Elementary Modern Hebrew I · Middle Eastern, South Asian, And African Studies
Nightly homework, biweekly quizes, final. All graded really easily
Quite easy in fall term, more demanding in spring, but still very reasonable.
daily homework (usually takes under 5 or 10 minutes), a few quizzes and an easy midterm and final that were more like tests themselves--no memorizing vocab--really only grammar is tested
Rina Kreitman is a fantastic professor. Her classes move a reasonably fast pace, so you always feel like you're learning. She also has a good lingustic background so she is great at answering questions. She also is realistic about what you have to know and doesn't make you memorize grammar or vocabulary that is not actually used in spoken language. Very approachable and accomodating, let's you have extra time on tests and is available readily for appointments.
Professor Rubin is a terrific teacher; dedicated, engaged, and friendly; as other reviewers note, she relates in a very human way to her students; all attributes that one learns to cherish when getting up at 9 am four days a week. My own experience is that if one really wants to learn a language, the teacher needs to continue challenging you in class, nudging you gently out of comfort zones; making sure that you do learn to speak, and listen, as well as write. Rubin did a great job I thought in gradually ramping up the level of conversation in class and the expanding the vocabulary requirements progressively, without the class for that reason becoming in any way unmanageable. She also took time outside of regular hours to make sure that individual students did not fall behind. All the while, she also did a great job providing supplementary readings to complement the textbook that we used in Hebrew I, 2012, which while adequate in many ways, felt a bit like a Beta-test edition, replete with errors. In summation, ignore the horrible and ill-considered 5 year old review of Professor Rubin that unfortunately comes up first when viewing her profile on CULPA. She is a great teacher. If you are willing to put in a decent amount of work, not at all excessive in my mind, then you will have a terrific experience with her. And you will learn Hebrew. I do hope she stays on with the depart…
Really a sweet woman--impossible to get to through e-mail, but an easy grader who honestly wants every student to learn to love the language. an easy 4 points, and i really feel like i have a grasp of the language conversationally.
Illan is the perfect combination of knowledgeable and kind, patient, and energetic. He is more than willing to meet with students outside of class, and genuinely wants his students to learn. I have taken Hebrew with him for years. He fosters a sense of community and camaraderie while still maintaining control over the class. It is truly a pleasure to take Hebrew with Illan (both 1st Year and 2nd Year). He is committed and intelligent and has been one of the best professors I've had here.
Not bad at all. A few exercises per night, and a quiz every two weeks or so.
yaaa! don't fall behind on book exercises! final test was not easy. Get tutoring if you're not following so great, and do it early on!
Pretty light - about half an hour of easy homework every night, and a few tests and quizzes per semester. Not a whole lot of work for 4 credits, although you are expected to know (or learn on your own) the Hebrew alphabet (just print) within the first week of class.