Intermediate French II · FRNBBC
The coursework is very manageable. Three compositions total, daily grammar exercises, and weekly posts online. Professor Mimran meets with you individually after you write your first composition--it's difficult to do literary analysis in another language, and she tries to help as much as possible. There is a midterm and a final.
a few low weighted quizzes, a minor presentation, in class participation in french, and a final
4 compositions (short and easy), few quizzes w/ flexible scheduling, midterm, final, homework exercises
Very nice grading - lots of work but not too bad
Excessive readings/worksheets every single night
3 compositions (1-2 pages with a mandatory first draft for each. After you do the corrections on the first draft, your grade goes up a half step.), 3 quizzes (easy), midterm and final (both easy).
This guy should not be a teacher. His only job was to essentially assign homework and give tests. The rest of his time was pretty much useless. To say he is unprepared is an understatement. I feel like he would just walk into class, drop his book, and that's what we would do for that day. Vocab lists came out the night before the test, Paper topics were given on Thursday and due Saturday at 5. Why? Who knows, because we sure as hell didn't see it back for 2 weeks. I feel like a unlearned things in this class.
Minimal. A couple translation packets, practice tests which he goes over during class time, two compositions. Pretty much nothing else so I spent the free time listening to French podcasts.
Masha Mimran is an outstanding professor (if she's reading, I hope she knows who's writing this). I consider the hours I spent in her class to be some of my most well-spent hours at Barnard, on both an academic and personal level. Professor Mimran is brilliant and hilarious. She led our class in stimulating discussions on the works of Baudelaire and Maupassant, during which she not only shared her own unique perspectives, but genuinely listened to and considered ours. This is rare, especially in the overcrowded French courses at Barnard! And she was able to make the grammar (and there was a lot of it) bearable, even enjoyable. She also organized other opportunities for us, such as hosting a French movie night. Professor Mimran is very much invested in her students--their well being, their ideas, and their success.
Anna is absolutely amazing and by far the best prof I've had in this department yet. She is caring, understanding, and really tries to make each lesson interesting for all of us. If you make an honest effort to convey yourself in French and to learn, she will be your best friend. She's super accommodating outside of class as well if anything comes up. She's not a harsh grader and will do her best to give you points back if you study seriously.