Focus Group Quotations (1 May 1998, FREN 332-4): expecting a great deal

Did you resent having do so much work? "We wanted to, we wanted to really badly, but we couldn’t deny that it helped."

Note the students’ change in attitude about work load between 1996 and 1998, as I learned to motivate them to take more responsibility:

End-of-semester evaluations, 1996

6. What specific changes would you recommend regarding: readings, assignments, conduct of the class, etc.?

A. None--Marva Barnett knows what she is doing.
B. More class discussions. {Note: approximately 85% of class time was devoted to discussion.}
C. (Did not respond)
D. Less work
E. (Did not respond)
F. none
G. I think the workload could be lessened, because there were lots of different assignments due at the same time.
H. The workload was excessive; reduce that and perhaps slow down the rapidity of class discussion.
I. TOO MUCH HOMEWORK EACH NIGHT! I spend AT LEAST twice as much time on this class as any of my others.
J. (Did not respond)
K. Maybe spread the work out more evenly. By the time we got to poems, all I ever did was French.

End-of-semester evaluations, 1998
(Note that the French Department changed the evaluation form in 1998.)

1. How challenging was this class?

A.Very challenging because it’s strenuous and not in my mother tongue.
B. It was definitely challenging but not impossible.
C. Very challenging.
D. Very. Mme Barnett graded fairly and made us work hard.
E. Very.
F. Very - lots of work.
G. I found it very challenging.
H. Very, the grading was tough, but good. I feel like I learned a lot.
I. Fairly challenging.
J. (no response)