PhD · Associate Professor
Filipino literature (literary criticism, literature pedagogy, sociocultural studies in education, sociolinguistics)
Education
- PhD Filipino Literature, University of the Philippines Diliman
Comments
Breakdown
Clarity3.2
Helpfulness3.8
Workload2.4
n=41
Top comments
Clever Panda
Hi OP!
mixed
- CourseFILI 12
Hi OP! As someone who's not fluent in Tagalog at all, I thought the class was manageable. For some additional context, I was in one of her 3-hour classes, so some of the things I say may not apply if you have her twice a week. ** Long Review Incoming ** TEACHING STYLE • full and deep Filipino with jokes in between • more discussion than slides (does not just read) • draws diagrams while discussing • open to consultations after the period Ma'am Santos teaches in full Filipino and has the tendency to go through the slides deck pretty fast. Copying the content of the slide, however, wasn't really a problem given that she'd upload all her learning material in Canvas. That said, I think it's important to focus on what she's saying over just copying what's on the slide because you might miss some important information. As she discusses, she sometimes makes rough diagrams to connect the ideas she brings up, and honestly, one of the mistakes I made was probably prioritizing just copying the slides deck content over listening to the explanation because I relied on the fact that maybe I'd understand the diagram if I just copied it then looked through the slides for context clues (I did not, so I'd often consult her at the end of the session to clarify the parts I missed). Sometimes, mid-discussion, she'd share random facts about herself, and honestly these might seem trivial at first but you probably best remember them because those facts often serve as answers to her bonus questions (e.g., one time our bonus questions were "Who is my bias in EXO?" and "Which of my dogs recently got sick?"). READINGS • introductory text to literature • literary works in different periods Considering FILI 12 is basically Literature of the Philippines, you will likewise have to expect to read Filipino literature (mostly of the past: pre-colonial, colonial, American period, Japanese period) If you want a literal list of the readings we had, you can maybe PM me cuz I don't actually have the list of works memorized 😭 If it helps, she does post notes about the important readings which include important questions and their answers in the module! At first I didn't quite understand what they were though cuz they were a link to a website, and I only figured this out halfway through the semester 💀 ASSESSMENTS / INCENTIVES • a lot of short tests (10 to 15 pts) • 2, technically 3, long tests (can bring dictionary) • incentives depend on what's happening during the sem you take her class (e.g. for us we watched Sintang Dalisay and kept the ticket + joined Sagala for incentive) • take her seriously if she says what the bonus question in the next test will be Individually, we had one short test per topic. Sometimes they'd be multiple choice, other times they'd be identification, sometimes TRUE or FALSE, and occasionally a mix of multiple of those types. These tests would be worth around 10 to 15 points, not accounting for the bonus points, which are usually worth 1 to 2 points. In our case, we'd usually have these tests at the end of the period or at the beginning of our next meeting, but that was probably because we met once a week. For their content, I'd say the questions more heavily reference her discussion than the slide content, so you really have to pay attention to what she says and (try to) understand it. On my end, I could only really comprehend a bit of the words and string them together as her teaching was a bit too fast-paced for me, so I actually only nearly passed most of these tests 🥲 We also had a graded recitation where she'd call each student in the class to answer a question related to a the most recently discussed topic, and she gave us two chances to answer. When it was my turn, I answered in Taglish, and she was actually okay with it! One of my classmates answered in full English after noting that he wasn't the best at Filipino, and she was also okay with it! Besides those tests we had 2 (technically 3) long tests, which consisted of more than 30 MCQs and then an essay. For these, we were allowed to bring as many Filipino dictionaries as we wanted (I usually brought 2 then I saw one of my classmates bring one the size of two Guiness Book and World Records stacked on top of each other). In terms of content, I'd say the English equivalent of this is having a test that heavily references the learning material but not outright (questions are paraphrased and the like, encouraging you to think more critically—or maybe that was just me because I could barely understand the questions). Although I averaged scores within the range of F to D for short tests and C for long tests, I still managed to get a B for the class, probably because of the incentives and group activities she had us do. By group, in our case at least, we had a presentation for a concept for