What they're saying about the BTEP experience

Check out what our alums and school site administrators have to say about the Berkeley Teacher Education Program (BTEP).

Hazar Eldick, M.A. '23

I feel incredibly fortunate to have gone through the Berkeley Teacher Education Program (BTEP) and to now be part of its alumni community. Throughout both the preservice program and alumni support, community responsive teaching has remained at the forefront of my experience. … What has had the greatest lasting impact on me is how deeply my instructors and mentors invested in my learning. Their observations and feedback always felt supportive rather than evaluative because they had taken the time to build genuine relationships with me.

Diana Martinez Padilla, M.A. '25

I leave BTEP more grounded in who I am and empowered to create the kind of learning opportunities that can change the world.

Nicole Straley, M.A. '23

What this program offered me was a unique invitation to critically and compassionately examine the multidimensional elements that form “the self” from which all acts of service emerge. Each educator, through their varied frameworks and pedagogies, supported me through the excavation of my complex history, my conflicting values, my competing identities and the tacit assumptions I’ve inherited from a culture I am deeply mired in and inseparable from. There is no doubt in my mind that this journey into both self and social awareness–however heartbreaking at times– has steered my development into a person who teaches from the better rather than the worst parts of who I am–the parts that are most authentic, human centered, and responsive to the complexities of what is means to be an individual within a social context.

Maria Lopez, M.A. '24

Even after graduating, I engaged with other BTEP alumni during an Action Research Inquiry where I received actionable, timely feedback about my teaching practice and interventions. Truly, BTEP has helped me keep the spirit of a research-practitioner alive to identify growth areas in my teaching and make appropriate data-based decisions.

Jameelah Johnson, M.A. '23

BTEP did more than prepare me to teach; it affirmed my purpose. It reminded me that teaching is sacred work rooted in reflection, community, and love. It taught me that joy is a form of resistance and that the way we show up for children matters. I carry those lessons into my classroom every day, hoping every child leaves knowing they belong, they matter, and they are deeply valued. For that, I will always be grateful.

Iván Vega, M.A. '26

My experience in BTEP has taught me that growing as an educator should never happen in isolation. I walk away from this program with a community of teachers who all strive for individual and collective transformation within themselves and their classrooms. BTEP goes beyond the fundamentals of teaching a lesson to a class of students. Upon completing BTEP, I feel beyond prepared to teach the different learners in my classroom and to cultivate spaces of joy, academic rigor, and community.

Alex Arellano, M.A. '26

Being a part of BTEP was a transformative experience that challenged me to grow both as an educator and as a person. Through the program, I was engaged in a rigorous learning environment where I critically examined how societal systems were structured and how they disproportionately impact marginalized communities. I am confident as an educator with my ability to create an equitable learning environment where students, families, and their communities are centered. In moments where I felt overwhelmed in the classroom, the professors at BTEP shared their patience, care, and wealth of knowledge, and I felt truly understood and supported in our conversations.

Marina Martinez, Cooperating Teacher

The professors are very open to feedback, to making connections, to supporting students through the program, and the supervisor observations hold students accountable for growth. I've worked in other programs before where I barely see the supervisor. I barely have any communication with the supervisor. And this was definitely different. This is probably the best program I've worked with.

Monica Manriquez, Principal, Washington Elementary, San Leandro Unified School District

I appreciate the caliber of teachers who come from BTEP. They come with a strong social justice lens and strong work ethic. They are prepared with clear lesson plans that come with a holistic view of their students.

Jeff Sloane, Principal, Bancroft Middle School, San Leandro Unified School District

I see a quality of candidates who come from BTEP due to the level of coaching they receive. They are much more prepared in all the ways of lesson planning, strong footing, and confidence. In my current teachers from BTEP, I observe a serious rigor, structured classrooms, and willingness to take feedback and grow.