Avecilla, Anamarie R. teaches at Ateneo de Manila University. Across 27 comments from students, they hold a rating of 4.3 out of 5. Of those comments, 21 read positive, 4 read neutral and 2 read negative. They are listed for 4 sections this term.
Avecilla, Anamarie R.
Ateneo de Manila University · 27 comments
What students said
positive 21
neutral 4
mixed 0
negative 2
Avecilla, Anamarie R.4.3
Background
Leans worth takingEducation · Career · Courses · PublicationsShowHide
Leans worth takingread from published reviews and public records · medium confidence
Take Avecilla for PHILO 13 if you want an engaging, structured Ethics lecturer with lighter reading than peer sections, and you will attend every session, do the six major readings, and prepare the orals. Lean away if you need a no-show A or cannot sit recitation and two orals. Sample is three unique writeups, so this is lean_take rather than take.
Suits
students who want engaging Ethics without a heavy reading stack
students who will attend every lecture and use Canvas modules
students willing to recite and prepare two orals
Look elsewhere if
students hunting a no-effort A
students who cannot attend regularly
students who will not prepare the final oral
Instructor · MA
Philosophy (ethics, Kant, freedom and determinism, philosophy of the city)
Education
MA Philosophy, Ateneo de Manila University
Career
Instructor, Ateneo de Manila University · Department of Philosophy · current
hello, said this in another post, too. hope this can help more people who are looking for philo profs.
if you are someone who diligently reads, goes through canvas modules thoroughly, and have good time management and study skills, then avecilla is okay. you have a good chance for B+ but A will need praying, luck, stress, and effort, based on my experience.
if you are like me who is average in terms of philo intelligence and you want to get an A, you would have to devote effort even if that means being highly anxious every time you go to her class and have a major requirement due. you need to be present in all lectures bc you will get lost if you miss out on a session. she also doesn’t grade participation, so she doesn’t care if you don’t recite unless she calls you. when she does, it’s just to demonstrate an example or point to the class. she is also strict with attendance. if you come even a minute after the bell and she already called attendance, you are already late. 15 minutes after the bell is already a cut. she also doesn’t care id you are late because you came from bel and your class with her is ctc.
you also need to have good groupmates bc she overestimates students in the sense she thinks there are no freeloaders. a lot of her quizzes were by group, so if you get bad groupmates, you are going to have to hard carry if you really want to get a good grade. you also cannot fight the freeloaders bc there will be peer evals and the freeloaders can grade you low to save themselves and make all the members equally low. she also times her quizzes really fast like before you can process what she is asking she is already reminding you that you guys have about half the time left lol.
studying for her midterm orals, which had 10 thesis statements, will be really tedious if you want an A. it’s possible naman to get an A (i did! but i studied for that for two weeks straight, every day lol)
as for her final orals, it’s open notes and online via zoom. sounds easy, right? NO. she will not flash the question. she will just read it twice and won’t repeat it after. she will also say or ask the question like she’s eminem or nicki minaj. before you can even process what she is asking (take note: her questions have around 2-3 parts and it’s long af), she is already starting the timer. your working memory won’t even be able to process what she just said. it is that fast.
in both her orals, it’s by group and you have to sign up. so paunahan.
if you feel that you cannot devote 100% of your effort and stress for her class and you want to get an A, don’t take her. but if you are someone who is really smart or doesn’t mind getting a B or C+, then she is okay.
though i think you can learn a lot from her and the concepts. she explains the topics really well and make good points. the trade off is just your qpi……
hope this helps! goodluck! many people, including me, survived, so you got this too!more
Noble Jay
Ethics made simpler; A is pretty challenging
positive
CoursePHILO 13
She was my prof last semester!!:>
Her teaching style allows you to understand ethics in simpler terms, which on my end helped immensely because I had some trouble synthesizing her readings (even though there were just a few required ones for the course). Both her modules and synchronous sessions contain summarizations of the readings’ key points, which you’ll apply to a case you and your randomly assigned groupmates will flesh out in graded segments.
You can use the chat box in class to ask questions or share your insights on what she’s currently discussing, and she’ll make sure to read them one by one and expound on them as a way of helping you grasp concepts and prepare for her oral exam.
Grading-wise, I’d say it’s pretty challenging to get an A in her class, as she honors details in her grading process. She won’t grade your outputs on Canvas unless it’s a quiz score—instead, she’ll send you an e-mail with a rundown of your grades per output, according to points in her criteria. As long as you understand her readings, modules, and video lectures by heart, I’m sure you’ll do fine.
She makes the class more enjoyable by relating ethical issues and concepts to characters in pop culture! In fact, she even had a “Student Resources” page for us with a PHILO 13 Spotify playlist, timers for productivity, and tips on how to combat procrastination.
