Below are comments made by most of the fifteen graduate students who completed this workshop during spring semester 1998. The purpose of the self-assessment was to offer students an opportunity to assess their own pre- and post-course expectations as well as reflect on their  contributions to the class and their performance throughout the semester. The purpose of the course evaluation was to offer students an opportunity to assess the instructor's preparedness, planning, and implementation of the course. 

What were you expecting this course to be like when you registered to take it? How did or didn't the course content and assignments match up with your initial expectations?

"I was expecting it to be similar (though with different readings and participants) to the first autobiography class I took at MSU.  It met my expectations and was a good way to conclude my student experience at MSU."

"I expected it to be much like other workshop classes, and was glad when it wasn't."

"I expected to develop my writing skills and to learn about different writing styles/techniques, etc.  The course met most of my needs, although feedback did not teach me as much as I had hoped." 

"I expected more workshopping and less reading, but with the size of the class that would be difficult."

"--An opportunity to get additional responses to my writing  --An opportunity to read memoir & discuss its technique.  I was able to do both."

"I thought it would be like it was, I suppose, our attention divided between reading and writing."

"Writing workshop w/reading assignments; matches, and provided additional opportunities I wasn't expecting, e.g., presentations, readings."

"I got exposed to some interesting reading, some more interesting than others.  Nevertheless, I learned about a genre that I knew very little about."

What have you learned in this course that you didn't know before taking it?  What would you like to have learned that you didn't?

"I learned more about the craft of autobiography as well as exposure to new and varied authors and the ways in which they have structured their work and dealt with the issues of life writing."

"What I learned--memoir is a large & varied genre; books can take many forms.  Like to have learned--more invention & revision strategies."

"Obtained an idea of what memoirs are and it has actually been helping my fiction & poetry writing."

"--That memoir is more than memory   --that autobiography is not necessarily "auto"-matically a life recounted    --That politics is ever present & can be a hindrance to some people's journey.  I knew it, but experienced it."

"Pretty much everything!  I hadn't really even read many autobiographies before taking this class & I had never really written any memoir."

"I read a lot of styles that I might not have."

"A lot about memoir, about autobiography, about my own writing--perhaps requiring one of the five (our choice) books on writing memoir (how-to books) and having us present it would be useful.  Or requiring the same one (life as story) and having us discuss it.  I want to go back and read it more thoroughly."

"The instructor is an inspiration to listen and read her writings."

Please evaluate the instructor's preparation and presentation of course content, reasonableness of assigned reading and writing, opportunities for small-group discussion, and additional aspects of the course.

"I think everything was fine for a course structured like this & at this level."

"The term sure has passed quickly, hasn't it?  I have enjoyed this class very much.  In addition to such worthwhile reading, I feel like I've learned something from everyone in this class. It is strange and wonderful.  I also greatly respect that you have coordinated this class with materials, details, guests and fabulous handouts--it is all my keeper-material."

"I would have liked the books to be maybe every other week or so; some weeks it got to be a lot with writing, work and other classes."

"Presentation--always insightful.  Preparation--totally prepared.  Reasonableness--acceptable reading expectations.  Workshop may be the weakest link because many in class don't respond or feel comfortable responding.  Opportunity--small-group discussion okay. Those who wish to participate do, others don't."

"Well, she helped guide the discussion when it was dragging, had a good knowledge of reading material."

"The questions on e-mail were a good start.  It seems like we could use more thoughts for discussion.  Also, can always talk more about craft and strategy as well. "

"I liked the course very much.  Appropriate workload for graduate course & instructor well-prepared & shared generously."

"More small group work.  This course was way too big for a CW workshop."

"I thought you selected a good variety of excellent readings, very good at facilitating discussions & offering students quality feedback on our writing.  Great job!"

What specific suggestions can you offer to the instructor to improve the course?

"Seems to be OK to me!  But you never have office hours except early in the morning, right?"

"I like to work in small groups sometimes & sometimes large ones--depending on how much I feel like talking--or if I have anything interesting to contribute.  I like being outside or in the Indigo--much better than the classroom!"

"Nothing for this quarter, but maybe have future class a little smaller."

"Free stuff."

"Perhaps break into small groups again for discussion of reading assignments."

"Allow us to submit written project rather than oral presentation--please!!"

"Flexibility in readings-own preferences."