Sagala ng mga Sikat (for this we could choose our groups), and two activities that involved analyzing literature (for these, we were grouped by counting). Much like the other reviews, it's important to get good groupmates for these assessments as (1) there's no individual grading, and (2) these group activities are often done within one period, except the concept-making one (this might have been exclusive to us due to the timing of our class and the event). Finally for incentives I'm pretty sure this depends on what's happening during the semester you have your class because, for example, our class was picked to join Sagala ng mga Sikat, and so we could join the team to help make it for bonus points, and by default we got maybe max +10 points for participating(?) I'm not sure how much, but it was a lot. Then we had to watch Sintang Dalisay because it was the play that happened to be showing when we took Filipino. For this she reminded us to keep our tickets like three times, and so when we submitted it to her, we got +3 on our LT. Sometimes she does say what the bonus question in the next test will be. Like one time I thought she was joking when she said "remember the specific lyrics to Lupang Hinirang because it will be our bonus question", so I was somewhat surprised to see that it actually was the bonus question for the next test 😭 GRADES • fairly - not too highly but won't try to fail you • show that you're doing your best • unsure, but she probably curves I think ma'am grades fairly! She doesn't grade super high, but she won't be super stingy with her grades either. I think one common review here is how for essay portions (or outputs), she dislikes the use of the word "ay", and I don't actually have experience of that as I actively avoided the use of the word "ay" even it it compromised my grammar, but even with the few mistakes she pointed out in my grammar, she still gave me a perfect score for one of the essay portions of our LTs, so I think in this aspect, she can be quite lenient. On another note, especially if you're like me in terms of Filipino proficiency, it's important to show her that you're trying your best by consulting with her and perhaps reciting in class. Admittedly, I barely recited in class, but I always had consultations, and she was fine with my questions being in English (though I *tried* to ask in Filipino when I could). I think it's also important to take her incentive opportunities as much as possible because these do much to help raise your grades and she's relatively generous with these chances! Also I THINK she curves! I don't actually have solid proof of this, but I THINK as long as she sees you're trying your best, she'll curve. -- Overall, I do agree that you could probably learn a lot from her class, but unfortunately that potential was blocked on my end because of my difficulty in understanding Filipino 🥹 I wouldn't say it's impossible to get an A—it's just really difficult (for me at least 💔) and would require a lot of effort, so I'd say this class is more B to B+able.more
Rapid Otter
Hi! I took her in the 2nd sem of just this last school year ajd let me say..
mixed
Hi! I took her in the 2nd sem of just this last school year ajd let me say.., good luck nalang. I guess my experience was different from others because I have some major disadvantages (I'm bisaya and I don't speak Tagalog) so suffice to say I struggled like hell in her class. It was one of the worst experiences I've had in Ateneo, and not just because I failed her class. TLDR: if you can speak tagalog fluently, you'll probably be fine. Probably. If not, find a way to get out. I agree that she can be funny, but to be honest, that doesn't make up for the fact that she taught in what I can only describe as archaic Tagalog. An anecdote I have about this is that I asked her if she could meet me half way (as in, maybe make the Tagalog a little more approachable for someone who doesn't speak it) and she said it wasn't her problem and she wouldn't adjust to my issues. So, I wouldn't say she's exactly considerate. She also said some things about bisaya people that struck me as kind of discriminatory, but played off as jokes. Though she did allow me to speak Taglish during recits so I guess that's something. She gives a lot of bonus points so you have the opportunity to pull your grade up if ever. Like other comments said, she gives 2-3 LTs, mostly multiple choice with an essay portion and bonus q. You can use a dictionary for these, so make sure you have a good one. The final is structured similarly to the LTs and iirc you can also use a dictionary for it. Her short quizzes are usually objective (Mult choice, T/F) and sometimes have an essay portion and bonus question. Her discussions are engaging if you speak Tagalog, but they're really fast paced. She's picky about your orals and will grill you til you give her the answer she's looking for. The readings are pretty long, but tbh they're the easiest part of her class. So yeah. It boils down to if you can speak tagalog fluently and if you can exert a lot of effort. Personally, though, I wouldn't recommend her class because of her hurtful comments towards bisaya people and towards me as someone who doesn't speak tagalog (if it was a joke, it landed poorly and did make me feel bad. Call me sensitive idc.) And before anyone asks, I did put in a lot of effort, but still got an F. Not withdrawing from her class is one of my biggest regrets. This is just my experience though, and there are people who had really good experiences, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Either way, good luck.more
