Tamara Hache

Similar to most sections, except for the 10% pop quizzes are worth (which you may or may not even receive, depending on whether you passed “enough” of them).

There is a standard midterm/final (but your grade also relies on "critical glossaries" - i.e. short, 150-250 word reflections on specific texts, participation, a longer essay, a podcast or zine partner project, and a discussion leading or study guide assignment). She is a generous grader (a few assignments are completion-only - you will get an 100% if you submit it...) and very lenient when you may need more time/accommodations.

WHATEVER YOU DO. I MEAN THIS WHEN I SAY IT: if you’re assigned Dr. Hache as your professor for literature humanities, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN to switch into a different section. This class did NOT have to be as stressful or as time-consuming as it was, especially for your efforts to go completely unrecognized when it came to grading. If Hache were given the opportunity to make having a PhD a prerequisite to take her section, she would. That’s because you practically need one to do well in her class!!! She loves her pushovers, so if you already major in something that doesn’t allow you to give all your effort AND some, petition, beg… do whatever you can to get OUT of her section. If her random pop quizzes with niche questions that she downplays as “easy” and “straightforward” convince you to stay, be aware that you’re wrong. If she promises to “grade fairly,” trust me, she won’t. She wants her assignments done in a very specific way ALL the time, but gives narrow instructions or none at all; then she hits you with a bad grade even though you asked her beforehand if it was good. Literature humanities was a core class I actually looked forward to, but Hache traumatized me, and now I’m scared for all the rest that are to come. If you want a horrible first-semester experience here at columbia, I highly recommend Hache as one of your first professors. Good luck!!! maybe you will be chos…

Tamara Hache is so wonderful. The workload is relatively light/standard compared to most Lit Hum sections (she embraces/prioritizes well-being above all else). In the first semester, we read Enheduanna, Gilgamesh, Genesis, The Iliad, Sappho, The Odyssey, Symposium, the Oresteia, Father Comes Home from the Wars (her "instructor's choice"), the Aeneid, and the Gospel of Luke (no John). If you pay attention in class, you will not struggle with the pop quizzes (they sometimes stray to contextual/historical questions about the texts, which she will ALWAYS give to you, rather condensed, in class). You only have to pass 4/5 of them to recieve 100% in the "pop quiz" section of the gradebook (and even for those who failed more than once, I believe some extra credit arrangements were accommodated). She wants you to do well - they are not hard/scary!!! Our class felt really close by the end of the semester! I would highly recommend this particular section of Lit Hum. Tamara is so kind/warm.

All in all, not bad. The pop quizzes can be stress-inducing, so it’s important to take good notes during her lectures. Reading most of the texts is generally a must as a result. It’s nowhere near likely to be one of your greatest time commitments.

Tamara is, above all else, thorough in her teaching. Her enthusiasm radiates. It’s clear she values each student immensely and that she’s not content unless everyone in the class sufficiently grasps the material. She strikes a great balance between lecturing, providing cultural bases and contextualizing the texts, and allowing students room to breathe to forge their own interpretations. The discussions are always really open ended, so you don’t know where they’re going to end up—this makes it lots more fun, as we usually end with a striking piece of information that reorients the way in which we view the text. You can almost always count on leaving the class excited. I can’t recommend her enough.

The workload is practically just reading the LitHum books. Every now and then you complete a short reflection on one of the readings. There's a final project during the semester, but it's enjoyable and not a difficult assignment at all. Professor Hache's grading is very fair, and she provides good feedback.

Professor Hache explains very clearly and makes every class genuinely very enjoyable. She embraces all points that students make, and as long as you do the reading, you'll enjoy taking the class. The format of the class is also great, as there are moments of group discussions and even whole-class discussions that provide great entertainment. The material covered on the pop quizzes is solely what Professor Hache discusses or writes on the board, so they're all very easy to pass.