Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness & Students’ Perception
Student Assessment of Instruction for Intermediate Integrated Language & Culture | Fall 2019 Longwood University Sample of Students’ Comments
The instructor presented material in a clear and organized way.
«By allowing students to be able to interact with each other is a great way to help students practice the information the've learned. The way in which the information has been presented is one of the best I've ever had. Nothing is very confusing, and the things that are confusing are usually put into words digestible for the class.»
«He is very thorough and always presented the material in a way that was interactive and fun.»
«The instructor presented material in a clear and organized way that made the class not only easy to understand but fun for everyone.»
«I always know what topic we are going over that day and when upcoming assignments are.»
«The instructor taught the class material in a way we would understand the information and be able to use it. The professor gives us worksheets and allows us to interact with other students to understand the material. Also the professor expects participation when we learn and go over the worksheets.»
«Since, I was not familiar with the language it was difficult to understand what the professor was asking me or stating in class. However, if I did not understand what was being stated in class, Diaz-Luna was more than happy to help me understand what was said in class or the course material.»
The instructor’s interest in the course motivated students to learn.
«Professor Diaz-Luna is passionate about teaching Spanish. He truly makes each class interesting and engaging. I have learned so much from taking his class.»
«The main goal the instructor has is to get us to learn the information and the professor teaches in the most simple way so we want to learn.»
«The instructor's interest in the course motivated us, the students, to be motivated and excited to try new things in class. The instructor's motivation helped create a safe learning environment so people weren't afraid to answer questions and speak in front of others.»
«Sergio creates great in class activities that motivate all the class to learn. Sergio makes Spanish enjoyable to learn which I feel is difficult to do.»
«He makes the material fun to learn and includes interactive materials. Participation is mandatory in this class, but mistakes/wrong answers are welcome! He would rather know that you are trying than you just sit in class without every making any effort. Participation also encourages other students to participate.»
«He cares about how much we are learning. He doesn't want any students to fall behind. He also will change the tests or quizzes if he feels we are struggling or need more time. He is constantly setting us up to succeed.»
«I never leave the class without learning something new or being motivated to use Spanish out of class.»
«The instructor motivates us everyday to practice what we know and try things that we don't. He is always trying to allow students the opportunity to try to make the best with what they have.»
«Professor Diaz-Luna was very motivated about the context in this course. He encouraged myself and other classmates to study or watch educational videos on the context to understand the course and the Spanish-based cultures.»
The instructor clearly communicated expectations for student achievement.
«He tells us what he expects out of us and we know the expectations of the whole class.»
«The instructor set reasonable goals and expectations for all the students and adjusted things for the class to help us in the long-run.»
«He's very understanding when it comes to his students, so if you have any troubles just talk to him!»
«The instructor has given the class a very well thought out plan for what we should understand by specific dates.»
«All of the time, professor Diaz-Luna informed us of his expectations. In hopes of me and other students to learn something beneficial to take with us after college. His expectations were clearly communicated and structured based on the class overall performance which benefited how I learned from other classmates. His expectations were challenging at times, yet rewarding because he understood the different strategies to apply for each student in the course to understand the course material.»
The instructor encouraged students to ask questions and express their knowledge.
«Sergio encourages his students during class to participate and ask questions.»
«Participation is mandatory and very encouraged in this class. If you don't volunteer yourself, he will call on students so be on the safe side and volunteer. Participation also helps a lot with your grade!»
«This is why this has been the best Spanish class that I have ever taken!»
«The professor always encouraged students to ask questions, however, most students would not put forth effort in the class. When this started happening consistently the professor adjusted his teaching methods to appeal to the class and encourage them.»
«Every class he expects us to come to class with a positive attitude and ready to contribute to the class discussion. This helps the class especially in terms of speaking and becoming more comfortable when speaking Spanish amongst our peers.»
«Always! The classroom setting is hands-on-learning typically we get into groups that encourage us to speak with our peers.»
«The instructor encourages students to ask questions. The instructor is open to any and all of them.»
«Yes, the instructor encouraged students to ask questions and express their knowledge in order for us to learn more about the course material.»
The instructor provided constructive feedback on students’ work that helped students improve.
«Honestly, Sergio is hands down the best Spanish teacher that I've ever had.»
«Generally, most students didn't much feedback needed to be given. Majority of it is showing the mistake and then allowing the student to come to their own conclusion of why it's wrong and how to fix it.»
«He almost always provided constructive feedback on students’ work that helped me improve. If he did not provide feedback then it was your responsibility as his student to come to his office hours to better understand how to improve on the next assignment or further along in the course. The feedback he did provide was clear and beneficial to the improvement of my work.»
Other Comments
«Sergio Diaz-Luna was the best Spanish instructor I've ever had. All my years through, middle school and high school, Diaz-Luna was so excited to teach the students and learn from the students as well. His enthusiasm and kindness created a safe and fun learning environment that every was happy to speak and participate. I am very happy I took his class and recommend him to all my friends in the future.»
