Dr. Stachenfeld is great. She is always willing to read your papers and give you great advice. However, she does trust her class to be mature adults, even when sometimes they are clearly not. Expect to read one book, and write about 4 papers.

she is a great teacher. if youre serious about learning, dont let her first impression scare you away.

I LOVE THIS LADY! She may be hard to follow and can be totally scatterbrained, however do your work, show up and youll pass, its a no brainer

over all a pretty good teacher but the class can get a little repetitive and you have to talk a lot , if you do your work your set.

A very creative teacher,she will teach you things other than english,while in the process of teaching english. If you show up and you contribute,you can do well.I recieved an A.

wonderful! seems a bit eccentric at first, as time goes on, you realize that it's just her unique sense of creativity. on nice days she would bring her class outside to discuss while sitting out on the grass. she is very understanding. HIGHLY RECOMENDED

I thought she was really cool and she wasn't all up on herself like a lot of English teachers. She will help you in any way that she possibly can. I aced this class easily; you can, too, if you're not retarded. She will give you an A for effort.

Confusing and goes off on tangents when lecturing class or discussing stories. Gives a good outline of class assignments and due dates when it is asked for. Pretty easy grader and gives good feedback.

I took her for both 1A & 1B, and got A's both times. She is very trusting of her students which can be used to help yourself. She grades pretty well on essays and does spark some creativity in you. If you're nice to her she'll love you.

I took her for both my English 200 and 1A and she was really great!! She will help you if you ask her (esp abt your essays) she gives good comments and criticisms too (that's expected for an english prof anyway). I like how she made me feel that I'm a good writer.Participate+Attendance=A!!! = )

Eccentric, very smart. If you pay attention, you can learn a lot, even beyond English. Has a sense of humor. Lively, enthusiastic, helpful. I'd give a very high rating. But. . .you have to do your work. If you slack off, you can fail. If you work, you can get an A. Lots of improvement in class.

She is the best teacher ever. I love her. She is so sweet and so funny. Sometimes i think she has lost it, but it is all fun in her class. She is a great teacher too and enjoys the students. You can learn a lot from her. Just show up to class and do your work (its easy) and you will get an A or B

I took her 200 class and i got an A by doing nothing. Her 1a class demands a little bit more work ethic, but overall class is easy. You get into circles, and talk about nothing. Very nice lady and cares about the students a lot. Do the essays and you will pass with an A.

Easiest class ever. Go to class and act like you are listening and she will like you. If you are differnet and stand out from the rest, she'll love you. A Few essays, pretty easy. Easy A in the class. Shes a really nice lady, kind of crazy, but shes way easy going and loves to teach. if you need to take 1a take her, you will enjoy it i promise.

She is a great teacher. She will help you our with your different writing style and she will not make you change it. She does go out of the subject almost every class but thats what makes it fun! To bad she won't teach English IB

The reason the work is easy is because she's so smart, she makes the hardest things easy. Like in 1A and 1B, we have papers applying principals from one essay to 2 or 3 others, and we can do it because she's lead us up to this level. Or else we're all smart, which is what she believes. If you don't like yourself, don't take this class, because you

If you like the freedom to express yourself, this is an excellent class. I can see where a student who likes a syllabus would find this teacher frustrating, but if you are like me and enjoy something different every time, this would be a great class to take.

nice lady

Very clear,very precise, you'll learn more than you ever knew you could. Great prep for future English classes

This teacher digs deep into meaning but makes things clear. You get a lot of new thoughts.

Very nice lady. She is super smart and thinks that everyone else is too. Goes off topic very easily but still stays amusing. Somewhat unorganized but really understanding. participate in group discussion let her know you did the reading and she will love you. if you dont understand all you need to do is ask and she will clear it up for you.

You need to be smart to understand everything she says, but if you ask intelligently she'll explain. If you're not up on reading she can tell and brings it to your attention quite clearly. You have to come to class, have to be up on reading. I think her standards may be too high for this school.

If you're creative, this is the teacher to take. If you're not, probably not. Asks for lots of group work and lots of synthesis of ideas. Knows a lot, though, and if you don't mind right brain thinking, you'll learn a lot.

Great teacher, interesting, makes you think.

Very smart, very funny

Makes you think! and write!

By far the wildest class I have ever taken. It was like I jumped into a spaceship and went to outerspace everytime I entered the classroom.

Clear. Work is hard, her explanations make it easy. Research paper at end. Good class interaction. Some fun, some laughs. You have to be prepared or she really marks you low.

