Western Kentucky University / P / Inmaculada Pertusa

Dr. Pertusa is great. She can be intimidating because she's a native speaker, but she's really funny. She loves to have fun and make jokes. She makes the class enjoyable, although it can be a little tough. You cover grammar throughout the class, but its not longer "what's the answer"... it's more like "what's the answer, how do you know that, and what's the rule". You cover it very extensively. Also, you have to write 4 papers--a short descriptive essay, a short narrative essay, a moderate expository essay, and a moderate argumentative essay. She gives tons of feedback on the papers but that doesn't mean you'll always know how to correct it. Tests consist of grammar sections in which you have to choose the correct answer and later explain why you used it. There's always a picture at the end that you much write a short essay about.

The class was challenging and very educational. The teacher was very cool, easy to get along with, and funny. Class was a little tedious in activities and assignments. A number of written papers were assigned, but the first is very simple, and as the class goes on the papers become more thorough with better use of the spanish language. Totally recommended.

I've had Dr. Pertusa for 3 other classes and she has never been this difficult. There is so much work it is difficult to keep up with. The tests are impossible (Identification, Short Answer, Essay). I spent so much time outside of class and still barely scraped by with a C. I wasn't motivated to learn at all. She definitely knows her stuff, but she is not very willing to hear other students' interpretations. The quizzes are semi-easy; I recommend trying to meet with other students real quick before class to confirm you understood what you read. I would recommend avoiding this class if at all possible. The final is cumulative and you have to write a 10-page analytical essay (in 10 pt. font!!! which makes it really 16 pages). This class is sooooo hard and was a complete waste of my time. Take Latin American Lit!!! Pertusa is somewhat understanding and helps you if you take the initiative, but I'm just warning you if you take this class, be prepared to spend HOURS preparing, studying, and reading.

As any foreign language class, this one is challenging. It's a good Spanish elective even if you don't plan to go into a business oriented career. Pertusa is very organized, demanding of her students to do their best, and really funny. She makes class enjoyable, you actually learn, and you don't feel intimidated or stupid. Try to participate in discussions. She loves when students speak up and she won't correct you or put you down. She's extremely helpful and will go out of her way to assist you with any trouble you may be having. She had occasional short 5-10 point quizzes and a test for each of 4 or 5 chapters in the book. You have to study and know the vocabulary, but they aren't too bad. Our workbook was actually just about 50 pages printed off Blackboard so we didn't actually have to buy one, and you have daily assignments in it and in the textbook that are all due together upon taking the test for that chapter. You have to attend two cultural events (movies, speakers, etc.) and write a 1-page review of it. You also have 2 or 3 article assignments where you have to read and write a 2-page review of it. You have one bigger group project at the end about anything related to business in the Hispanic community of Bowling Green (churches, restaurants, etc.) and you can do any type of project from doing a skit to making a short film. If you take 331, she's your best choice.

Dr. Pertusa is a very demanding professor, but for Spanish majors/minors she definitely helps you learn a lot. This course was my first Spanish course at a college level and I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but once you learn her routines it'll really help you. She responds quickly via email if you have any questions. She is actively helpful and really wants her students to succeed, especially at this level. PARTICIPATE!! Contributing to discussions is VERY important in this class. It can be difficult to keep up with the conversations but they are generally interesting and she's pretty funny. If she asks you a question and you don't understand, she's very patient and will help you out. She has homework assigned daily. You need to read the articles because that's what will be discussed in class the next day, but the workbook homework from each unit isn't due until the unit chapter. However she still expects you to be completing it and if you keep up with it it will save you A LOT of time. You do have to give a short 5 minute presentation about a life experience of yours, and she originally says no note cards, but everyone had them and still got good grades. You also have to do a group project, but it's fairly easy; just don't wait till the last minute. Attendance is mandatory. She takes points off for missing class, unless it's excused. For it to be excused you have to write a paragraph about why you weren't there, but I never did that and she didn't take points off. You have to participate in two cultural activities outside of class, but the movies that the Spanish club shows count and they have english subtitles. You have to write a short paper (one page, double-spaced) about your experience at these activities. Pertusa is very organized and always willing to help if you ask. She's very lenient if you are seriously struggling. My class complained about the workload and she ended up cutting it in half, so she is very fair.

Dr. Pertusa is an excellent professor. I've had her for two other spanish classes and this one was my favorite because she seemed to enjoy it the most. There are practically no notes and the workbook homework isn't due until the next test, but she goes over it in class and it could effect your participation grade if she sees that you aren't really completing the homework. I suggest you stay on top of the workbook. It'll help you in the long run, trust me. Also, she is VERY big on participation. Try to contribute one thing to every discussion, even if you think it's wrong or stupid. She appreciates any participation. Overall, this is a fairly easy class and Pertusa is very organized and you always know what your grade is so you know where you stand, which I found helpful.