As for her workload, expect the following:
— One quiz (ranging from 4 to 8 points) per module, which covers either the module’s content (including her video lectures), the assigned reading’s content, or both,
— A few discussion boards, only requiring a 1- or 2-sentence response, that you’re encouraged to answer,
— Group assessments on ethical decision-making that are centered around an assigned case (I considered these the most challenging because there were several outputs per assessment, consisting of mind maps, flow charts, tables, and Google Docs links), which your group will present by the end of the course, and
— A 10-minute oral examination that makes up 30% of your grade. Each exam will have 3 students in the Zoom call, and you’ll be asked a question on the spot (with follow-ups!) that covers one, some, or all of the modules.
So, combining her workload with the readings and other learning materials, being initially overwhelmed and challenged is completely understandable. I suggest spending time making your own notes out of the readings, module content, and even the synchronous session recordings to develop your own insights on and keep track of what you’ll glean from the subject.
And of course, great groupmates will be of equally great help!:>more
Jolly Gecko
Clear lectures, surprise quizzes, onsite 2023
positive
WorkloadMedium
[REPOSTING THIS HERE]
This is from my experience in the onsite class as of 2023
PROs:
-pretty good at explaining concepts and giving feedback; you'll always learn a new perspective from her that you didn't consider before
-quizzes are manageable if you study the modules and the readings (very word-specific and list down x, y and z but no essay questions since its always a surprise quiz)
-gives examples for every philosophical concept (hehe cat pics are included)
-she's nice as long as you aren't disturbing the class by talking or generally distracting during lecture
-shows a schedule of current and future tasks due to let us know whats up ahead (she says what to read in advance + if merciful, lets us know there's a surprise quiz for the week)
-never has reflection paper individually
-extra points if you find smth hidden in her modules (i have no idea what it is but people have gotten it apparently)
-usually group presentations in class
CONs:
-NO EXTRA CREDIT, quizzes are your lifeline if you did bad on orals
-gadgets are prohibited during class time so printed readings and written notes always
-always always read ahead cos she will locate you if you dont
-10 min presentations (people have made the mistake of going overtime and they got criticism on that)
-no idea how it used to be online but onsite, our class had to negotiate her checking time 5 mins after the bell rang (this was when there was no more 15-minute grace period when you're late)
-midterm orals (you're given 7 thesis statements in advance and on the day of orals, she'll randomly pick one and you have 8 mins to answer; closed notes and in front of her and the two other classmates who will speak too)
-final orals (no thesis statement given in advance; its open notes but still the same 8 mins to explain in front of her and the two other classmates who will speak too)
Conclusion: B-able but since its PHILO, groupmates are a crucial resource and can bring your score down; I would take her again but she definitely wants you to learn over being grade-consciousmore
All comments
Anonymous
neutral
I don't recall her having quizzes, but for the orals, she will give you the question on the spot and you have 10 minutes to answer. You can use a bit of the time to do an outline/prepare, then you can start talking:> Not too sure the scope of the orals given that it's semestral now, but for me, it was along the lines of how Aristotle, Mill, and Kant would react to certain situations, etc.:>more
Brave Bison
haha she was actually my second choice so idk if i should be happy or not ngl
positive
haha she was actually my second choice so idk if i should be happy or not ngl HAHAHA 😵💫 i'll just be thankful i got a nice prof i guess
how many quizzes does she give kaya? is it mostly quizzes in her grading scheme then midterm/finals?more
Hidden Viper
Love her, readings hard but she breaks them down
positive
CoursePHILO 13
here are posts on her in philo 13!!
didn’t take her for philo 13 (ethics) but took her for philo 12 (philosophy of religion) but really do love her <33 at least in my experience the readings were a bit challenging but she really is able to break down the readings to something more manageable to grasp and understand. <33
assessments include: blue book quizzes, group works, midterm orals and finals orals. from what i recall (pls correct me if i’m wrong) for midterm orals — she lets you know in advance the possible thesis statements that we have to explain but no notes are allowed; we’re given 7/8 (?) minutes to explain to her and to two other people with you. for the final orals, no thesis statements are given and are asked on the spot BUTT you are allowed to have open notes. not sure if this is the same experience for philo 13 but it’s how it was for us in philo 12.
in terms of grading, i would say it is B+/A-able naman!! as long as you really put in the effort in group works and also really read and be able to understand what the readings actually say, and that you’re able to explain them in your own words (and even relate them to your own experiences) for the orals.
she also has bonus stuff hidden in her canvas which if you’re able to find and message her about it, you get a bonus hehe, which for me, my bonus was that i was able to choose my orals sched early— which i think (?) she also grants this privilege to students who become beadles in her class.more
Fancy Ibis
here’s a post on her:))
Keen Kite
Fun class, A-able if you're consistent
positive
Retake?Yes
4.0 attainableYes
WorkloadLight
amazing prof! super fun class that never felt taxing or boring! the only con i can think of is that she has readings that can be tedious at times esp if ur not rlly much of a reader, but otherwise, she's a great pick!
