Priscilla Becker

Prof. Becker isn't as bubbly or immediately outgoing as some other teachers, but over the course of the semester, I noticed how good her ideas and suggestions were. She is a good teacher. The grades we (or me, at least) were getting back over the course of the semester seemed a little low at first, but they get revisited after revisions and the final portfolio are turned in, and I was pleased with my final grade (I know another reviewer said the grading seemed a little harsh, but I would disagree). She does have a slight problem with time management though. Overall, it was a good course.

Priscilla is a truly wonderful teacher, probably one of the best I've had at Columbia.I took Structure and Style 1 with her and then ended up (happily) in her Structure and Style 2 class as well. Unlike other writing teachers that make themselves the focus of the class, she really runs a great workshop, where she allows students to develop and advance their own critiques of other student's work. Her suggestions, however, are always insightful and thorough, inspiring creative criticism from the rest of the class. She doesn't have a standard style or subject matter that she favors, but rather allows students to improve their work while guiding them to develop their own strongest points. Often writing excercises can feel limiting or confusing, but Priscilla uses them as a way to open up new voices or ways for expressing familiar ideas. She encourages students to take risks, but also appreciates simple, well-written pieces. She is really serious about writing - she is a talented and highly acclaimed poet - but she is equally serious about teaching. Perhaps those students that reviewed her negatively mistook her seriousness for a lack of caring or openmindedness. The truth is, if you put yourself into the class - both the writing and the workshopping aspects - you will get twice as much back. Especially if you go to office hours, as she encourages everyone to do, Priscilla really w…

found Priscilla to be an extremely devoted and inspiring teacher and I’m taken aback by some of the other postings. I would never describe her as ‘gruff’. She’s serious about what she does, but I found her to be relaxed, funny, and personable. She expects students to come to class, to do the work, and to be engaged— expectations that every teacher should have but that, in my experience in the writing program, some don’t articulate at all. Priscilla teaches the class like writing is important and difficult, not simply some elective you take for an easy A. She stresses the importance of learning to talk about the writing of others, her writing exercises are innovative, challenging, and productive, and she goes out of her way to help you if you are invested in improving your writing. This class made me want to write. If you can take it from her, do.

I strongly recommend Priscilla Becker to any students interested in taking a writing course at Columbia. She creates an incredible classroom environment which is fun and inspiring but best of all buttressed by real support and encouragement. Priscilla keeps you actively writing with in-class assignments and additional writing exercises on the weeks that you are not due to hand in a longer piece. This was vital to me as it allowed me more outlets than just the three banner assignments (poem, scene, short fiction). Priscilla made herself totally available and encouraged if not expected each student to meet with her about each of his/her three large assignments. In class she spent little time on her own comments but encouraged the group discussion instead. In addition to the texts she handed out great readings – some of which she was inspired to distribute by the writing styles of students in the class. Priscilla even added an extra session at the end of the semester to get that much more out of the class. She was very appreciative of the vast variety of writing styles in the class and all of her comments were constructive and postive.

I don't know why the other reviewers seem to be so harsh on Priscilla; I guess they don't know how to appreciate a no-nonsense writing instructor. I, on the other hand, found this approach very refreshing. When confronted with ambiguous poetry, she was not afraid to ask, "What does that actually _mean_?" She really challenged me to be a clearer, more developed writer, and did not hesitate to give her true opinion. This is not to say she was insensitive - far from it. She was just honest, and clear about how she wanted to run her class. I am grateful for her help, and know that she helped my development as a writer. Her class was enlightening, interesting, and fun. I recommend taking a class with Priscilla, if you want real concrete help.

After having taken over 6 writing courses as a CC undergraduate, I feel compelled to elaborate on my experience in Priscilla's Structure and Style class. There are several recurrent problems in the undergraduate writing program here. One, it is difficult to suit the needs of all the students since they come from such diverse backgrounds--CC, GS, Continuing Ed, etc. Two, considering the diverse makeup of the classroom, it is very challenging to find a teacher who can actually teach transferable technical skills while accommodating the style and voice of such a distinct mix of students. Professors tend to handle this problem by completely ignoring the individual needs of their students, teaching whatever they want to teach and ignoring the rest. Alternatively, they don't teach at all and focus solely on anomalous personal concerns, which is a true waste of time for a student who wants to learn about the various forms of poetry or how to structure a conversation. Aside from Priscilla, I have never had a teacher who could perfectly balance these concerns. Priscilla's class is, by far, the best writing class I have had at Columbia. She managed to suit the needs of every student in the class while bringing all of us together in learning invaluable techniques regarding style, voice, form, and structure. It is incredibly refreshing to have a teacher to takes writing seriously. Most st…

DO take any creative writing class you can with Priscilla Becker. She is a writer’s writer and this is reflected in the way she teaches. She considers her students writers and demands a disciplined and respectful workshop. She seems to care deeply for words and makes you consider every one you use- she is not interested in the “gist” of things and if you pay attention you will learn how to say what you mean. (Or at least start to really think about it). She does not condescend to students nor does she preach her own sensibilities. She listens and absorbs the dynamics of the room and offers insight and encouragement outside of class. She is not afraid to question what she does not “get”- out of an actual curiosity- nor is she afraid to tell you that something isn’t working. She does not pull punches and this is a great thing if you want to take writing seriously. She assigns a lot of reading and a lot of exercises- including a poem recitation- but it seems to me that a lot of reading etc. is what writers are supposed to be doing. She held an extra class at the end of last semester because everyone wanted to continue meeting. It was optional but most everyone showed up.

A weird lady. She chews each bite of food 40 times. But a very helpful teacher if you make the time to go and see her. She isn't around much so you have to seek her out. She is VERY gruff and no nonsense. But this is good. She will give you HONEST feedback, so an ideal writing teacher is she! I did well in the course, I think because she knew I worked hard and cared...probably more than she merely liked what I was writing. She is a fair grader, nice, actually, to those who didn't deserve it, but she saves the A's for those who earn them. The quality of the workshop will depend more on the other students than on Priscilla. She is very expressive of her sometimes strange opinions, but an experience in herself that is not to be missed.

The instructor of any writing course has what I think is a very difficult job. In my opinion, there is no feasible way to TEACH someone how to write creatively. All you can really do is identify what is good about someone's, identify what is bad, and encourage good habits. This is exactly what Priscilla does. She assigns several exercises and tries to workshop as often as possible during class time. This forces the students to actively work on their writing and at the same time affords them many opportunities to figure out what is working and what is not working about their writing with Priscilla. Whether or not you always agree with her, she is always insightful and perceptive with her comments. She forces you to think critically about your own writing. I was very impressed by how nuanced her understanding of writing was. Although she may seem standoffish at first, I think in actuality she is hiding her own shyness from the class. She is truly invested in helping her students and tries to foster a safe and fun environment for the students. By the end of the semester, we all felt at ease with each other.

Underneath what may seem like a gruff exterior is a kind and brilliant professor who truly cares about her students. Priscilla is a great writing instructor, and her comments on student's work are always insightful, and honest without being too harsh. She fosters a great workshopping atmosphere - so great that it's sometimes hard to know when to move on from one workshopping piece to another! She does have her no-nonsense qualities; on the subject of being late or absent - don't do it. She will publically call you on it. Go to every class, and arrive five minutes early. Have all your assignments in on time, and have copies for everyone. Don't screw around. The good news is that Priscilla will make you want to work hard. I was always so disappointed when class ended - I could have happily stayed for another hour or so, and that's a rare statement coming from this compulsive classroom clockwatcher.