Lorena Rodas

I agree with everyone that she is personally a very nice person and it is hard for me to write a bad review because of how nice she is. However, I have to agree with the previous reviewer that this is NOT the professor to take Elementary Spanish I with if you don't have a background in Spanish prior to the course. She is an exceptionally tough grader and no English is allowed in the classroom from day one. For a beginning student this is a bad combination because you end up not asking questions because you don't know how to form the question in Spanish yet. If you are willing to teach yourself Spanish on your own and want to use the classroom as a place to practice conversation then Lorena is perfect for you. If you are expecting a class that starts at the basics and works its way up then she is not the professor for you. One other thing to mention is that it feels like there is some slight animosity with the Barnard department having to accept Columbia students because it takes spots away from Barnard students. It is just something to be aware of if you are a Columbia student.

Prof. Rodas is great. She knows her stuff and makes you want to learn Spanish. Class is fun. She really likes it when people participate and you can ask her any question. She does expect a lot from you. For 2 of the papers you submit rough drafts so you have a chance to make your final draft better but she is a tough grader. Her tests are also hard. Be sure to know the literature that you are reading because she tests the grammar through the stories you read. Overall, she is a joy to be around.

BEST PROF EVER. Do not leave Columbia/Barnard without taking a class with this woman. She's by far the best instructor I've ever had at this institution.

This woman is my favorite person at Barnard. She absolutely loves what she does, and it shows. I think the other reviews pretty fairly sum her up, but I had a conversation with her once after class (as she waited for me to complete part of a test that I had accidentally left blank the week before), and she moved me to tears! I am not kidding...She talked about how she just wants to share this language and culture that she loves with the students, and make it fun and fair for them, to encourage a love of learning and a mastery of the language. I definitely learned more Spanish, as she took any opportunity available to teach us something new. I recommend her to anyone. She will call on everyone in class, but I hate speaking, and I was an active participator for once. The end-of- semester evaluation will be fun, I swear! It ends up being like a love letter...haha.

I can understand why so many people love Professor Rodas. She is sweet, understanding, patient and enjoyable to talk to. Personally, however, I did not particularly enjoy the course. Professor Rodas speaks Spanish in class from day one, and while I understand why this immersion might be great for some people, as someone with no background in Spanish, I felt behind from the first week. I feel like professor Rodas' class would be great for people who come into Elementary I with a bit of experience, but if you are someone who struggles with languages (like me), then I would enter with caution. I had a hard time with some of the grammar concepts, since I am the type of person who has a hard time teaching myself foreign grammar out of a textbook. She is also a very picky grader, and even after going to her office hours, I had a hard time doing well on my compositions. I thought maybe since she graded so harshly, she would curve our finals grades up, but I don't think that's the case. There is no doubt that Professor Rodas is a sweet person, but I guess I just didn't mesh with her teaching style.

Professor Rodas is great. She is the perfect Spanish professor. I am by no estimation good in Spanish, but her warm words coupled with her enthusiasm made me feel more confident and more willing to participate in this class. I would wholeheartedly recommend this class to people looking to painlessly fulfill the language requirement. Hey-- you never know, you might even have some fun.

Lorena Rodas is an unusually fine teacher. She brings a lively, upbeat attitude and great sense of humor to every class session and her enthusiasm is infectious. She is very adept at communicating the subtleties of Spanish and helping the student to comprehend them. While she is a demanding teacher she is absolutely fair. She was always available for office hours and responds to emails quickly. I learned a great deal over the two semesters that I studied with her (I also took Intermediate 1 with her). Perhaps most telling is this: of my fellow students that took Intermediate 1 with her, at least 6 of them followed her into this class. Her sign up sheet was filled almost instantly on registration day. A word to the wise: Spanish classes at Columbia are faster paced and somewhat more demanding, based on my experience, than those at Barnard, so know thyself.

Prof. Rodas is the best and cutest teacher EVER! I agree with all of the reviews here. She is a hard grader on essays and tests, but when it comes to the final grade, she is generous. I've never had a teacher that was so devoted to a class in my life. She always came to class smiling with enthusiasm. I was actually excited to go to this class, and I'm not the greatest at Spanish. Bottom line, take her if you can. Don't be discouraged by her picky grading, its all worth it. I'm taking her again for Intermediate II!

I absolutely adore Professor Rodas, she made Spanish by far my favorite class of the semester. She is energetic and fun. Class attendance and participation is very important. Although you can get away with not doing all of the exercises she assigns from the textbook, if you're having trouble it's definitely better for you to do them. The essays are only 150 words each on a topic that pertains the to chapter and you do a rewrite for all of them and the two grades are averaged. She is definitely a fair grader and she is very approachable. She is also very laid back but don't take this as a sign that you can try to take advantage of her and get away with it - she's very perceptive. Overall, definitely take any Spanish class with Senorita Rodas if you can. She is flexible, approachable, and genuinely wants all of her students to do well. I could not imagine a better Spanish teacher.

What a wonderful woman. What a painless way to fulfill a language requirement! Lorena has so much heart, and loves each one of her students. She is incredibly accessible outside of class. Not that hard of a grader, and definitely wants to see each student reach their true potential.