«Great professor!! Always willing to help on any assignment and wants his students to succeed.»
«Professor Sergio gave me confidence in learning Spanish. I know a lot more than I did in the beginning of the semester and am excited to use it outside of class!»
«Sergio is the most helpful professor I have ever had at Longwood University. He cares about his students success.»
«Sergio is by far the best Spanish teacher that I have had! I would highly recommend him to other students who are wanting to take Spanish.»
«This class was honestly the best Spanish class that I have ever taken. I tend to get nervous when I take other languages and step out of my English confort zone but I have learned more in this class than I ever have. Sergio is one of the best professors because he cares. He cares that his student want to learn and he understands that we struggle but he goes through it all to help us understand his language and we help him understand ours!»
«I really enjoyed this class. Everything my instructor has done has been wonderful. I'd love to have classes with him in the future.»
Student Assessment of Instruction for Intermediate Integrated Language & Culture | Spring 2019 Longwood University Sample of Students’ Comments
«I loved taking professor Diaz-Luna's class for two semesters! I had him for Spanish 111 and Spanish 211 and he is awesome. He always makes sure his students actually understand and know how to speak Spanish the correct way. I am glad that I was able to have two semesters with him, and I will miss him teaching me Spanish every Tuesday's and Thursday's! I highly recommend him to everyone!»
«This class was great. A foreign language class is not going to be easy; however, I learned so much from this professor and enjoyed the class. Participation is important in order to learn another language and this professor made sure that everyone had the opportunity to participate. After taking this class with Dr. Díaz-Luna, I would highly recommend other students to take this class.»
«Very very good professor! Always excited to teach and help out. One time he said he encourages mistakes, which I had never heard a teacher say before so he truly wishes for his students to learn and do well! He is very caring and good at understanding which I liked a lot!»
«Great teacher! Works with you and will explain anything you have a question on very well. Gives good test reviews to study with and all quizzes were challenging but not impossible. All work in class was interactive and helped me learn faster (loved the student 1, student 2 activities). Funny and caring and one of my best spanish professors I have ever had!»
«I had this professor last semester as well. I am truly going to miss being in his class, and I feel so grateful to have had him as one of my first professors at Longwood. He always makes class so engaging and has taught me so much about Spanish!»
«A GREAT professor. I loved his enthusiasm he had for the class and his enthusiasm to teach. I recommend to students all the time about him. If I continued with my spanish, I would take this professor over and over.»
«I loved professor Diaz-Luna!! He was such a wonderful teacher and he was very helpful. I’ve never been good at Spanish, nor have I ever had a good grade in Spanish, but this year was the first time I had a shot at doing both of those things.»
«I was intimidated by this course at the beginning of the semester, but I grew to enjoy going to class. Professor Diaz-Luna is quite intense but in the best way possible. He is very helpful and answers questions. He never degrades students which really helped me personally with volunteering more often in class. As the semester went on I really started to enjoy class. Professor Diaz-Luna really strives to get students to learn and wants to seem the succeed. He doesn't ever set you up for failure.»
«I have enjoyed being your student for the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 semester. I have learned a lot of new Spanish word and have saw an improvement in my Spanish abilities to write, read, and speak thanks to your class. I have also enjoyed the interactive activities where I am work with some of my other classmates and connect what we are learning in class. The writing composition and oral exam prompts are interesting, and I can share my own opinions in Spanish, which helps me to learn new words.»
«This class was very enjoyable. I was excited to come to every class. Professor was extremely passionate about the subject and was very encouraging and understanding with all of his students. Thank you!»
«I really enjoyed Dr. Luna Diaz! He was always responsive with me when I messed up on a word, and would make silly jokes with our classes. I don’t like Spanish and he made this class fun!»
«He is one of the best professors I have ever had. He is always positive and excited to teach his material. He makes me excited to learn Spanish, which is hard to do. In my three years, I have learned more in his class than any other class.»
«Professor Sergio is a wonderful professor to have. Everyday he encourages students to learn in creative ways that have been a delight to work with, very understanding and forgiving.»
Student Assessment of Instruction for Intensive Beginning/Intermediate Integrated Language & Culture | Fall 2018 Longwood University Sample of Students’ Comments
The instructor presented material in a clear and organized way.
«Prof. Diaz-Luna was an amazing teacher. He spent a lot of time making sure that his students understood the concepts he talked about. He taught in a very effectively.»
«He would have us do exercises that made us actually apply the information we learned and made us understand the material much more than we would have if we just had to sit and listen.»
«He would use powerpoints and different activities so we would have a better understanding.»
«Always ready to teach students the proper material.»
The instructor’s interest in the course motivated students to learn.
«Your enthusiasm made the class so fun.»
«He would get excited and motivate us for any little realization we got in the class.»
«It was clear to see that Prof. Diaz--Luna cared a lot about what he was teaching. His passion for his subject was clear to see and his positive attitude made it fun to learn from him.»