Very smart, very clear, very helpful.

I only got a B in this class, but still I appreciate the teacher. I learned more than I ever learned in an English class, and I guess that's the trade-off for the grade. Very hard essays to read. Class is totally structured around how to set up and research an argument paper, which is not my thing. Still, that's the course; and she did what she's s

I had her class spring 2002 9 am. It was a great class to wake up to. When the essays she assigned were difficult for the class, she read aloud and explained the parts of the sentences and how they related. no one ever did this before--or after--and it helped me a lot as English is my second language. She really cares that you understand all that y

Very clear. Encourages creativity. Emphasizes application of skills to real life. You have to prepare your work and come to class. But it's fun. Lots of work, lots of participation, lots of learning.

BOTTOM LINE-BEST TEACHER AT SADDLEBACK COLLEGE, WITHOUT A DOUBT!!!!!!!!!

this teacher is a trip! she makes class way fun though! she tends to go off subject and ramble about random things, but she will definetly make you laugh. you will also learn a lot from her, she is very helpful! if you want an easy english class, take her for sure.

Very strict on attendance and doing the work. Fair. Explanations clear. Out of the box. Don't miss too many classes or you'll fail the class.

Hard class if you really learn at the level she's teaching. You miss a lot if you're absent and she marks you down. I'd say take this class if you're willing to attend it and do the work. She's really great but expects a lot of improvement from class.

You can learn a lot. You have to choose the topics for your papers, though, and if you don't like that....A fair grader.

Reading is hard but not like a science. You're expected to understand but not tested closely. You don't have to talk during discussion but you'll probably get a B or below if you don't. Spot quizzes. Papers--fair grading. Fun classes. Funny!

Very smart. If you just want to sit on your butt and not contribute, she'll grade you down. She has ESP and knows if you don't do you work, so do it. Very organized in terms of concepts. Don't be misled by her easy manner, she grades fair.

Haha she does seem to have ESP, Its a good thing though because she gets to somehow know each individual student and helps them improve on their individual potential, also the class setting is very open and she lets everyone contribute which makes for an interesting and beneficial lessons. If you try your best you should get a good grade. :)

this is one amazing woman. Im was never great at english but she gives you so much confidence. she loves to hear what you have to say. your first impression may not be a 10 out of 10 but you will learn to acepct her corky personality. shes a hoot. you only have to write 4 papers and shes will let you turn in late.TAKE STANCHEFELD!!

It's true that she changes her mind. That's becuase she's always assessing class ability and potential. It's true she's writing her own version not your basic sad little h.s. version. So don't take her if you want to be nice and comfy and never have to upgrade your mind.

I absolutely ADORE this professor. She has unusual teaching style but she involves the class (circle time, anyone?) and motivates students to do their best. Grades are based on individual improvement, not how you compare to others. If you have an open mind and want to learn, TAKE HER!

Excellent focus in what she wants from class, which is clear, informed thinking. Very out of box as well in terms of creative ideas.

Her teaching style isn't for everyone, but if you need help with your writing take her! She is the only teacher I have ever taken that has actually improved my writing. She's quirky and is constantly going on tangents, but she is extremely personable. BUT YOU MUST GO TO CLASS or she will dock major points.

This is a fun class. You are constantly involved with the class, doing peer review. She really wants you to improve your writing. GO TO CLASS! She has no patience for people that don't show up.

I took her for 1A and 1B. Very understanding, creative, and demanding of high standards. She pushes but you don't realize it because it's so fun. Take this class!

I had her for two years. She's amazing and nice. SUCH AN EASY CLASS. I recommend it. Do it.

This class was so much fun. She is very friendly and helpful. You really get to know your classmates. The only downside to this class is that she changed assignments a lot so you need to constantly check blackboard. I took her for enlgish 1a honors, and it was a fairly easy class. She is flexible and really cares for her students.

I want to mention something about the circle formation we sit in, in her class. I think it's very important to learning and bonding with the other classmates. I don't know why, but bonding with them made me learn more or feel I was learning more, like I could hear them because she made us direct our thoughts to each other, not her.

cares for her students

She really cares for her students and really tries to improve their writing. she is a push over and dresses wacky. she is so funny and corky. best teacher ever!! her class is really easy,but at times she might be unclear. she picks favorites, so attend class everyday and participate. easy A

This 1B class is full of her students from past terms 1A so she must be pretty nice. So far, beginning of fall term, she seems smart and nice. Funny. The books are not way expensive, the lectures so far are clear, and the class exercises are actually fun. I think best thing is sit in circle. Promises to be a fun term. And maybe I'll learn a lot.