a-able talaga as long as ur consistentmore
Anonymous
super super love mam aves
positive
super super love mam aves
Golden Heron
Great prof but not an easy A on the orals
positive
Retake?Yes
shes a great prof but not an easy a, u definitely need to know ur shit if u wanna do well in the orals
Daring Llama
Great prof, not easy-A, very understanding
positive
great prof, not easy-A, very understanding!! no gadgets during class so print your readings😅 also study well for ur orals🫡 she’s also into anime haha fun fact lang, kc she makes some references during lecturesmore
Jolly Robin
The only philo prof that kept me engaged
positive
Retake?Yes
4.0 attainableYes
WorkloadLight
If u wanna really appreciate ethics while also not really losing sleep over it, go Avecilla. Personally the only philo prof I could say kept me engaged and I got an A to boot.more
Brave Moth
Would recommend; A is doable if you don't fumble orals
positive
Retake?Yes
4.0 attainableYes
WorkloadLight
would recommend Avecilla. i unfortunately did not get an A because i fumbled the final oral, but i would say A is definitely doable.
she's a good lecturer both online and onsite. very structured, organized, yet she knows when to throw in little nuggets of fun. you will be asked to recite, but it's really not that hard.
the reading content is honestly quite light (at least compared to what i've heard from my peers who took other profs). there is only one major reading per module (so, six in total) and the supplementary readings are quite short.
she has quizzes, which are around 10 points each (may vary) and their purpose is to make sure you read the (major) readings. she also has two orals: midterm and final. the last requirement (iirc) is an group project focused on a modern ethics problem (our group's was CRISPR).
finally i will say you are not allowed to use gadgets in class unless you are presenting. paper and pen notes only. i thought that would make my experience bad but it really didn't, so i suggest you don't let that dissuade you.
glhf!more
Lively Heron
Not an easy A but I'd take Avecilla again
positive
Retake?Yes
WorkloadMedium
learned so much from avecilla! not an easy A but workload is manageable and onsite classes are very productive /pos !! would take her again given the chance :))
Happy Wolf
Chill reqs; A with effort, C–B if you coast
positive
4.0 attainableYes
WorkloadLight
Mam Avecilla was rlly nice! had her last sem.
reqs are chill lang , i think we had 3 quizzes total, 1 group quiz , and then 2 major grp presentations
concepts and theories are what she focuses on esp during midterm orals and finals orals; id say theyre a bit challenging but taking notes from her lectures will rlly help
anw id say A with effort but prolly C-B with a lil effortmore
Icy Wolf
Timely feedback, group syntheses, review the modules
positive
LeniencyYes
WorkloadMedium
She was online lang last sy so you wont see any onsite reviews.
Assessments
- the bulk of your assessments were collaborative synthesis of an ethical case (around 3-4) with a group
- she gives really timely input, feedback and comments and shes very open for consultations as well
- she was also somewhat lenient with adjusting deadlines
- module quizzes were short but very dependent on the readings and modules (so review really well!)
- your collaborative synthesis will be presented with your group as well as finalized paper of the synthesis
-other groups can also ask u questions! and you are also graded by how you ask questions to other groups
- final oral exam had no given thesis statements 💀 but it was easy to handle naman as long as you grasp all the main concepts (best tips is to have a one liner to describe each module)
- afaik it was talking for 5-10mins and a few mins for QnA
Synch Sessions
- she records these but its better if you really attend since she really teaches you to understand the concepts in the simplest terms (pls trust me im so bad at philo)
- shes very open to questions and even challenging the concepts she teaches
let me know if you need notes or tips!
not sure if shes Batch 2-Able but definitely A/B+ with minimal effort, B if you wanna slackmore
Anonymous
Makes studying philo a lot easier
positive
Retake?Yes
Makes studying philo a lot easier, super! Tsaka very encouraging sa orals and ya feel she wants to make you learn
Brave Quail
A+ Canvas modules, A-able with a little effort
positive
Retake?Yes
4.0 attainableYes
Her Canvas modules are A+. She helps you break down the concepts into simpler terms. She also has a looot of nice insights and ideas!
A-able with a little effort! 💯 Definitely one of my favorite Philo profs out there 😫more
Anonymous
Did literal heresy and still got a B+
positive
Retake?Yes
4.0 attainableYes
LeniencyYes
I did literal heresy and still got a B+. Get her
Quiet Kite
Nice prof, generous deadlines, heavy on group work
positive
Retake?Yes
LeniencyYes
WorkloadHeavy
Had her online, last semester! She’s a very nice prof, made learning philosophy kinda fun, and also generous with deadlines. Her reqs were short quizzes but heavy on group work (collab synthesis, oral presentation, final report). There’s also a final oral exam 😊more
Happy Badger
hui maawa n kau saken review n kau plz 🥹🙏
hui maawa n kau saken review n kau plz 🥹🙏
Anonymous
can i get more updated reviews...
can i get more updated reviews... preferably from those who are bad at orals like me lol 😆
Keen Quail
Easy quizzes if you study; orals decide the A
positive
4.0 attainableYes
her every module quizzes are easy (if you study) but to get A in her class, you need to get a 3.7. which is possible naman but even if i perfected all quizzes, i still fell short because of the orals wherein i got B+ for both. she’s a great and passionate teacher tho!more