«He was always so energetic and was eager to teach the material to use.»
«This professor was very interested in what was teaching and it motivated me to learn.»
The instructor clearly communicated expectations for student achievement.
«He would always say that making mistakes is okay because we learn from them so hearing that from him really gave me assurance that I was gonna do fine in the class and he doesn’t expect everyone to be perfect spanish speakers or writers.»
«Prof. Diaz-Luna clearly wanted his students to succeed. He brought to our attention, multiple times, that there are tutors available if anyone ever needed more help on any particular subject. He also told us that he was also available if we had any questions.»
The instructor encouraged students to ask questions and express their knowledge.
«Prof. Diaz-Luna definitely encouraged his students to ask questions. He reviewed materials multiple times and always provided us with many examples of how to use the materials he was teaching us.»
«Discussion oriented class. Questions welcome and a lot of participation.»
«He wants all students to participate in class and work hard outside of class.»
«He asked for volunteers a lot to get us to tell him what we thought the answer was and would correct us if we were wrong so we knew what was wrong and how to fix them.»
The instructor provided constructive feedback on students’ work that helped students improve.
«He comments and corrects us on everything we do and makes sure we understand the material as indivisible not just as a class.»
«The feedback on papers and tests helped me improve.»
«Provided very good feedback on every assignment.»
«On things we didn’t do so good on, he would reckons us to go to a tutor which was helpful. He would also correct them on the side so we knew how to fix them. He would come around when we were speaking and Spanish and would listen to us and try to help us to say the word better which was really helpful.»
Other Comments
«He was an all around great teacher! He is so energized and I love that in a teacher when he is excited to teach the material. He tried to help in anyway possible to help us learn the material. He would bring in several activities which helped me understand the material more.»
«Great professor, always encouraging and helpful with learning the material, also goes out of his way for students.»
«He is an amazing Spanish teacher and really cares about his students. He is always willing to help and wants to make his class as enjoyable as possible.»
«I thoroughly enjoyed coming to class everyday for Professor Diaz-Luna. Diaz-Luna's Spanish 111 class was probably one of my favorite classes out of the whole Fall 2018 semester. He was always willing to help you whether you understood the Spanish content or not. I am really looking forward to taking Spanish 211 with him in the Spring semester!»
«Professor Diaz-Luna has an infectious enthusiasm for the subject. I've learned more Spanish in this semester than all of my prior years of Spanish instruction combined. While I do appreciate Professor Diaz-Luna's efforts I will say that I think this class is very difficult and work intensive [...] I would like to stress that this is a separate criticism from the performance of Professor Diaz-Luna, as I couldn't imagine a better instructor for this course.»
«Really great teacher, cares a lot about students and really want you to do good in class. One of my favorite teachers i have had.»
Students’ Perception of Teaching for Advanced Spanish Conversation & Composition | Fall 2017 Franklin & Marshall College Sample of Students’ Comments
«Prof. Diaz-Luna welcomed everyone's questions and comments. He engaged with all the ideas introduced/ proposed by students. The comments Prof. Diaz-Luna provides on our compositions and oral exams are always very thorough and insightful. This course inspired me to continue learning Spanish and the culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Prof. Diaz-Luna's energy and passion really motivate students.»
«Prof. Diaz-Luna is a phenomenal instructor!»
«All of the material was very clearly explained and presented during lectures and homework or other assignments. He took time to answer everybody's questions and took any comments seriously. On written compositions the suggestions were always very helpful. It was always constructive criticism and started with the positive aspects. We used a combination of electronic and written work that kept the class interesting and all the videos improved my understanding of the subject.»
«Easily one of the best professors I have had in my six years at F&M! I liked how much he loved teaching the course and how willing he was to help even if it inconvenienced him. I'd suggest the school could improve by making sure he stays at F&M, he's already a fantastic professor.»
«Sergio was a great professor. On our papers he would tell us exactly what we did wrong gramatically which was very helpful in writing the next version or paper.»
«Sergio was hands down the best Spanish professor I've ever had!»
«The instructor encouraged us to ask questions and our comments were always appreciated. The comments by the instructor were always very thorough and intended to make us all better students. The instructor is an excellent teacher. [He] made this course amazing.»
«Best professor could have asked for. Incredible learning experience. [He] was smart, empathetic, patient, and understanding while challenging me to be better. [Sergio] is amazing, really a joy to take his course, and he is a great individual.»
«Loves what he is doing and is very engaged with the material. [He] incorporated technology in most exercises along with other classroom materials.»
«He's a great teacher! He puts so much effort into the class, its activities, and tries to make learning fun. He definitely knows how to work all the technology. He is equipped with all the appropiate adapters! I loved the enthusiasm of the professor!»
«I have never learned more while taking a Spanish class. [Prof. Diaz-Luna] is the best language teacher I have ever had. He was an outstanding teacher, always willing to help and put a focus on learningand understanding the language before the grades, which I value extremly. Amazing professor!»
