Latin American And Iberian Cultures · Columbia University
-Nightly grammar book/MySpanishLab online exercises -Midterm (multiple choice/short answer/short essay) -Final project (go and take pictures of Spanish texts around NYC and do a write-up about them, present in class) -Oral exam (10 minutes, just a small group conversation with Xavi) -Final exam (same format as midterm but longer)
Pretty typical of a Spanish class. Daily online MySpanishLab that counts toward a participation grade (he was pretty lax if you did a couple of them late), a few short compositions (~200 words), a midterm, oral exam, and final. He took daily attendance, so this is definitely not a class that you can skip regularly without facing a grade penalty. Overall the work was very manageable.
3 essays, 2 rewrites a piece. Homeworks every night. 1 Final essay. Light but tedious.
typical midterm, final 4 compositions (500 words) 2 versions final project (written and oral components) some supplementary activities throughout the semester, nothing too intense and class is always fun!
Xavi is an amazing professor who truly wants you to succeed. This class is really easy if you show up and put in the work. Xavi is so fun and really wants his class to be a peaceful, stress-free environment and it was clear he'd rather us prioritize our mental health over his class. He constantly made jokes with us and brought us food once (!) but also really wanted you to work hard and challenged us with assignments. Even in my first Spanish class ever, I could understand him when he spoke Spanish because he was so clear and used hand gestures/props to make us understand. 10/10, amazing professor. Also he is really hot.
I have never written a Culpa review, but Xavi is truly one of the best professors I have had in college and I think he deserves a lot more praise than his profile currently has. I took Intermediate Spanish I with Xavi in the Fall and it was my favorite class - something I have never been able to say for Spanish. He was engaged and excited about teaching and helping his students improve in a way I had never seen. I think that my Spanish improved significantly over the course of the semester and he even inspired me to pursue Spanish as a minor. Everyone should try to take a class with Xavi - he is a true gem of the Spanish Department. Even if you're only taking Spanish because you need to fill your language requirement, he will make you excited to come to class.
Xavi is meh. I think the class was decent, but the topics were definitely very cliche and very highschool in the sense that the homework and essays seemed like busy work. Honestly, I can't say I learned much of anything, and I don't think the students around me would disagree. Moreover, most of the kids in the class were either hispanic or fluent, so it was a bit tough to compete with them. Xavi himself is interesting enough and is always willing to offer help, but I don't think he is the best the department has to offer.
Xavi is AMAZING! I absolutely loved his class, and that saying a lot considering I was in Spanish until 7 on Fridays. He is amazingly engaging and truly dedicated to making sure that his students understand (and can think in) Spanish. He makes a point of saying that he hates grammar, and wants us to move beyond simply memorizing rules. I've already recommended him to all of my friends. He is the best Spanish professor I've ever had, Barnard needs to keep him around. Intermediate 2 got a bit intense after the midterm because a ton of new grammar rules and tenses were thrown at us out of nowhere, but Xavi did a really good job at relating the info to real life situations. I can't say it enough...TAKE A CLASS WITH THIS MAN!
Typical for a Spanish class--a few exercises in MySpanishLab every night, some work in the grammar book most weeks, three movies to watch throughout the semester, several short compositions, and a final project.
Xavi was easily one of the best professors I have had at Columbia. I can't recommend him highly enough. My Spanish improved quite a bit this semester, and Xavi was so funny, charming, and enthusiastic that attending class was always a joy. He was a great lecturer who explained new grammar concepts patiently and clearly; he spoke slowly enough that it was easy to understand what he was saying, which meant that he hardly ever had to explain anything in English; he gave every student detailed, constructive, timely feedback throughout the semester; and maybe most importantly, he made it clear that he cared deeply about all of his students and wanted us not only to succeed but also to take care of our mental and physical wellbeing (a rarity for a Columbia professor). I will genuinely miss being in his class next semester. If you get a chance to take Spanish with him, do not hesitate.