I wish I'd had her for 1A. She's a good teacher, grades fairly, and what I like the most are her outfits. She is so creative!

I must admit I love this professor. She cares more about the students than they care themselves--at least some of them don't care about themselves, only their grade. They don't care about learning. She tries to wake them up to concsioucness.I don't know if it's possible for some of them, but she keeps trying. And she's very smart, too. Take her; it

Very helpful intro to a subject we were all bored to death with in h.s. I say intro because her approach is different; she really opens up WHY you should write well--that is, how it can help you in life. That's what different: she seems connected to life! How unusual!!!!! Anyway, the reading isn't heavy but the discussion is; she seems to think it'

Unlike the last two comments, I'll say she's structured but she DOES keep adding assignments. I don't mind it because she makes you think, which is unusual. So I say, hang the structure, keep up the thinking! The discussions are awesome because people seem to say what they think. A lot of growth and a lot of people don't like being made to think.

I feel like I have to defend my professor! She never, never makes any grammar mistakes, in speaking or in writing! In fact, she is a grammar perfectionist and helps clear up common errors. She is out of the box, so if you want Cookie Cutter, she is not the one. She is very nice, very helpful, and very original in her teaching. Highly recommend!

Hard work but I learned a lot. Hard reading, a lot of discussion. I liked this class better than previous ones because I learned what other students think. It was more interesting than most English classes.

She really liked our class, which was a very diverse group. She brought everyone into the discussions though she did not force the shy ones. We discussed from many different perspectives, encouraging good listening, civility and tolerance. highly recommend.

Thorough teaching of argument as a search for truth, first, and then as a search to convince others of this truth. Varied types of research; active class discussions; some probing questions.

Promotes thinking. Good use of research. I had her for 1A and 1B and we did research in both classes. Makes you attend library workshops. Best thing is class interaction; cool to hear others' thoughts. A lot of cooperation in class.

I am a returning student. I have a BA degree from another country. I took her for 1A and am taking her again for 1B. The main reason is because she makes people think. I watched people in my class wake up. That was gratifying as I am a very political person.

I would rate her highest in every category. She challeneged me to think more deeply, and I was in all AP class in high school. She's very smart. She's also pretty patient with those who don't get it. I took her for 1A and 1B, so that says something.

I never do this unless I'm mad at a prof, but with school term beginning, somehow I'm prompted to write about her. You are lucky if you are in her class! She's smart and kind and fair, and even though she wants you to speak in class, she'll let you off the hook. Just do your work, think, think, think, and you'll get an A.

This is not the right way to do it....My friend told me she is great. She let me into the 1A class! I am happy! She was interesting the first two classes! Looks like an ok beginning to school at Saddleback.

Someone said it way below in comments--she is quirky, and you may not get her at first impresion. But she is great! So stick with it and you'll have a great term.

Just began the 1A course. Loads of work! But...this class can do it. She is very encouraging and open. I wrote A as my grade because I know I can!

She makes us think. Is that good? For some it's great. I'm tired, I work a 40-hour work week. I would rather sleep in class but she won't let us. Oh well thats life

Harder than I expected from the reviews. A lot of writing, in fact, a huge amount of writing. Lots of class interaction, which was new to me and I'm beginning to like it. Some interesting reading. Writing more interesting, my thoughts. Once I review course for final, i guess i'll know what I learned besides writing .

One of the best teachers I have ever had she is extremely smart and makes you think also the class discussions and topics we cover are very interesting. I actually looked forward going to class because of her! I highly recommend her she is unlike any person I have ever met.

Took this class online. There is a lot of writing, not all of which it is dreadfully difficult. I wouldn't say it is an easy A, but an A is definitely attainable. She is extremely communicative and don't expect to cut corners. Textbook is necessary. I would certainly recommend her if you're looking for an online eng 1b course

Blackboard gave me trouble all semester. Many of my assignments didn't submit properly, so I took the time to talk with her and she was very kind about submitting work late considering the circumstances. Some things were a bit unclear, but if you make sure to talk to her or e-mail her then there should be no issues. Be prepared to work.

She was a wonderful teacher the class was very interesting and enjoyable. She makes us sit in a circle and discuss interesting topics. The essays are not hard and she helps you improve them; reading the books is interesting too.

