middCourses
with Laurie Essig21 days ago

Very interesting course. Good introduction into gender studies and very accessible for those not familiar with the field. The readings are very dense but the work is primarily graded on completion. Would definitely recommend.

Lots of Homework
4hrs / week Some difficulty Above average value Would take again
with Laurie Essig11 months ago

This class was super eye-opening. It was the first GSFS class I took at Middlebury and have since taken more because of how much I liked this class. We learned about the history of gender definitions and talked a lot about the gendered ideas that are so pervasive in society. It made me think about the world differently (in a good way). I think this class is useful for anyone with any major because we talked about how gender is involved in every aspect of our lives. Laurie is a really fun professor, while at the same time teaching effectively. She clearly knows A LOT and is good at telling it to a class of students who may not have experience in the GSFS world in a really easily digestible ways. She told us to only spend 90 min on readings and then stop and she just wanted to see that we did the reading and understood it through our assignments, so it wasn't too much pressure.

This class was super eye-opening. It was the first GSFS class I took at Middlebury and have since taken more because of how much I liked this class. We learned about the history of gender definitions and talked a lot about the gendered ideas that are so pervasive in society. It made me think about the world differently (in a good way …Read more

Easy GradingNo ExamsFast-Paced
4hrs / week Low difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Laurie Essig5 months ago

There are daily reading responses and most classes are discussion based. Very eye opening class and would recommend this to anybody. You will have to do a project at the end of the semester that is worth a lot of your grade. Laurie is one of the best professors at Middlebury.

Chill and RelaxedProject-HeavyEasy Grading
4hrs / week Average difficulty Extremely high value Would take again
with Laurie Essig11 months ago

Daily reading responses, which are three quotes and a few sentences on them, are a bit bothersome but the class is super interesting. There is one big project (can be done in a group) to be completed throughout the semester and a couple of papers, but she is definitely a professor who cares more about effort and understanding than a harsh grader. I have learned a lot in this class so far and the large group discussions are fun and valuable!

Daily reading responses, which are three quotes and a few sentences on them, are a bit bothersome but the class is super interesting. There is one big project (can be done in a group) to be completed throughout the semester and a couple of papers, but she is definitely a professor who cares more about effort and understanding than a …Read more

Constant ReadingEasy GradingNo Exams
3hrs / week Average difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Laurie Essig11 months ago

Prof. Essig has a unique way of lecturing that is both entertaining and incredibly informative. I definitely have learned a lot about gender theory. She does require you to submit a Reading Response Form for every class, which can get annoying, but overall the assignments are fair and prompt you to engage with the material. I'd recommend this class as a great intro to gender studies, even if you don't plan on majoring or minoring in the subject.

Prof. Essig has a unique way of lecturing that is both entertaining and incredibly informative. I definitely have learned a lot about gender theory. She does require you to submit a Reading Response Form for every class, which can get annoying, but overall the assignments are fair and prompt you to engage with the material. I'd recom …Read more

Constant ReadingFair GradingProject Exams
4hrs / week Some difficulty High value Would take again
with Laurie Essig8 months ago

I found this course to be truly valuable. Laurie is lovely and very passionate about the material. She also grades mostly off completion which takes a lot of pressure off. The readings are long but generally interesting and engaging.

Chill and RelaxedConstant ReadingEasy Grading
5hrs / week Low difficulty Very high value Would take again
with Laurie Essig10 months ago

This was my favorite gender studies class. The professor was great and enthusiastic about the material, and she helped us connect the theory to our own lives which was very useful and unique to the course.

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingNo Exams
3hrs / week Average difficulty High value Would take again
with Laurie Essig2 years ago

I really enjoyed this course and it helped me understand the complexity of our understanding of gender. I found the readings to be really interesting and valuable, and Laurie is a great professor who really wants her students to succeed. After taking this class I switched from a GSFS minor to a GSFS joint major, and I am so happy I did it!

Chill and RelaxedFair GradingNo Exams
3hrs / week Low difficulty High value Would take again
with Laurie Essig2 years ago

The readings were a bit dense, but Laurie is highly effective at helping navigate the tough material. The class is super fun and full of real-world examples. Papers were allowed and encouraged to be projects. Grading was fair. The class was a ton of fun!

Chill and RelaxedEasy GradingProject Exams
4hrs / week Low difficulty Very high value Would take again