«Corrections/comments were extremely helpful in helping me build and refine my skills, especially on essays. My Spanish knowledge is much more advanced than it was prior to this course. I really enjoyed this course and learned much. Probably my favorite class/professor of the semester.»
«The instructor had an array of activities that allowed for all types of leraning. Corrections on papers and tests were all well detailed and informative. The course definitly reinstalled the Spanish I had learned before. His character definitly added to the impact of his teaching. The professor himself was the best part of this course.»
«Sergio always found great videos or picture diagrams that [referred] grammar, vocab, and cultural topics. Sergio is full of energy and enthusiasm. His personality is what made me want to go to class. I reallly enjoyed how Sergio tried to conneted with each student during the classes.»
«Sergio is a great professor. He is very receptive to anyone that needs help and he's not afraid to sit down and have a conversation with you.»
«Wonderful professor who really cares about his students and their performance learning. I liked most the enthusiasm of the professor in helping his students.»
«I think he is a great teacher and he is very patient and it's been great having him as a professor. [This course] was so fun. I was always excited to come to class because I knew I would learn in an interactive way! »
Students’ Perception of Teaching for Creative Writing: The Art of Prose in Spanish | Spring 2017 Franklin & Marshall College Sample of Students’ Comments
THE INSTRUCTOR: What is your overall evaluation of the instructor's teaching?
«Wonderful professor! He is the one that inspired me to pursue a major in Spanish due to his passion for the subject..»
«He was more than a 5. I always felt that I could ask a question if I had one.»
«I love Sergio's class. Interesting and helpful.»
«He is a great professor!»
«The professor was very engaging and helpful, and I enjoyed the content he chose for the class.»
«One of the most passionate professors on campus.»
Students’ Perception of Teaching for Advanced Spanish Conversation & Composition | Fall 2016 Franklin & Marshall College Sample of Students’ Comments
THE INSTRUCTOR: What is your overall evaluation of the instructor's teaching?
«Professor Díaz-Luna is a wonderful professor, who always puts our understanding first. [He] was always prepared for class because of very well and detailed syllabus. We always stayed on the right pace.»
«I loved the classroom conversation the most and the lively energy from the professor that went along with our discussions and class activities.»
«Sergio's enthusiasm and energy are what made this class so enjoyable. I can see he loves what he does and it makes every day great. {...} I hope to have him again in my last year at F&M.»
«Professor was always prepared for how long each class activity would take and planned out the class well. [He] is a dedicated and interesting professor.»
«Professor Diaz-Luna has been a very good professor this semester. He is helpful and tries to engage the class so everyone is an active participant. I think Prof. Diaz-Luna did a great job of utilizing Group Work as a way to get students involved in class. [He] was always willing to help and gave constructive feedback. Overall I think Prof. Diaz-Luna was the best Spanish Prof. I have had here at F&M.»
How clearly did the instructor present the course material whether through lecture, class discussion or other activities?
«Professor Díaz-Luna presented all the course material clearly and effectively through power points, lectures, debates, movies, and other formats. I enjoyed learning the material in different styles other than just reading texts and lectures because he made the material enjoying.»
«We consistently had valuable class discussions that cleared up confusion.»
«I think he is very clear with his presentation of the material, he makes good use of his PPTs, handouts and other to show us the information in many different ways.»
«Each class was outlined on the white board and we often covered all the points. He used a great [amount] of games, videos, lectures, and group activities to get in material across.»
To what extent where writing assignments helpful in improving your writing and thinking skills?
«I loved the editing process because it really helped me recognize my mistakes and fix them to improve.»
«Very helpful, and writing and analysis have improved greatly .»
«The corrections on papers are extremely helpful when trying to improve my writing.»
«His corrections and suggestions on the essays and "esquemas" were extremely helpful to me as one who did not grow up writing and speaking Spanish.»
To what extent did the instructor use good examples or illustrations to clarify the material? To what extent did the instructor provide materials and activities [books, images, exercises] appropriate to your study of the language?
«He provided great examples, whether it be power points, discussions or on-line media. All our material was in Spanish, we read from various texts and novels.»
«[He] uses drawings, diagrams, quotes, etc. to prove a point.»
«Movies were very helpful to my learning process in this class.»
«There were many examples in the form of visuals, which I found to be very helpful. The extra materials were helpful and made the study more concrete.»
Students’ Nomination Letters for Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Community and Diversity2015-2016 ~ UC Davis International House, Davis
Chancellor's Achievement Award for Community and Diversity 2015-2016 ~ UC Davis NOMINATION LETTER
We enthusiastically nominate Sergio Díaz-Luna, a graduate student in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, for a Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Community and Diversity. Our contact with him stems from his volunteering to serve as leader of our weekly Advanced Spanish Conversation Group at International House (I-House) since September of 2014.