Jolly Koala
Funny and fast-paced, notes from the board, not the PPT
positive
- Retake?Yes
i had ma’am last sem and i really really enjoyed her class. and contrary to what other people say, she’s actually quite funny and fun!! she jokes a lot, make social commentaries randomly, and she sometimes shades the current government din which i love as a humss girlie yes lol 😭 teaching style: she does not allow using cellphones during her class kasi she encourages you to focus on what she’s teaching. she writes a lot sa board so take notes of those instead of copying what’s on the ppt kasi ibibigay din naman sa canvas. she also expounds the ones na nasa ppt and try to take notes of those as well kasi wala siya sa ppt. tuloy-tuloy siya magsalita in filipino kaya try to focus. lowkey fast-paced din ang lessons niya. quizzes: her quizzes are usually just 10 to 15 points. her. exam types are mc, identification, and tama o mali (she changes the type every quiz). they are relatively easy to answer lang naman as long as you listen to the discussion. she also gives out bonus points. long tests: they are harder compared to her quizzes pero they are answerable naman. she gives the ppt sa canvas so my tip is to listen talaga to her lectures kasi most of the questions on her long tests come from the discussion!! the language is accessible naman, and she allows you to bring dictionary if you need it. group works/reporting: get good groupmates if puwede!! she gets into a beast mode lowkey if kulang-kulang content ng report niyo and if walang makasagot. bonus points: save your tickets from required plays kasi she gives you bonus points for those. also take note about the people behind those plays (cast, stage director, etc.) kasi they are usually bonus questons sa quizzes. language: she does not have a proplem naman if you cannot speak fluently in filipino pero i suggest you try kasi she appreciates it when you put effort. she did not shame anyone from our class who cannot speak fluently naman like what othersare saying, pero she sometimes joke about it (na kaya niya rin naman mag-english blah blah bla) kaya siguro may ganoong opinion about sa kaniya. grading: i personally got an A with average effort. i think people can get at least a B with minimum effort. you just have to put enough effort to actually understand her lessons and you’re good to go na!! tldr: she's an amazing prof! i'd day A with average effort and B with minimum effort. all in all, you're good as long as you try your best!!more
All comments
Happy Kite
Intimidating recit, specific answers, lots of bonus
mixed
hi, took her last year.im fluent in tagalog and english pero minsan super deep ung tagalog nya as in u have to use context clues with a few words lang, but that might just be for me. she knows her stuff, but she tends to be a perfectionist during recit and she looks for specific answers talaga. shes super intimidating kung recit pero she gives lots of bonus.her bonus questions usually consist of fun facts about herself when shes making kwento during lectures so make sure to listen. (ex: kpop bias, her dog names) for quizzes and long tests.honestly thought i was going to fail her class pero ended up getting a D, granted its not ideal pero at least hindi F goodluck op!more
Vivid Yak
negative
this is js a pattern my friends and i noticed:) bc i got a higher grade than my guy na friends in everything, from finals to long tests to normal quizzes, as well as a paper, yet at the end, she gave my guy na friends a higher grade (they failed every single assessment). i expressed my concern to my other girl na friends who took her and they also agreed. they got the same grade-higher than me yet she still gave them a lower grade than my friends who were guys. this is just a pattern i and a lot of my friends have noticed. end of the day, its unfair to discredit someones grade just because it looks like they aren’t trying enough. p.s. my guy friends were always absent as well and i never skipped a class!! so yes, i am stating such because i am annoyed at how she grades for it is unfair that a lot of us did our best yet she chose to curve guys who dgaf. thats all!more
Lucky Bison
hi! maam cora curves regardless of gender so sana let’s stop saying things like
hi! maam cora curves regardless of gender so sana let’s stop saying things like that esp since naka-anonymous ka. It’s disrespectful not just doon sa students na na-curve (most prob ma’am rlly saw them trying), but also disrespectful kay ma’am cora 🥲. let’s not de-value her sana esp sobrang passionate ni ma’am sa work niya. sana masarap ulam mo today, anon ^^.more
Clever Gecko
Vouching for Lyss!
