TO:

English 104 Section 502 Students

FROM: Dr. Amy Hodges
DATE: March 12, 2017
RE: Your midterm feedback

After receiving your anonymous feedback on March 1, 2017, I analyzed the data and reflected
upon my teaching practice. This memo reports on the major findings of that analysis and on the
improvements I seek to make in the remaining half of the semester.

First, I categorized your comments according to teaching strategies you liked and didnt like.
Then, I coded those comments according to theme. Some comments addressed more than one
theme, so I divided those comments between themes as needed. The following themes
emerged as areas of consensus.

A. Drafts and Feedback
Most student comments (8/15) expressed that drafting and receiving/giving feedback were
helpful strategies for their learning and writing. Several also mentioned that the portfolio
system, in which the professor does not give deadlines for individual assignments but does give
estimated grades, was also appreciated.

B. In-Class Activities and Choices
A similar majority (8/15) liked the in-class interactions between students and professor, and
these comments often were tied to being able to freely express themselves and choose the
topics to write about. However, one student (1/15) felt like the class was too quiet at times.

C. Content Knowledge
Although I only ended up coding 2/15 responses in this category, I feel that some of the other
comments might overlap with this theme. These two responses specifically praised teaching
strategies, but I see in them emerging content knowledge about writing, namely, that writing is
a lifelong learning process and that writing is a way of making meaning.

D. Reading Material
Nearly one-third (4/15) of responses expressed dissatisfaction with the readings for this course,
particularly their length and complexity.

E. Amount of Work
Perhaps because of the impending portfolio deadline, some students (3/15) felt like there was
too much work. Two of these responses mentioned not having enough time to complete the
work.

F. General Satisfaction
Overall, students written comments on strategies they liked were longer than the strategies
they didnt like. Some students (2/15) had trouble finding something they didnt like, and a few
left the other side of their card blank.

Suggested Improvements
After reading these comments, I felt like my performance this semester is mostly meeting my
own standards of student satisfaction and learning. However, I set a few goals for myself to
improve the course.

1. Be more considerate about readings for homework. If readings are long, I will break it up
over several class periods. I also aim to provide more scaffolding materials (things to
think about as you read the selection for the first time) and more in-class analysis of the
reading.
2. Communicate more frequently with students about their progress towards the final
portfolio. I will hand out the final portfolio checklist sooner so that students know what
to expect, and I will try to reach out to students who appear to be struggling with the
workload.
3. Prompt students to articulate their metacognition, meaning to reflect on their learning
about writing. Although this midterm exam was aimed at understanding students
satisfaction with my teaching strategies, I was pleased to see that students were starting
to internalize some of the content knowledge that will benefit them beyond this course.

Sincerely,




Dr. Amy Hodges

Appendix 1. Coding.

Teaching Strategies Students Liked
Drafts and Feedback
1. I like the fact of submitting writing drafts and developing them each time using the
feedback.
2. Constructive, comprehensive feedback.
3. I really liked that you sit with us and discuss how can we improve our writings.
4. Her responses to our writing is really helpful and put us on a right path.
5. I like that you give us estimated grades for each draft.
6. I like how there are no due dates for the drafts.
7. I liked how we werent pressured with the class. It made us enjoy writing the pieces. I
really like how there was no deadline for the pieces, but for those who wanted
estimated grades would give their drafts.
8. One thing we should keep doing is the peer review because it gives you a better
understanding of the assignment and it helps clear up any misunderstandings about the
task.

In-Class Activities and Choices
1. Daily discussions.
2. We start working in class by something interesting.
3. Feeling free to share thoughts and the true opinion about certain things.
4. I like how we always have a choice on what to do.
5. I love the class structure. I thought 75 minutes would be too much for a class, but I
enjoy every minute. Also when I get feedback about my essay, it is always productive
and very helpful.
6. I like the open air in class discussion and that most of our ideas are valid.
7. What I like about this class is that its interactive.
8. I like that you are trying, to let us choose our own way of writing (topics), and you are
giving us the writer the freedom to experiment deeply into the pieces without having to
follow a certain rule.

Content Knowledge
1. I love how you have gone through the process of completing the portfolios with us. It
gave us more confidence to step up and talk to you about we are struggling in because
we know that you might have had similar issues.
2. I wish continue valuing the content more than grammar.

Teaching Strategies Students Didnt Like

Reading Material
1. Long readings (solution: shorter readings)
2. Reading the WAW was not very helpful but when they are discussed in class it helps a
lot.
 3. A lot of readings.
4. Sometimes having more than 10 pages to read for class.

Amount of Work
1. I feel like we have too many assignments and I barely find time to do it.
2. Give us more time. J
3. Extend the portfolio deadline.

In-Class Activities
1. The class is too quiet sometimes.

General Satisfaction
1. I cannot think of a single bad day I had in this class.
2. I honestly cant think of anything to write.