FREN 3030

I felt like I had no clue what my grade was in this class until it got published in SIS. Gladys is a little harsh in her critique, which I think isn't helped by the fact that we're on Zoom and not in person. The harshness came across stronger in the online format. I get that this class is about working on our accent but I think she went overboard occasionally. It's definitely her job to help us get better but I'm sensitive and when your professor uses the verb "massacrer" when talking about your pronunciation it hurts a little bit. I ended up with an A but I'm not sure it was worth the stress of being criticized so much. A panic attack every T/Th. So much of the grade is participation, attendance, and reflection though and she definitely appreciates when she can tell you're working hard and improving. I didn't go to her office hours but the people who did were definitely her favorites even if others might have had a more natural pronunciation from the get-go.

OHHH BOY. The fact that I came here to write this review should say something. Saunder's course organization is absolutely horrible. Be prepared to have no idea what is going on at any point in time. The syllabus is worthless -- she assigns homework by emailing the evening before it's due and if you don't see it you're just screwed. She will never update grades. You have no idea how you're doing all semester, and she almost never answers emails. The course Collab hasn't been updated in years, so most of the resources are dead links that don't work. Literally everyone in the 10 person class failed the first exam so it had to be dropped. My complaints go on and on. Will your pronunciation improve? Yes. Will you absolutely dread going to class every single day and constantly feel unprepared to no fault of your own? Also yes. The only plus I will say is that she doesn't grade the oral recitations are strictly as she could. All in all, it definitely feels as though her failure to provide adequate resources and create a positive learning environment is detrimental to the class experience. To have a professor state that LITERALLY everyone is the class is unprepared for an exam seems more like an evaluation of the prof. than the students, in my opinion.

Pick your battles. I know I wouldn't pick this one. Only giving her a 2 because she truly is an expert.