BEGINNINGS FALL 2007
SGID RESPONSES
What is helping you to learn in this class? What is working for you?
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The literature and seminars are most effective because there are so many varying ideas,
interpretations, and understanding of what we are reading. It really helps to open up the
mind and understand how the ideas in this class are interdisciplinary.
I really enjoyed the fishbowl seminar because it was a rigorous discussion that challenged
and excited me about the topics we’re discussing in class. I’ve enjoyed Margot’s
discussions on rank, status, and power. That has been especially relevant in my daily life.
I’m glad we’ve read the books in the order we have because Rose was a great way to
bring my focus to school. Then Freire was dense but important. Next, hooks was
spiritual and unapologetic. They all discussed things that have led me to a greater
understanding of the topics in Wise.
I like the concept of class discussions. I think when peers talk, I listen. Not to suggest
when instructors talk I don’t listen.
The seminaring and group discussion helps me to learn. I’m getting inputs and ideas
from other students. The big seminar is also helpful. The books are really important,
taught me a lot. The handouts and overhead information are helpful.
When we speak out loud to each other. That is really helping me because I am getting
ideas from others and am learning from everyone. Which enables me to learn more about
myself as a human being.
All the group work is very helpful to the learning process. I think it’s very educational to
hear other people’s opinions and viewpoints. I also like the lectures because the students
are allowed to comment and ask questions during them if they want to. Seminars are
great as well.
The seminars are helping me to learn full perspectives on issues, and the feedback on my
papers has been extremely helpful. The group discussions are a great learning tool.
I’m really enjoying all the time we have to discuss, express our ideas, and work through
ideas. I think the seminars and group work are very helpful in this aspect.
This might be the most beneficial class I have every taken! I think everything is helping
me to learn. I am so excited about this class and I have never felt that way about
education before. The reading is great and reading and then getting together to unpack is
really great too; this is a really exciting time for me!
Margot’s visual white board examples/handouts, relatable examples, individuals insights,
even combination of visual/hearing/doing.
Smaller group discussions are helpful to me because I feel more able to express my ideas
and get feedback from my classmates (group members). Teacher feedback on papers and
inside of class has been helpful.
Everything! I love this class, whether it is the reading material (whether I agree with it or
not). I love the class discussions, because it helps me to have insight form my peers or
makes me lose patients with them it all helps me. Being that the class is 3 1/2 hours long,
it sure doesn’t feel like it!
Seminars are helping me to learn because they are more engaging and unfortunately
motivate reading and more thinking time. But, that is good.
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Interacting with others to create and bounce off ideas is helping me to get more in-depth
with the materials and subjects. Also, connecting with the individuals in the class is
helping me to maintain my interest and commitment level. I really appreciate the
seminar prep and essay assignment sheets. Having the specific requirements outlined
step by step helps me to remember everything.
I enjoy all of the books we have read so far; its awakened me to all sorts of topics that I
never paid attention to. The seminar prep papers are helpful because it helps me to
reflect on what I just read and forces me to read actively.
Seminaring and discussion (open) are really helping me learn the issues covered in this
class on a more personal level. It helps connect something outside of myself to
experiences I have had in my life, making the material relevant to me.
Being able to interact with people is really helping me learn because I can discuss what I
think with what they think and don’t feel like what I think is wrong because other people
feel that way too.
Seminaring/feedback from teachers.
I enjoy the fact that this class is helping me to think about privilege and oppression in my
life. Realizing how different life is for a target and an agent opened my eyes. It has
helped me to confront my own biases and stereotypes. I considered myself a pretty open
minded person when I started this class, but yesterday I realized I had only been
practicing Inclusion skills. I would say for example that gay people or homeless people
are just like anybody else, just keep them away from me. Hopefully I can confront my
biases and practice allyship skills. This class is teaching me more about relationships,
critical thought, and communication than I ever learned in high school.
the books and reading we have read so far deal with issues that I knew I agreed with,
however I did not necessarily know why I agreed. In a sense, they have given me
evidence for the beliefs that I have become accustomed to, in regards to race, class,
gender, etc. It is interesting because my opinions on these issues have been forming for a
long time and still are, and I am realizing how most of the opinions are inherited and as I
grow older I tweak them to my liking. As a young man of color who grew up in a town
where people “make fun” of people of my ethnicity, I have trained myself to “tolerate”
these expressions by others. However, throughout my willingness to tolerate, due to the
fact that I have not necessarily been made fun of personally, I do know that people need
to be taught about these issues pertaining to race, gender, class, etc. This is why I enjoy
this class because it seems that the goal is to do just that.
The open dialogue and presentation of materials is very helpful. Having the opportunity
to discuss so much of not only what we’ve read to learn, but to share our understanding
and experiences with the text and/or information we receive. I also feel it helps my essay
writing by having lots of discussions about them throughout the process of completing it
and sharing with other peers.
