SPAN 3420

I have really loved this class with Profe Allison! I know there’s a lot of old negative reviews on here about her class, but I think she has improved a lot as a professor from what they’re describing. I have actually found her to be one of my most understanding and helpful Professors! I am currently taking this class online because of Covid, so assignments in future years in person may be different than what I’m describing. Our grade is made up of three 2-3 page essays (15% of grade each), one short-answer + essay midterm (15%), a group presentation (10%), and two participation grades, one from each half of the semester (30%). The participation grade includes 6 open-note reading quizzes. The workload is very manageable, most readings are 5-10 pages or less and some are in English. Allison usually lectures for 20-30 minutes, then we do some breakout rooms and whole group discussion. If you talk once every class your participation grade should be fine. For anyone also taking it online the chat is a great way to get participation in! Honestly this is the only class with breakout rooms I have enjoyed, the questions are interesting and straightforward and I’ve learned a lot and gotten a lot of ideas for essays from discussions (although that will probably depend on your classmates :)). Allison is also one of the fastest graders I’ve had and will usually have even essay grades out with specific feedback within a few days. She is really understanding if you need an extension or extra help! We have also had a lot of guest lecturers (I think because Covid makes it easier for them to “visit”), and some have been more interesting than others, but it’s still cool to have professionals in the field that you wouldn’t otherwise get to learn from come and teach the class. Overall, I would highly recommend this class for any Spanish major/minor looking to fulfill their survey requirement!

Allison is very passionate about the subject matter and she is always available for help, especially with improving writing skills. As someone who has zero interest in colonial literature, this class was very boring. Readings are long and hard to understand and you really don't have to do them. However, grading is easy and fair- one short paper, one research paper, one group presentation, one final exam, and a participation grade. Would recommend for Spanish majors/minors who need their survey requirement in an easy class.

This class emphasizes readings a lot but it is not necessary to actually do the readings. Basically class is her getting up in the front of the room and stating her opinion and then she asks questions and wants us to try to find supporting evidence for her assertions. Really, really easy. There is a midterm essay (25%), final group project where you get up and talk in front of the class about whatever topic you want (25%), a final research paper of approximately 3-5 pages (25%), and then participation (25%). Allison is such a sweet woman and definitely a great researcher but I am still not sure if she has perfected her teaching style. I would recommend this class to someone as a relatively easy A. Class discussion is a large part of the class (small groups) so if you make decent comments throughout the discussions and say one or two comments in the large group discussion you will be fine in the class. ~buena suerte~

Reading is useless - really difficult but not necessary to get a good grade. Profesora is nice but she doesn't teach at all. I hate this class so much even though I'm considering a Spanish major. Goodness. Every day I dreaded going to class. I have learned nothing in this class, essentially, but still have an A as far as I know.

This class has daily readings (skip), talleres (must bring in a short midterm style paper) a midterm and a final and a final four page paper.
I am also currently in this class like the previous reviewer. She apparently learned from last semester but has gone in completely the opposite direction!!! She barely lectures for 30 minutes and is a huge fan of the split into small groups and discuss mentality. You can generally get away without doing the reading because it is really superfluous. Similarly, I've learned very little. She does not emphasize either the culture of colonial Latin America (besides some very forced politics about female education and portrayal of Indians) or literary qualities (she just gave us three handouts one day without discussing that simply listed literary characteristics. She also thinks too highly of her course. It's an introductory level class and she expects constant daily discussion and (at least according to the class long session teaching research methods) an extensively researched final paper (4-5 pages). She is also very unclear on how to provide good feedback (despite her ridiculous emphasis on feedback worksheets for the talleres). I got a B on the midterm for stating a lack of thesis and being unclear (despite spending at least 4 hours creating an outline) and both the questions sucked. Do not recommend.

I am currently in this class, so take my review with a grain of salt because the course isn't done. However, I respectfully believe that Professor Bigelow needs much more time to let her teaching style develop before she teaches more literature courses. Her classes consist of her rambling for 50 minutes, yet somehow I've learned very little. She rarely asks for student input, so most students have stopped doing the reading and, consequently, have nothing to say when she does ask. She's tried so hard, and I think she's a wonderful person, but I hardly ever speak or write Spanish in this class. My Spanish has gotten worse as the semester's gone on.

Plus side: this is a very, very easy class. I have an A and I have done less than 10% of the reading.