Sergio’s interactive skills have honored the International House mission perfectly. Poised as it is next to the campus, yet situated within the community, I-House brings together people of all ages, nationalities, and professional and educational backgrounds, deepening their understanding of other cultures, languages and ways of thinking. In our group setting there, he draws the University into the community and the community into the University.
When Sergio stepped in as leader in September 2014, the Advanced Spanish Conversation group had been meeting for several years, with the help of capable leaders. Stepping into a leadership role of an established group, a stranger needs to show both energy and the ability to listen. Sergio showed those skills from the start. He quickly sensed the different interests and the Spanish ability levels of group members, and developed a mixture of injecting ideas of his own and picking up on others’ ideas of what to discuss each Tuesday. Since Sergio joined us, the class has grown and attracted new faces from community and campus, as word circulates that as a teacher he is inclusive, fascinating, surprising, and erudite. Nowadays one had better arrive early to have a place to sit.
Sergio's manner of teaching is kaleidoscopic, enriching the subject matter being discussed with politics, poetry, literature, cinema and graphic art. What he offers us is shaped both by the interests we express and by events in the larger world. He calls our attention to many and various ideas and issues, not only in class but also in e-mails informing us about campus cultural events, such as films. Inviting and exhorting us from his base at the University, he has made us welcome at the 2015 UCD “Día Internacional del Libro,” held at Sproul Hall on the shared death date of Cervantes and Shakespeare. At his urging, one reluctant community member in our group took part in the public reading at the celebration and found it a wonderful shared experience. Similarly, in response to his e-mail and in-class exhortations, a number of group members attended a student production of a play by the “Golden Age” Spanish author Lope de Vega.
He has a deep knowledge of Latin American and comparative literature. For example, he has led discussions of the work of the great Gabriel Garcia Marquez, explaining how his life, especially his childhood, influenced his descriptions and his imagination, showing us that his use of adjectives is unique in all Spanish literature and giving us a creative assignment based on a series of cartoons drawn about scenes from one of Marquez’ writings on which we wrote short interpretive essays.
Some of the introduced topics offer delightful or curious light touches. On one occasion Sergio gave us a show-and-tell on the way in which mobile libraries around the world, mounted on trucks, horses, burros, and camels, bring opportunities for literacy to isolated communities. On another he had us ponder whether there is a secret message encoded in the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Other topics are serious and urgent. We have discussed texts and links relating to the dangers faced by migrants crossing the U.S. southern border; a public health initiative in South Africa, funded by the Desmond Tutu Foundation; the Chilean “anti-poet” Violetta Parra; and the avant-garde projects of a national network of literature students in Colombia.
Other group members share our enthusiasm. We offer five of their testimonies, which were written in response to our sending out an email announcing our intent to nominate him. (We can supply the missing email addresses if the committee seeks verification from the sources.) Two of the five testimonies are the eloquent self-standing letters from Marilu Carter and Donna Skinner of Davis, uploaded as separate supporting letters. Here are the thoughts offered by three others:
«One of the huge advantages to living in Davis is the possibility of taking advantage of the operations of International House. The language groups of I- House are some of the major contributions to the community, and the individuals who organize and direct those groups are heroes to the groups’ members! I know Sergio Díaz -Luna through his activities in directing the advanced Spanish group. I stand in awe of how he knows how to involve issues and combine themes in such a way that cultural phenomena, literary creations, and international events become connected — one has to become excited at the growth in understanding that becomes an effect of attending the group meetings and taking part in the preparation for being there. Sergio works hard at being there intellectually for the rest of us, and we all really appreciate it!» —Melvin Neville
«I am a new member to Davis community. I came here from Brazil following my husband, who is a PhD student at UC Davis. This is a challenge for anyone, but coming to a city where I was able to find activities and events aiming to integrate the community made all the difference. Sergio’s Spanish group is one of such activities and I have no words to describe how much better my life is for being able to join them. Sergio not only does an amazing job at leading the group and helping improve our Spanish and general knowledge of Latino America, but also serves as a link to the community and university itself by always notifying us about cultural events that I would never hear of if it wasn't for him. I'm very thankful for his hard work because it has been crucial in my adaptation to a foreign place.»—Stéfanie Fares Sabbag «I really liked how Sergio discussed literary elements and described the writing style of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was like he brought the words off the page and into real life. I have never had a Spanish teacher go into so much depth while keeping my attention and driving home a main point.» —Alifa Merchant [Student at UC Davis]
In short, our group has benefitted greatly from Sergio Díaz-Luna's commitment, erudition, and breadth of interests. He has brought the riches of the University out into the neighborhood and led our diverse group to consider a wide range of ideas and issues across many perspectives and cultures.
Nomination letter written by Dr. Joan Cadden, Linda W. Lindert, Dr. Peter H. Lindert & Monica McCarthy.
