Julie Crawford

She was amazing. She changed my perspective on Shakespeare. Use her office hours!

Prior to joining Columbia, I was actually excited about lithum (not really other parts of the Core). But this class made me hate literary classes moving forward. Professor Crawford cold called in my class which was scared me because although you could be prepared and have done the readings, she could ask you about a random part of the text which you weren't familiar with. In my opinion, this created a really hostile learning environment. I was genuinely scared to go to class, especially as someone who is on the quieter side. She is knowledgeable, but she makes this class way more difficult than it should be. It made me feel like I wasn't smart enough to understand even a basic understanding of this text. My friends with other professors were shocked at how much I disliked my lithum class. She was not understanding at all if you had extenuating circumstances, and definitely played favorites.

Julie is an amazing professor overall, she cares about her students and understands varying needs. If you're looking for an enriching experience, I highly suggest enrolling in her class, as her discussions are consistently stimulating and thought-provoking (you won't find them in any other section, trust me). At first, she can be a harsh grader, but if you show consistent progress and growth you will end up with a good grade.

Professor Crawford is by far my favorite professor thus far at my time here! She's incredibly brilliant and reads each poem in so many different contexts (historical, religious, etc.). Each way of reading and interpreting the poem or piece of prose is correct...and she makes you truly believe that. I used it to allow for a free flow of ideas. Never once has my book been written in as much as I did for this class. She makes class so enjoyable by her sheer excitement for the material. She has a ton of office hours that I used to both help my understanding of the material and to just talk to Professor Crawford about anything and everything. She also gives a lot of great feedback on my essays.

Professor Crawford is great. She's an entertaining lecturer who makes it fun to be present in class. She obviously loves what she studies, and she seems to genuinely like her students. She appreciates insightful comments from her students, and doesn't make anyone feel inferior if they're not brilliant. If you plan your assignments in advance and ask for her advice, she'll be generous with the information that she shares with you. She has the class do three shorter assignments, in which you practice "skills" such as close reading, using the OED, and conducting primary research on EEBO. I personally found it all very useful, especially when you get to the final paper and feel that you have a lot to draw from. Prof Crawford's not an easy grader, but if you work hard, you'll do well and will appreciate her copious comments on your papers. Also, she will yell at the class if she feels they haven't prepared adequately, so do the reading. It's worth it anyway. Who wouldn't love Donne, Herbert, Jonson, Shakespeare, and Milton (to name just a few)? This is overall a great foundational course with a great teacher.

Absolutely hands-down the single best professor I've had at Columbia. I don't want to overstate my case and make this another polarized review people totally discount, but damnit, Julie Crawford will teach you shit. I concede that part of the reason I like her so much is because her academic interests are particularly compatible with mine; nonetheless, there's little subjective about a professor who delivers engaging and witty lectures, stimuates provocative class discussion, and begs students to attend office hours. I'd recommend taking her up on that plea: she's one of the most approachable professors I've ever met, and takes as much time as she has to discuss papers or really anything else that's on your mind. She's a damn tough grader, but can be counted upon to provide insightful and helpful comments on papers, no matter what grade you receive. Some claim she prefers female students or feminist topics; I'd attribute those claims to those who are intimidated by unfamiliarily feminist people and topics (or--gasp--lesbians). She's not going to make any apologies for her political-ideological standing, but I've seen her be a lot more accomodating than she needs to be to those who disagree with her (i.e. the token obnoxious Republican who "participates" incessantly). Seriously, take a class with her and decide for yourself. I guarantee you'll learn something

one play over the course of three classes a midterm, super easy a surprise quiz but she warns you a final that is open book

Loved Jesus Christ. Encouraged the reading of the texts and was very open to students who blatantly had not read. One of the most forgiving professors out there, and is super receptive towards the students needs. Any negative reviews towards JC signal non-readers of the text. If you truly do read the books in this class, she encourages any insights into the text. She does not encourage the right answers; she encourages the right questions.

Julie Crawford is a good teacher in my opinion. She makes boring dead Greek people actually seem interesting. The class is pretty much interactive lecture interspersed with group excercises. If you're a shy person then it's possible to open up cuz Julie's an approachable person. She is available 2 times a week for office hours which I found very helpful. Some people have said that she disregards their ideas but I didn't really have any problems. Overall an awesome teacher.

Julie is one of the best professors to take English classes with at Columbia, especially if you're still trying to figure your way out in the major. She is energetic, kind, and always helpful -- she assumes you might not know exactly what you're doing and is always willing to work with you. She does expect a decent amount from her students, but she gives you back a lot in return--she holds lots of office hours, fairly outlines her expectations for papers, and knows each and every student's name. Milton is one of her harder classes, but it is a worthwhile experience and a good way to fulfill your pre-1800s requirement. You will do a lot of reading. You will have to grapple with hard concepts and some history. But Julie makes it worthwhile at the end. You get to read all of Paradise Lost.