Martha Blumberg

TAKE THIS CLASS! If you get into this class you are one of the lucky few. Professor Blumberg is a really amazing professor and I was lucky to have her for two semesters. I really don't know what I am going to do not having her next semester. She wants everyone in class to succeed and will use all different types of teaching methods to help you understand. She speaks a good amount of english in class so you don't feel overwhelmed. She is really big on class participation and she takes your participation as if you did your work or not. She becomes a kind of grandma figure because she is always there for you when you need help. Don't go into the class thinking she is a push over though. She expects you to put in as much effort as she does. It is way better to be on her good side then her bad side.

Professor Blumberg is great! She is very personable and is great to talk with if you need a little help. I took spanish in high school so I knew the material pretty well. But overall, she presented it in a easily understood way even if you have never taken spanish before. She is very approachable and helps a lot on your papers. You get two chances to write the paper and she splits the grade. This helps you learn spanish and also get a better grade at the same time! Highly recommend taking her class for a good grade and to learn basic spanish.

this was my second semester with blums. i'm devastated that she doesn't teach intermediate 1. i loved her classes because she teaches in a style that's geared towards learning rather than just repetition, grammar, and test taking (i did fine on everything though). she was more into comprehension than the specifics, and wanted us to learn the tools to communicate in real life situations rather than completing a test. definitely take her for spanish (or at least a barnard instructor; i hear they have similar teaching methods).

Well, this class was awesome! I was forced into it after my section was full and she was incredibly awesome about it. The HW is pretty much optional and due dates are pretty much non-existent as well. I got an A+ in the class, which I had previoulsy thought was impossible, and I did not put in any extra effort. She just is really concerned that her students are learning. An excellent choice if you want a no stress class and want to learn something

Blumberg is the best. I strongly encourage you to take her class if you do not have a background in Spanish. She is easily approachable and really wants to see you succeed in her class. She has office hours but is always willing to schedule a time to meet with you after class. I really think my experience in her class had made me enjoy Spanish. She has a way of knowing if you have been doing your homework and she makes it clear when she thinks you haven't been pulling your weight. I like that though because it forces me to get my work for her class done. It is almost like she is your little old grandma and you don't want to disappoint her.

I agree with the other reviews, and would like to add that if you intend to seriously study Spanish or even be prepared for Intermediate classes, don't take Professor Blumberg's easy easy course. She speaks in English almost all the time, and when she speaks in Spanish it is very slow and enunciated. When I switched to a different professor for Elementary II, I had a hard time getting used to a professor who talked in Spanish all the time and felt very behind. If I had waited until next year to switch professors, it would have been even worse.

don't let her easygoing demeanor fool you. if you want to do well, you have to make the effort. she doesn't check up on you, so you have to be responsible in your work. assignments and quizzes were easy; midterm was departmental.

Profesora Blumberg is a good choice if you are looking to finish your language requirement with little stress. You probably won't learn anything new, however. She is eager for her students to learn, so she takes a more individualized approach to teaching. Unfortunately, though, what ends up happening in each class is that she introduces a lesson and those who are already familiar with the topic remain quiet while the others ask questions. She quickly recognizes this and tells the class to go home, study the lesson on their own and then ask questions in the next class if there are any. The exact same thing happens class after class because she is so worried about wasting the time of the students who already have a grasp of the concept. If you are confused about something, be prepared to attend her office hours. She is very relax about things such as due dates and retaking/rescheduling tests and she may even offer extra credit from time to time to help students make up for their absences. She is such a sweet lady and she really wants the best for her students, but, unfortunately, I felt very unprepared for the departmental final.

Blumberg made getting up and treking to Barnard worth it. I learned more with her in one semester than three years of highschool, and actually had fun doing so. She isn't a pushover though, so don't prance in expecting to do no work. You get back what you put in. All in all, she is incredible. Take her class!!!!

Moody at times, Martha "Blumie" Bloomberg is quite lax. She sticks to her creed of giving students the benefit of the doubt (if you fail a test, there's always some sort of recourse), but don't talk to your neighbor during class!