Chancellor's Achievement Award for Community and Diversity 2015-2016 ~ UC Davis
SUPPORTING LETTER
This letter is to support the nomination of Sergio Díaz-Luna for a Chancellor's Achievement Award for Diversity and Community. This enthusiastic and talented man has exhibited extraordinary talent in building a cultural bridge between UC Davis and the community of Davis.
I know Sergio from being a student in his weekly advanced Spanish class at the International House, which he teaches as a volunteer coordinator. Over the last two years he has attracted and retained the involvement of students from the broader community and from the university. Our class includes students who range from college age to retired persons, university affiliated and not, of several ethnic backgrounds and nationalities, very advanced and novices, all of whom wish to know more about Hispanic literature, culture, politics and trends. We share a curiosity. Sergio has many skills to involve us all. Every week he guides us in learning more.
Sergio calls on his broad knowledge of Latin American literature and culture as we explore Hispanic language and culture. He uses all kinds of media (books, newspapers, internet, blogs, movies, and more) to enable our explorations. He makes us aware of programs and talks and shows of interest. As a non-UCD affiliated community member, I have started attending events on campus. Some younger members of the class have become aware of opportunities in the greater Davis community. Through all of this Sergio is energetic and inclusive to all class members. We know he is busy with his research as he finishes his doctorate, but he never lacks the enthusiasm to prepare great classes for us. He has had positive influence on UC Davis, the broader community of Davis, and on each of us as individuals. He would be a worthy recipient of the Chancellor's Achievement Award for Diversity and Community.
Letter written by Donna Skinner.
Chancellor's Achievement Award for Community and Diversity 2015-2016 ~ UC Davis SUPPORTING LETTER
I am seeking your consideration of Sergio Díaz-Luna as an extraordinarily gifted and deserving candidate for this Award. He is an Associate Instructor, a PhD Candidate in Spanish emphasizing Critical Theory and Second Language Acquisition.
Despite his schedule, Sergio volunteers to teach Advanced Spanish at International House Davis. Although my Spanish is rudimentary, I attended his classes and discovered that he is among the finest instructors I’d experienced at UC Davis. Sergio engaged even my meager understanding of the Spanish language.
It’s beautiful to watch, this ballet of the minds, his and ours, in that small I-House annex classroom. I gave no thought to the room—we were transported elsewhere, to Sergio’s Colombia, to the singular language of Gabriel García Márquez, to Colombia’s rural itinerant library, Biblioburro, carried by the burros, Alfa and Beto. Under Sergio’s beautiful lead, we moved ahead to other places minute-by-minute in a nimble give and take of learning. It’s the play of his sensitive responses, articulation, intentional repetition, quirky diagrams, visual and oral illustrations, pictographs, multifaceted cultural knowledge, and skilled impromptu teaching—all calculated to advance the student’s knowledge and practice.
But beyond knowledge and practice, bilingual communication is essential in the United States to break down deep-rooted intolerance among communities, particularly in California where the largest ethnic group is of Latino/a or Spanish-speaking heritage. Sergio guided us capably in his love of people and cultures of our neighbors, inescapably entwined with all language acquisition. Perhaps neither passion, nor sensitivity, nor charisma can be taught or instilled. But, of course, in his case, years of study and critical thinking only enhance Sergio’s zeal for teaching and bridging disparity among communities. Thank you for considering Sergio Díaz-Luna one of a kind among many deserving candidates.
Letter written by Marilu Carter, M.S., Community Development.
Supervisor Evaluation for Intermediate Spanish Class | Fall 2015 University of California, Davis
Topic covered in class: Analysis and discussion of “La mejor tinta” by Armando Valladares; preparation for writing the first esssay
POSITIVE ASPECTS OF CLASSROOM TEACHING
Sergio’s lesson was divided into a logical sequence: (1) guided reading as a whole group, reading in pairs; (2) comprehension questions in pairs; (3) interpretation questions in groups of three; (4) a YouTube video of an interview with the poet Armando Valladares; and (5) composition topic. Sergio first introduced the poem and stressed the importance of pronunciation during the guided reading pair work. He explained unknown vocabulary with circumlocution and rephrasing in the target language, as well as drawings on the board.
Students responded eagerly to true/false questions, verifying their comprehension of the poem, and to open-ended discussion questions, solidifying their interpretation of the poem. The YouTube video was a nice touch that made the poem and poet come to life for students. Finally, Sergio had designed the first composition topic based on Malala Yousafzai, who had recently become the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
OTHER COMMENTS AND/OR SUGGESTIONS
Sergio is a creative and detail-oriented language instructor. He provides clear instructions for each activity so that students know exactly what to expect of the lesson. He incorporates technology in class and via SmartSite, which allows students to go beyond the textbook and to highlight key ideas of a literary text. He skillfully moves from brief teacher-fronted to individual activities in pair and group work, which allows students to first assimilate the linguistic structures and literary concepts, and then put them into use in communication, discussion, and exchange of ideas. He is very comfortable in the classroom and also interacts effectively with individuals and groups during classroom activities. He brings a great deal of energy, enthusiasm, and motivation to the teaching endeavor, especially as it concerns literature. He succeeds in creating an environment in which language acquisition can take place. He engages the participation of all students, who are motivated and excited to use Spanish to complete classroom activities. Sergio: This was a great class. Thank you for all the preparation and effort you put into teaching at the intermediate Spanish level. Keep up the great work! Evaluation written by Dr. Travis G. Bradley, Associate Professor of Spanish, UC Davis.