People mostly write on here if they're mad about their grade. She's a good instructor. yes you have to listen carefully but you learn a lot. She's very fair in grading.

If you sleep in class and fail to do your assignments, you will not get a good grade. Then you will be righteously angry and write bad things about your teacher. Look at the beam in your own eye.

This woman is very freindly and very funny, but she grades tough.

I love Marilyn! As long as you participate in discussions and show her you are doing the best you can, you'll be on her good side. Very helpful and caring. Forms good relationships with her students and always checks in to make sure we are all doing ok and understanding the material. After this class I broke free from my anxieties with writing.

She's good. She got me over my fear of writing and now I may major in English. She is sort of tough minded but sweet. Funny. I would recommend her. She hates to give bad grades but I guess she'll have to, to some of my classmates. LOL

She is a wonderful professor, and one of the nicest woman I have met! She is a pleasure to talk to and easily approachable . Be sure to attend her class everyday , and she grades extremely difficult so be insecure about your writing. Be an active participator and you will get a good grade!

Sit around in a circle, A lot of discussion about what we read. She gives plenty of extra credit stuff. She is not too pick about how people write and is willing to overlook mistakes and see where you are coming from. A lot of critical thinking. Not a super challenging class, but not too boring either. I give her a B overall.

Actually I took her for 1A and 1B. Very smart. 1A class was great; 1B had a lot of lemons and she is too nice to them. I would say take her for 1A for sure. We had great class interaction.

This teacher NEVER tells anyone their writing is terrible. But you all know that people who get on this site like to lie. Anyway, she's fair, and very encouraging. Too encouraging I think and too patient sometimes. She's flexible and will listen to your stories-to a point. I'd say put away the bs for this one.

Class was very easy. If you keep up with the busy work, you will get an A. The essays she basically grades as participation. If you turn it in, its the right length, and has a works cited, you get an A. Anyone who hasn't taken a lit course before and needs to, should take Stachenfeld.

One of best class I've taken. LOTS of class participation. Each week, we wrote something and shared it that delved deep into that week's readings. It was challenging and fun.

Really learned a lot from her. She helps you think deeper about the readings and wants you to grow.

LOVE LOVE LOVE *** ,Very nice Professor. Excellent PROFESSOR ,SHE IS VERY VERY HELPFUL AND very fair. IF YOU WANT A+ JUST TAKE YOUR english with her , I highly recommend, :-)***

Inspires students to want to write well.

Mrs. Stachenfeld is a great person! Really inspired me to write about important topics going on in the world. Grading isn't exactly clear and schedule changes weekly, but if you have a lot on your plate she will help take the load off. Cares about her students but isn't recommended for an student needing structure and discipline.

She is the Best BEST professor, knowledgeable, flexible, very kind very helpful. i love her class . easy A. TAKE HER CLASS.

She's sweet! Can come on a little strong, but she means no harm. Super funny and class is kind of pointless (because it's 200), but definitely easy!!!

Professor Stachenfeld was a riot. She is caring and wants everyone to pass. She loves to mess around with everyone. If you do the homework and answer questions then you will do fine. She is an easy grader and I love that about her. I am dyslexic and English has never been my strength, but every essay I wrote I got an A+ or B+. Recommend her. ;)

I had her for 200. I would take her again but she is not teaching 1A. I wish she would teach it so i could take her.

The most fun in this class is the group work. The papers are short. If you do the homework,you are homefree.

She is not a typical professor. Her pedagogy is neither systemic nor pedantic. This is to her credit, as so much of academia forces students into a rigid structure remote from life. It seems to me that her goal is to develop the students' personal development, emphasizing the existential importance of reading literature. Take this professor.

She's really awesome! just do the usual work and homework and you'll be fine.

Treats y ou like a human being. Individual attention. Perceptive. Helped me adjust to academic standards. Makes everyone comfortable. However, if you skip class or don't do assignments, you won't pass. Fair graded.

Prof. Stachenfeld was by far the best instructor I have had. She was so kind, caring, and personable with myself and the rest of the class. Her essays are meant to dig deep into your mind about your own thoughts, experiences, and opinions. I really wish she taught ENG1A because I would take her class again!

She's supper funny and knowledgeable. I beg everyone who takes this class to talk to her about each finished assignment and go over why/what she corrected. I am wiser because of it. She meanders into mini conversations during lectures which are funny if not a little distracting. She is kind with a little bit of sarcasm; keeping the lessons fun.