There is alot of vocab to study for small quizes and tests and almost daily small homework assignments. There is a small group project where you present a topic to the class via Powerpoint and and bigger group project where you do anything involving the Hispanic community in Bowling Green. It's not a hard class, and you learn alot. She's very organized, funny, and respectful of all students. Even if you aren't doing anything with business, it's a great elective. You get good review on conjugations and basic stuff while learning about technology and business in the Hispanic world.

This is an obviously challenging course as it is upper level. Pertusa covers grammar review while assigning 4 papers to write throughout the semester. The first three are pretty short and you have 2 rough drafts before the final draft. The final paper is 8-10 pages and much more challenging. You can turn in an optional rough draft, but you only have to turn in the final draft. There are a couple grammar quizes and two tests. It's all very challenging, and there is a lot of workbook homework and textbook reading every night, but it's helpful and you actually feel like you are learning. She's a really funny professor, and most people can understand her pretty well.

I have taken Pertusa for 202 and 371. She can be intimidating because she expects the best. But she is really funny and if you need help, just go to her office. Her classes can be difficult but I received my grade because I did not try hard enough.

The homework is easy and painless but regularly assigned. Dr. Pertusa is the most organized and professional teacher in the Spanish department (although I hear Stewart is as well). In comparison with the other available Spanish teachers, Pertusa and Stewart are the best choices for Spanish majors/minors. There is nothing difficult about this course except for the exams. There will be three, if I remember correctly. I did not do particularly well on them and still made an A. If you study the vocabulary as you go and don't just DO the homework but LEARN it, the tests will be very easy. I definitely reccommend this course and this professor - and I hate business. It's a good course to choose as an elective for your major. Pertusa is very funny and very friendly and highly respects good students, although she is fair to everyone in the class and considers each person's individual level of Spanish proficiency.

Before having Pertusa this semester, I had heard some pretty bad stories. But after taking two classes with her in the same semester, I feel like I have a pretty good idea about her as a professor.

1. She is not a bad professor. She really, truly, cares about her students. She can also be really funny, and her lectures are never boring.

2. The course was very easy for some students and challenging for others, like with all spanish classes

3. There is a lot of work and she expects dedication from her students

4. You really have no choice but to take her, because by now you have reached upper level spanish and have realized there is only one professor per class.

So, study your vocab, be actively involved in class (a lot of your grade is based on that) and enjoy yourself!

Dr. Pertusa seems very intimidating at first and at first is difficult to understand but you soon pick up "an ear" for her native Spanish accent. The work seems like a load at first but you will soon learn her system and it becomes manageable. There is a lot of writing, as the course title would entail, but her comments and correction codes help a lot. I did well on all of the tests and papers but I had to constantly keep up with my work. She doesn't check the homework daily but at the end of every unit she collects the chapter so the more you keep up with your homework, the less of a hassle it is come test time. Overall, Pertusa is a very good and helpful teacher, but you have to work hard and keep good attendance for a good grade.

Dr. Pertusa is not a good professor. She rushes through the information. I also took 3 years of Spanish in H.S. and did fine, but in her class you had better study or plan on not doing well. Final is comprehensive and very hard...harder than it should be. I wouldn't reccomend taking her.

I would not recommend taking Dr. Pertusa for Spanish 101. I had three years of Spanish in high school, and received a C in the class. Not because I didn't do well on the material, but because she counts off three points from your final average every time you miss the class. I didn't even know that until after the semester was over, so I couldn't do anything about it then. She only let one person in the class do something for extra credit, so I couldn't have made up the points even if I had known about them. Also, we did the hardest material of the course at the end, and she rushed through it. We didn't spend any time on it at all. If you have to take her, it's not too bad, but DON'T miss the class.

Dra. Pertusa has a bad reputation, but I liked her. If you are nice and joke around with her, you will enjoy the class. You write lots of papers in spanish, but she gives you sufficient time and help to complete it without much difficulty. You will write a paper, submit it, and she will give you a ten point completion grade and circle all your errors. Then you turn it in a second time and she will give you a grade out of one hundred and will actually check for errors, marking your mistakes again and putting abbreviations for what the error was. You then correct your errors and turn in a final copy whose grade will be averaged with the second copy you turned in. She gave three very short "pruebas" or quizzes/tests which were very difficult for me because I had not learned the tenses of the verbs well in 202. If you study and keep up with the work, the small tests will be extremely easy. She gives homework every night, including reading about how to write different essays in the book, completing grammatical exercises in a notebook (that has the answers in the back), and you will have to do two very brief presentations. She has you read the New York Times and find three articles and you will post a review of the articles on blackboard. The following day of class you will present the articles to the class. You do not have to have a speech prepared or stand in front of the class, simply summarize. I spoke in very broken spanish and received a good grade for the oral part, but I was given a moderate grade for the written part because I did it last minute. So do the work, have a positive attitude, and you will do fine.

She is an absolute horrible teacher. She is never fair in her grading and will not give you any help if you desperately need it. Because of her, over 75% of the class withdrew, leaving about 10 of us left. She shouldn't even be considered as a teacher at WKU or any other school. Do not take her ever. Seriously!