Supporting Letter for Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, and Evaluation for Teaching Sessions on Principles of Hispanic Literature and Criticism |Fall 2014 University of California, Davis
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
From November 6-9, 2014, I was attending a conference away from campus. Both my classes needed covering. I prevailed upon Sergio Díaz-Luna to handle them. He was taught Spanish 100 himself in the past and I knew he would competently handle my section of the same course.
The material he was to cover was challenging for a single hour and twenty minute period: a fairly vast amount of technical information about poetic rhetorics and versification, all to prepare students for a quiz on the day I returned from the conference. He would have to be knowledgeable, precise and efficient.
On the evaluation form I have developed for students to report their experience with student professors, reviewers mention a pre-lesson quiz Sergio gave, to see where students were with their knowledge. That impressed them (and me!). They also mentioned a helpful power point presentation that supplemented his teaching. Overall, students found his teaching to be careful, precise and bolstered by a helpful use of the chalkboard. A few said they wish he had taken longer to explain the poetic language. They would have said the same had I been teaching that day. Importantly, "he was very flexible and interactive" and "Sergio Díaz will be a wonderful and well prepared teacher." This is a third time my students, in this and another class, have benefited from his particular style of teaching, always with happy results. I share their belief that Sergio is destined to always earn high marks for teaching throughout his career. Letter from Dr. Linda Egan, Associate Professor of Spanish, UC Davis.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
From November 6-9, 2014, I was attending a conference away from campus. Both my classes needed covering. I prevailed upon Sergio Díaz-Luna to handle them. He was taught Spanish 100 himself in the past and I knew believe him to be competent to handle as well a survey course in upper division Latin American literature, Spanish 150. This letter is to confirm that Sergio performed with a high degree of competence and professionalism in the Spanish 150 class during my absence.
The material to be presented and analyzed that day, November 6, 2014, was Esteban Echeverría's hybrid text —half chronicle, half short story— called "El matadero". Judging by the evaluations written by students, Sergio presented a singularly original and effective lesson plan, which he carried out with dramatic flair and knowledge. The evaluation is performed on a form I developed for just such occasions, after a graduate student has taught a class. It is for the student's eyes only and mine. One student enthuses (my translation): "His energy and ability to communicate made the class engage with the material!" Another observes that "He stimulated our thinking." And another: "The analysis was spot on!" A more seasoned professor would be more than pleased to receive such enthusiastic reviews. I feel confident asking Sergio to sub for me when I must miss a class due to work away from campus. The teaching part of his career is already assured. Letter from Dr. Linda Egan, Associate Professor of Spanish, UC Davis.
Students’ Nomination Letters for Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award | Winter 2014 University of California, Davis
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
I am extremely pleased to be writing this letter in behalf of Sergio Díaz-Luna, at the Spanish and Portuguese Dept. for the course SPA 24 002, WQ2013.
Let me start off by saying that Sergio made SPA 24 an unforgettable experience. Up to that point in my college career, I had yet to see a graduate student radiate that much positiveness in a class. Everyday, he would walk into class with a smile, and when the time came to start class, he would always greet everyone with a “goodmorning”. Immediately, he would jump into his lesson plan, with a tone of excitement in his voice that was capable of waking everyone up (after all, the class was pretty early in the morning). You’d think that someone who started as energetic as him would lose energy by the end of class, but if anything, he would gain even more energy!
The class itself was very organized. Sergio created an environment within the class in which people were not hesitant to contribute their ideas. He did so encouraging everyone to speak and take into heavy consideration, their ideas. In fact, after hearing an idea, he would always stop, ponder on the idea, and then begin to comment to it out loud. His commentary though, would not be the typical “oh, that’s a good idea”, or “hu... interesting”. Instead, he would take to heart what the class contributed by incorporating it with his ideas. Therefore, his comments would start with, “Yes, that’s great! Because then that means that...”. To me, this thought process was remarkable, because through it, the passion he had not only for the subject, but teaching was exemplified. He would talk faster and his eyes would fill with excitement. He would then go from one chalkboard to the next, rapidly laying out sets of ideas and draw lines connecting one thing to another. In the end, before for, would not only be our ideas, but an intricate web that sustained it all together. Personally, upon looking at this web, I would think, “THIS!! This is the power of discussion! This is what coming to college should be all about!”.
