Ed 190 has transformed my life. From the moment I walked into the classroom on the first
day of spring semester my sophomore year, 2007, until this very moment that I reflect on how this educational experience has shaped my life, Ed 190 has given me the space to create and fulfill dreams beyond which I ever thought possible. Ed 190 has given me the courage to fully express myself as a leader, a learner, and an educator. It has provided me the space to truly find my voice and embrace my passion to change the world through education. Through my incredible interactions with hundreds of diverse UC Berkeley students from all walks of life, I have engaged in meaningful conversations that have already and will continue to create world change. During the three years that I facilitated the course as well as the semester that I first took the class as a student, the forty individuals that stepped foot into the classroom on the first day of class all 
left the course on the last day as one community, changed and inspired forever. The incredible conversations, life-long friendships, community projects, and strengthened passion that we experienced together within the walls of Ed 190 have never and will never be forgotten; in fact, the relationships and dialogue continue to expand and expand and expand. We are creating a movement. We are creating a movement to transform the education system so that students are not limited by the system but rather work together to create the system for themselves. We are creating a movement where students share their experiences, create strong connections, and leave completely and utterly motivated to make a difference in the world. We are building a community of critical thinkers, intellectual educators, and passionate leaders. We are seeking to provide this incredible educational opportunity for students across th
e country and around the world, so that transformation can happen everywhere and students can find their voice and share their passion through community. Ed 190 does not transform people, but rather provides a comfortable and safe space for transformation to happen on its own. In this space, all voices are listened to and respected and all people are loved and appreciated. Ed 190 is the source of community. It has given me access to finding my voice and embracing my passion to positively impact children through education. I now, six months after graduating UC Berkeley, am continuing to use the Ed 190 pedagogy and experiences to make an impact in young children’s lives. I am the first pre-kindergarten Teach for America teacher to create a full-day preschool program in an elementary school in San Francisco Unified School District. I educate my 4-year-olds with love and compassion, in the same way that I taught my students in Ed 190. The personal develo
pment and intellectual growth that I experienced within the Ed 190 classroom have impacted me in a way that extends beyond that which I can explain. Ed 190 provided me the opportunity to learn how to create a space for my children to learn and grow at their fullest potential. I walk into my classroom everyday, happier than the day before because I believe in my children more than I believe in myself. I now see the true value that education can and does have for children and their families, and am committed to creating a system that provides this type of quality education for all. Ed 190 has inspired me to believe that education is the answer to a better future, a better tomorrow. We just need to make it happen. And we are doing it now… -Ilana Nankin
Transformers
Class of 2009
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