positive
Vouching for! Not the best at Tagalog but got a B+ from her! Just note down EVERYTHING she SAYS. Her tests are pretty objective, even for the essay portion bit as it all relates to the readings. However note that much of what comes out in the exams come from her own mouth, so yea don’t focus on the slides. Do the readings, memorize the poems (if you can) as some questions will be fill in the blanks with specific words from the poems. If you’re given stories, memorize the characters, setting, conflict, etc. Also learn to read between the lines and know the meanings of each reading as the exams will also cover those. Overall I’d say she’s really good! GOATed prof, if you will HAHAHA. You will really learn and laugh a lot, and I really enjoyed my time in her class!more
Jolly Koala
TrustworthyCrocodile598 parang ikaw naman yung may kasalanan nung 2nd point OP nanisi ka pa ng teacher kasi nawala mo yung ticket mo.... umuwi ka kasi akala mo suspended parang ikaw din may kasalanan non...more
Witty Zebra
NO lol
Anonymous
THE GOAT: sit in front and take notes word for word
positive
- Retake?Yes
THE GOAT u'll learn sm from hertips:- sit in front so that u really ansorb everything- TAKE DOWN NOTES during her lectures. i cannot emphasize that enough. as in word per word. it will help u in preparing for her quizzes talaga cuz the answer she's looking for is usually that. she's also approachable kahit na she seems a bit intimidating at first! super kind and considerate esp when she sees that u're genuinely trying in her classmore
Anonymous
ur fucking cooked
negative
ur fucking cooked
Daring Hare
hi, took her last year.
mixed
hi, took her last year. im fluent in tagalog and english pero minsan super deep ung tagalog nya as in u have to use context clues with a few words lang, but that might just be for me. she knows her stuff, but she tends to be a perfectionist during recit and she looks for specific answers talaga. shes super intimidating kung recit pero she gives lots of bonus. her bonus questions usually consist of fun facts about herself when shes making kwento during lectures so make sure to listen. (ex: kpop bias, her dog names) for quizzes and long tests. honestly thought i was going to fail her class pero ended up getting a D, granted its not ideal pero at least hindi F 😅 goodluck!more
Jolly Newt
THE GOAT u'll learn sm from her tips: - sit in front so that u really ansorb
positive
THE GOAT u'll learn sm from her tips: - sit in front so that u really ansorb everything - TAKE DOWN NOTES during her lectures. i cannot emphasize that enough. as in word per word. it will help u in preparing for her quizzes talaga cuz the answer she's looking for is usually that. she's also approachable kahit na she seems a bit intimidating at first! super kind and considerate esp when she sees that u're genuinely trying in her classmore
Anonymous
hello!
