• groups
• Each class we are accountable for something.
• The teacher wants to help.
• The teacher is very available.
• Madame Barnett works hard to make sure we are able to back up what we say when analyzing stories, which helps when writing essays.
• open to everyone's opinions
• good motivator
• questions on board
• discussions

What is impeding your learning in this course?

• too much work (especially when papers are due)!!!!
• jump right into analysis before total comprehension of events (need to give summary of events before getting into groups, before delving into analysis or it gets confusing / overwhelming)

What suggestions do you have to improve the course?

• We need very specific instructions re: assignments. / weekly syllabus / write on homework on syllabus.
• Maybe give a little summary of events before delving into analysis. (Not too much time on comprehension in class.)
• Let us out on time.

My responses to students' ideas:

• They are right: the workload is significantly heavier than that in other sections of the course. I slowed the pace on Racine's Phèdre and reduced the required work via e-mail (especially since several students had trouble getting to a computer).
• As a whole class, we discussed their questions of comprehension in chronological order. The number of comprehension questions diminished after a time. Especially given the conflicting data in the second suggestion (above), I did not take the time to give or have students give a plot summary before moving on to analysis; the more detailed responses to comprehension questions seemed to solve this problem.
• I continued to hand out written assignments for a week or two at a time (to accompany the syllabus). But I took more time in class to go over and clarify the written homework assignments.
• I made sure to finish class on time.