passive student. I feel like I have a place to change the system starting with how I’ve internalized my learning experiences. It doesn’t feel like a frustrating fight uphill. The path is sort of bumpy, but what I see is a place where my energy and vision for transformation can be applied.”
“Your class was more than Education 190…it was where I learned that I am not a victim of anything, I have Power and I now look forward to my days when I wake up.”
“I want to thank you for being the best teacher I will have at Cal...This is definitely a triumphant experience…I now know that education can spark a change in society."
“This is perhaps one of the most positively challenging classes on campus. It has ushered me into a new level of commitment to be a pro-active solution to the injustices around me.
“First and foremost, I would like to express something that I have heard repeated through the year by myself as well as many of us: This class is different from any other class I have taken in my entire life in that it stresses learning through methods of community building and self-evaluation, and as a result, I have changed into someone more open, more critical, more passionate about issues, more dedicated to working around social change, and of many other qualities that I never thought I was capable of.”
“Thanks for leading our class and showing us the true meaning of a democratic education. It is a class I will always remember and apply.”
“This is why I love Education 190. I believe that the structure of this course promotes dialogue and encourages us to build strong relationships and trust one another in the process. We learn from one another through open discussions and leadership building activities and realize the impact of community on society. We have built a community that is unbreakable and continues to grow”
“Education 190 is about re-defining what a classroom can be and what constitutes successful education. I believe that in our class we have re-learned not only our own experiences, but also the experiences of our classmates. Through this personal and relational model of education, we have been given the opportunity to gain a critical perspective, and I think that we have sharpened our ability to drop preconceived notions, remove our “filters”, and see our fellow citizens in a more thorough and thereby democratic way…The reflective nature of this course makes me think that it is not only relevant to future educators, but also to anyone who has ever been educated”
"Ed 190 promotes civil engagement and interaction between peers. I believe that this class is so successful and is considered a universal all-time favorite course by so many students because we have open communication and are able to learn from one another…the unusual classroom set-up is a test against normality. It questions the system, and in my view, provides many answers."
"I have noticed that I have done a lot of critical thinking on a regular basis about issues I would not usually think about outside of class. I think this kind of thinking is making me a better person and helping me move toward a place of social understanding within the world I live in."
“I really enjoy learning about how education has been impacting our lives and how we can positively transform our issues of concern. Instead of feeling hopeless with the issues that we as students face, I feel that this class is providing us with some essential tools to help us become stronger so that we can go out there and make changes.”
“One of the benefits of having a community like ours that is so open and honest with one another is that it allows us to throw out the political correctness that often hinders raw honesty between students, limiting learning potential. One way that we have done this is by allowing ourselves and others to be honest in evaluating who we are in community, the campus, and in America, and how our racial, social, economic and familial backgrounds have contributed to this.”
“From education 190, I have realized that I should open myself up to people who I would normally not associate with because not only is it a good learning experience but also, we all have many similarities and go through struggles that may create a meaningful and long lasting.”