Group discussion really helps me learn in this class. I thrive off other people’s ideas –
although I don’t talk the most out of everyone, I feel that interactive seminaring, group
work, and discussions really bring a lot of input to this class. Others opinions really get
me thinking, especially from their point of view. I see things through “their” lens rather
than through mine or one that had been socially constructed. I really like the format and
style of this class.
What is not helping you to learn? What’s not working?
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The volume of reading for the time assigned is off kilter. I struggle to fit in 100 pages in
three days – that I have to read, comprehend, understand, and write about when I have
other obligations in addition to school that are necessary (job etc).
My seminar group is pretty quiet and it’s difficult to get discussion going.
When people don’t talk loud enough, so I can’t hear their ideas. What good is coming to
class if you can’t hear?
I can’t think of anything other than sometimes the length of time on discussions were
limited. Everything else really works in this class.
I have to read earlier than what I have been doing. This class is really giving me a
challenge on reading.
I can’t think of anything that is not helping me and I don’t have any suggestions.
Sometimes the amount of reading in a short time. Like with Rose I felt like there was
some things I missed.
The seminar papers are kind of pointless to me. I think just going and discussing is so
much more beneficial than writing down quotes and paraphrasing them.
N/A
Sometimes when the instructor is talking, I can’t write/take notes fast enough, exp. on
information that’s first being taught.
I don’t really know if there is something that isn’t helping me learn.
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typing up the assignments or seminar papers in particular is not working to help me learn.
Sure, writing it twice is nice, but it ends up taking too much time. This may fall into the
“do not like category.”
Every time we’ve had a guest speaker who lectures, but doesn’t really engage us, I check
out. Even if I try to focus, I grow bored and distracted. So being lectured at doesn’t.
I think we should change seminar groups more often. I like doing the small group
activities because it gives us a chance to meet and interact with new people. Being in the
same seminar group each time doesn’t give us a chance to share our ideas and hear new
ideas with other people.
N/A
Having to read things so quickly doesn’t really help because I have so many other things
going on in my life that even though I try to have enough time sometimes I just get so
tired and my brain can’t think anymore that in some of my seminars I pull things out of
my ass and don’t really know what’s going on.
I would prefer if there was more time allotted to work on reading and assignments.
Although I always complete the reading I feel like I would get more from the text if I had
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more time to go over and absorb it rather than just “read x-amount of pages” in order to
be prepared for seminar.
I am the type of person that likes to observe and listen to other people while in seminar. I
listen, then create my own conclusions. I was the person that was always leading
seminars in high school, but here I find it difficult to share. Perhaps because I can’t get
over my perception of teachers being “harsh” or “judgmental.” Maybe I have difficulty
sharing because it is bringing up uncomfortable emotions?
My procrastination skills combined with my working scheduled has not necessarily not
helped me learn, but it has at times detracted from my ability to read and think clearly.
The only time I struggle in class is when the construction noise is present – I tend to be
very distracted on those days – but the teachers do well with making arrangements for
that noise to not be present during our class time.
The only bad thing about this class is the time commitment and length of the class – very
time consuming, but… very helpful.
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What suggestions do you have?
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A focus on more manageable chunks of text would help us to understand and focus on
our written efforts more.
I’d like to watch more films. I learn well from visual stimulation. Perhaps the videos
could be spread out better. It would be nice to be in a more varied seminar group,
participation, etc.
More one on one with instructors, if a student has a problem understanding.
Maybe have longer time for discussion, because at times it can get really in depth,
especially with issues that we are passionate about. Issues that still surround us.
I really only have one suggestion; when you get the books for the class make sure they
are available on tape. Other than that this class is really great. It’s helping me see things
differently in life.
Lengthen reading material time.
I would much rather have you guys explain assignments than have us go over them in
groups.
I don’t know, I really love this class. I would not want to change anything.
When speaking, keep using overhead, key concepts on whiteboard.
Let’s continue doing small group work (3-5 people) at least 1-2x per week. I also think
it’s good to expose us to the learning material through a variety of media (which for the
most part we have been doing) like videos, books, discussion, speakers, lecture, etc.
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To have more lengthy discussions about the books we are reading. Because when I can
tie personal opinions, stories, of thoughts into a school subject, it tends to stay in place
more securely.
Perhaps, rather than typing up every seminar paper, we could have the option. I
understand you want to read what we write so oh well. First half of quarter, type, and the
second half the option of typing. To see if we did it or not, just check off.
More seminaring – less lecture.
We should change seminar groups more often. One more would be to focus on doing
more essays because I feel this class may not be preparing us for college-level papers,
like a regular English 102 would be.
More seminar, more time dedicated to open discussions, etc. 
Don’t have suggestions except for the reading.
Would it be at all possible to have part of class outside if weather permits? Monday
would have been a perfect day to do a lecture or a seminar while sitting outside. It was
sunny and beautiful. I actually left class after the break so I could go to the park…
So far, I couldn’t have asked for a better transition form high school to college. I love the
class.
I like it all so far.
It would be nice to have an online class access – like to be able to check our current grade
status – it would also be nice to what percentage of how our final grades our decided (like
% essays, % participation, etc.)
Keep doin’ what you’re doin’.