Erika Valdivieso

118 North Thayer, Apt 3, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 | erikav@umich.edu | 214.803.0460

Student Evaluations
1. What were one or two things that I did which helped you learn. Why?
Sight reading: identifying structures and connecting modifiers as opposed to sticking
strictly to vocabulary.
Interpreting readings: discussion of interpretations of structures and devices
gave the readings more meaning than just homework translations

Worked with us on how the Latin worked, especially the S-V-DO organization. It let
me see that everything translated must fit together structurally. Analysis at the end was
also very insightful I liked the way that each question led to another and meaningful
explanations as well.

You were very engaged and put in effort.
Having us present the homework ourselves

The standing up and teaching from the white board. I didnt really like it at the time,
but I think it was an excellent way to force us to not just sort of know what modified
what and such, but know it enough and be confident enough to explain and defend it.

2. What are one or two things I could tweak in order to help you learn better? Why?
The workload: sometimes it was pretty hard to go through 15-20 lines in one night on
top of the work from other classes

Fewer Latin lines toward the end of the year. It gave me more opportunity to
translate, but it ended up taking so much time that I rushed through the passage much
faster and made more errors.

Its hard to say because we were in a two-person class as opposed to a regular one, but
maybe having us learn vocab before sight passages?

Maybe a little more work with clause identification, like having questions about it on
quizzes or separate exercises. I just thought that it is of course an important part of
being able to read Latin, but also something I struggle a bit with.

Erika Valdivieso
118 North Thayer, Apt 3, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104 | erikav@umich.edu | 214.803.0460

Student Evaluations
3. What are one or two things that you liked learning in this class? Why?
Relevance of Ovids writing to the social situations of Rome: I never connected poetry
to the authors lives before and the discussions of the various interpretations made the
poetry so much more interesting
There are way more than two things! I really, really liked interpreting the Latin,
especially since before, the translations never made any sense. I loved learning to
translate instead of putting adjacent words together.
The way Ovid can do so much within the lines aside from the meaning, like the word
pictures and patterns.
I liked learning about the underlying themes of elegy in particular, like negotium v.
otium, and domina, militia, etc. It wasnt something I had ever heard about before and
yet it was a major part of our and others study.

4. What are one or two things that you would have liked to learn? Why?
Perhaps some more back-to-the-basics. I know we were supposed to find our clause
sheet and review somewhat on our own, but a lot of the basics (like structures and case
endings for participles, etc.) would have been helpful. Also, I really liked the first time
we sat down and talked through quiz corrections I wish I couldve come in more often
to do these.
More mythology
Maybe a bit about the politics and societal going-on during Ovids day. We touched
on some like Actium and Augustus marriage ban, but given more time, I think it
wouldve been fun.

5. Any additional comments?
I loved this class so much!! I was always scared that I would end high school with four
years of Latin class, but still be unable to translate anything. It was really the golden
age of learning and Im really glad about the skills that I came away with. Thank you,
Ms. V!
I think you did a great job, and it was actually hard for me to think of what you could
have done better.
Thank you so much! This was my favorite semester of Latin in high school!