Outside of class, Sergio is extremely friendly, even till today that I am not in any of his classes. My experience with his office hours was a good one. He would be very glad to be visited, and very welcoming. As in the classroom, time was not an issue for him. I know this because there were a couple times when we would get so caught up in talking that we went over his scheduled office hours. Again, he did not mind it at all. To me, this is very important to mention, since there have been times when I have gone to other grad students office hours and they made sure to mention that their office hours were coming to a close. On the off chance that I would go over, they would kindly kick me out. If anything, Sergio would encourage me to talk more. So, with him, I felt rather comfortable to go over the scheduled time. In short, Sergio is a great teacher outside and inside the classroom. Every so often I go back and think upon my experience in his class only to remember that there do, indeed, exist people that are in love with what they are doing. What this does is fill me with hopes of finding my own passion in life and aspiring to radiate as much energy about it as Sergio. With that said, I truly believe that he is the perfect individual for not only this nomination, but the award as well. Accordingly, I give him my full recommendation.
Letter from a student.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
My goal in writing this letter is that you will consider a previous professor of mine Sergio Diaz-Luna for the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award. He in my opinion has displayed a manner of teaching that is exceptional and wholly commendable.
Sergio is without a doubt one of the most involved and enthusiastic scholars I have ever met. His love for academia transcends the classrooms and seeps into every facet of his professional life. In the classroom or in the office, he works tirelessly to organize departmental events, such as the upcoming “Spanish Undergraduate Colloquium”, while teaching an upper division curriculum and working towards attaining his PhD in Spanish literature. He has an energy level that is unmatched by any of the other faculty that I have met at the University and applies it fervently to his teaching. I recall countless instances where I would go to his office hours to listen to his thoughts about the subjects discussed in class as well as share my own. Every time, I would leave with more knowledge and understanding than I had originally anticipated.
Sergio is personable and professional. As my academic coordinator for the Spanish Department’s tutoring program, he has made strides in developing effective communication between tutors students and faculty. Sergio has held a variety of meetings to assure that tutors and students alike are able to voice their opinions of the tutoring system and adapt it to fit the needs of both parties. As a tutor under his guidance, and as a previous student of his, I know that I can come to him seeking personal advice or academic criticism and leave enlightened and motivated. Sergio has inspired me academically and challenged me to become more than just student attending lecture. I can say with confidence that I am a contributing member of the Spanish department as a direct result of experiencing his enthusiasm for teaching. I sincerely hope that you will consider him for the award as he is an exemplary instructor who seeks to better himself and his students in every manner possible. Letter from a student.
Evaluation for Lecture section on Principles of Hispanic Literature and Criticism | Winter 2014 University of California, Davis Sample of Students’ Comments
THE INSTRUCTOR: Please evaluate the teaching performance of the instructor. Points you may want to consider are her/his organization of the course, interest in students' understanding, skill in generating and managing class discussions, success in stimulating student interest in the subject matter, and the clarity of her/his presentation. Please be specific.
«Professor Díaz-Luna clearly expressed his love for the subject. He was able to go into depth about the subjects we were to talked about in class. When teaching he was able to make everything clear to help us understand the topic.»
«Time was always an issue because the professor really wanted us to discuss the texts in depth, but fifty minutes is not a lot of time to do that. Regardless of the matter, he always encouraged us to engage in the reading and come to class with questions. I had him for SPA 24 so I was more comfortable when it came to asking questions, but even then, people who had never had him felt comfortable asking him questions because his charismatic personality made the tension between professor and students dwindle. Professor Díaz-Luna knew a lot about the authors and it really showed throughout the course because he would reference countless authors and provide some insights and quotes that were relevant to what we were doing. I think that because he was so passionate about the class and what it was about, he was able to bring his students into the same atmosphere he was situated in, and to me, it helped me be more analytical and helped me further develop my close reading skills which I was able to use in my other classes. Overall, it was an honor being in his class.»
«Sergio is an outstanding professor for his ability to engage the group into deep discussion since the beginning of each class. He is a very animated person to observe and passionate about the material he shares with us. He also shows genuine interest and consideration for the class's thoughts and opinions. During office hours he gives only his best input and has extended his hours on several occasions for us. He is the finest professor I have had thus far at this institution.»
«He's very helpful and enthusiastic. He's passionate about his work and his energy is contagious. I really appreciate the fact that he provided resources to further develop our knowledge and was accessible outside of class. He provides really good feedback in regards to grammar and essays.»
«He is a great teacher, he is very passionate about teaching literature. I really enjoy that he went out of his way to provide resources to help us understand the material. The handouts he compiled made it easier and engaging to look into and understand the material.»
«Sergio is one of the most engaging and enthusiastic teaching assistants I have ever taken a class from. His love for the material is clear every day that he comes to class. He generates great class discussions and always encourages active participation. He is very clear and consistent on his expectations for students, and is also very helpful in office hours.»
«Sergio did an amazing job as an instructor. He is very enthusiastic about this class and that is what makes it very good and fun to attend.»