positive
- CourseFILI 12
hello! i got her for FILI 12, first semester a.y ‘24-‘25 :> Personality-wise, Ma’am is nice, caring, and motherly naman. Her lectures are really deep in Tagalog, and for me, the pacing was too fast. She also likes it when you speak in full Tagalog during class. For her readings, you’ll expect literature pieces throughout Philippine history (pre-colonial, spanish colonialism, american occupation, Japanese imperialism, contemporary readings). Mostly poems (as far as I remember) yung mga na-discuss namin. For requirements, we had quizzes, long tests, group project, and a reflection essay. Her quizzes are more on identification, tama or mali, and short responses. Usually, its over 15. She also has bonus questions which are pretty fun. Her long tests are difficult for me since I really had a hard time catching up with her lectures. But it gets better naman (promise). What we always do is we always group studied before our quizzes and long tests. Along with that, I think she appreciates you trying during her classes. Lastly, she appreciates when you consult with her! Best of luck, O.P! Kakayanin yan!more
Jolly Crane
she curves enough to pass.
she curves enough to pass. i was F throughout the sem and miraculously got a D 🤷♀️
Dapper Jay
HAHAHAHAHAHA she failed me and a few other students that's what i can say
negative
HAHAHAHAHAHA she failed me and a few other students that's what i can say
Icy Crane
i feel like she does if you're borderline.
positive
i feel like she does if you're borderline. Was right below a D but rounded up for mine. I'd also suggest talking to her to explain the circumstances that led u to that grade esp if you really put the effort naman :))more
Calm Wolf
yes!! as long as u show her u really wanna do well in her classes ^^
positive
yes!! as long as u show her u really wanna do well in her classes ^^
Clever Jay
nope she will only curve you if youre a man 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
negative
nope she will only curve you if youre a man 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
Dapper Urchin
she'll curve if she sees you're really putting in the effort 🫶
positive
she'll curve if she sees you're really putting in the effort 🫶
Mellow Seal
Show effort, she curves (F became a D)
positive
- 4.0 attainableNo
Lowk just show a lot of effort and be Medyo active in her class nmn HAHAHAHAHA. I think you don’t have to worry about failing as long as she knows you pay attention, also she CURVESSS if that’s reassuring I’m pretty sure I was meant to get a F but I got a D in her class anyways.more
Happy Alpaca
Show her you care, effort has to show
positive
SHOW HER U CARE!!!! put in effort and make sure it shows. my filipino is pretty bad and i barely passed all my tests BUT SOMEHOW GOT A D LOL shes acc pretty nice, very tita vibes and shes kinda funny sometimes. as long as u show her that you are trying, ask questions, and pay attention in class and i think u should be fine BUT PAYING ATTENTION ALONE WONT CUT IT, ofc u need to try but as long as ur in the pasang awa territory (minimum) but u show u r trying, then id say u should be fineemore
Icy Moth
Scraped a C+ by doing all the bonuses
positive
Genuinely this was the class that made me rethink my 18 years of filipino cause I was failing like crazy but I was able to scrape a C+ by doing all the bonuses she gave and listening to her rather than copying the PowerPoints (they’re given usually beforehand on canvas) Sometimes she does orals in class so just make sure to come to class prepared:) (usually they’re easy naman as long as you go through the material beforehand) Overall just make sure to listen and write down everything she says:) A lot of the exam contents come out of what she says + application (she’s not super heavy on objectivity based on my experience)more
Teaching
MONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT
FILI 12 section C2, lecture, MON 11:00 to 12:30, B-308FILI 12 section E3, lecture, MON 14:00 to 15:30, B-309FILI 12 section F2, lecture, MON 15:30 to 17:00, B-309
FILI 12 section L, lecture, TUE 11:00 to 12:30, B-307FILI 12 section N3, lecture, TUE 14:00 to 15:30, B-307PNTKN 215.1 section OO, lecture, TUE 16:00 to 17:00, SEC-A124
FILI 12 section C2, lecture, THU 11:00 to 12:30, B-308FILI 12 section E3, lecture, THU 14:00 to 15:30, B-309FILI 12 section F2, lecture, THU 15:30 to 17:00, B-309
Not on the grid (1) : no schedule published yet
- CAPS4LectureNo schedule published
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