Self and Course Evaluations
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Purposes:   To reflect on and review your work from the semester
                To make sense of your work in the context of the course
                To help me plan next year’s course

Self-Evaluation Essay: Answer the following questions in an informal essay. You may answer each question individually, or write a narrative that includes each answer. Feel free to use "I" and "you"; you’re writing this to me about yourself. Seniors: Due Wednesday, May 16th, by 3 p.m.

Juniors: Due Wednesday, June 6th, by 3 p.m.

1. What has been challenging to you this semester? Consider written assignments (journals, essays, in-class exercises, quizzes), readings, group work, writing workshop, and class discussion. Consider the non-tangibles as well: work ethic, attitude, responsibility, etc.

2. When did you first understand that you faced these challenges? How did you handle the challenges?

3. How did you learn from these challenges?

4. What have been some of your strengths this semester?

5. How have you continued to develop these strengths?

6. What have you liked best about your work this semester? Think about any of your work that was fun, rewarding, thought-provoking, or pride-inducing.

7. What have you liked least about your work this semester?

8. What specific work (essay, discussion, or project) from this semester was your best? Why?

9. Further comments to make on your learning?

Course Evaluation Essay: Due with the self-evaluation

This is a requirement for the course, though it will not be graded. If you do not have a course evaluation, you will lose ten points from your final paper grade. Your course evaluation will not be returned to you so please keep a copy for yourself.

If you are concerned that what you write will impact your grade, please be assured that I will not actually read them until I complete and turn in my grades. If you are still worried, put your evaluation in a sealed envelope and then it will be easier for me to resist temptation.

I hope you know me well enough to recognize that I am looking for your genuine, albeit constructive, responses to this course. With that in mind, please write an informal essay (see above) answering the following questions:

1. What (in class) authors/poems did you most enjoy reading this semester? Why?

2. What authors/poems did you most enjoy reading independently this semester? Why?

3. What authors/poems would you replace for next year? Why? What authors/poems should we read instead? (Consider that the course is a survey of fourteenth to twentieth century poetry written in English, more or less.)

4. Which assignments were most helpful to you? Why?

5. Which assignments did you enjoy the most? Why?

6. Which assignments were least helpful/enjoyable? Why? What alternatives would you suggest?

7. What was most enjoyable or valuable about time spent in class?

8. What was least enjoyable or valuable about time spent in class?

9. If you taught this class, what might you do differently?

10. What did you learn in this class? How do you think this class will help you in other English courses or in the future?

11.Additional comments?

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