Genuinely a great person. Course was very entertaining and I highly enjoyed going to her class everyday.
Despite what others on here might say, Magda is an amazing professor. If you actually want to learn Arabic, you'll have a blast - she's funny and knows her stuff. She'll put you on the spot, sure, but only in a fun way to make sure you are participating and paying attention. TAKE HER CLASS
my favorite professor ever! so accessible outside of class, willing to add extra office hours outside of class every day to help you fully understand concepts. expects a lot of you, and gets a bit frustrated when you can't deliver but she is funny and so sweet so it makes it ok. her teaching style puts you on the spot but it produces results
Honestly she is one of the best professors at UCSB. Arabic is a tough language to learn especially with grammar. She makes learning a lot of fun and she tells lots of interesting stories in class. She is very animated too. She is one of those tough love professors haha.
As long as you do the homework, put in the time to study the language, and show up to class, Magda makes getting a good grade in arabic attainable. The language can be difficult, and she assigns nightly homework which can take loads of time, but if you do it, you can get a good grade.
Magda is amazing! One of my favorite professors ever. She is very knowledgeable & inspiring, and she knows how to teach very well. Arabic is a difficult language to learn but Magda makes it so much fun! She is hilarious & very willing to help you to make sure you excel in her class.
I love Magda so much. She makes learning Arabic super fun. If you take her class, make sure you always read up and come prepared to class. She will call you out if you don't, lol.
Magda is my favorite professor here at UCSB! She makes learning Arabic very easy and so much fun. However, she can sometimes come off as rude depending on the person, but she has a 'tough love' teaching style and just wants you to do the best you can. She also offers endless amounts of extra credit opportunities!
Worked my butt off to get an A. You need to study the vocab to pass. She is extremely helpful and works with you, as long as you're willing. I regret not taking the course sooner, Arabic is so beautiful and if you want to learn, just go for it! She gives you all the resources you need to get a passing grade. She's really funny too!
Went through a LOT during the quarter & attempting to communicate w Magda about what was going on was IMPOSSIBLE. She interrupts you constantly & will make you feel inadequateunintelligent when inquiring for assistanceadvice. I can understand why people appreciate her tough love teaching style, but unless Arabic is your PASSION, avoid this class!
If you are not willing to make this class a priority do not take it, if you get behind you are screwed. She does not care about excuses, or other courses/activities you are involved in. Has a very unique teaching style of putting people on the spot, something that not everyone responds well to. I felt very discouraged and put off by the language
Magda is great! If you want to learn Arabic this is your class. She has an effective method of teaching, and she's enthusiastic about the subject. She's willing to help you out in office hours. You have to do hw every night, quizzes every Monday, but they're not difficult. She's scary and intimidating at first but in reality, she's really nice.
Amazing!! The best teacher at UCSB. Funny, Intelligent, and just awesome to listen to. She is quite frightening at first, but once you get used to her, she is absolutely awesome.
I loove Magda, she's one of the most eccentric individuals I've ever known, making her daily classes absolutely hilarious. Class can be torturous if you failed to memorize the vocabulary when she told you to, because she calls on everyone randomly, every single day. But even so, it's a great course and an important language to learn!
She is the best professor at UCSB! She truly cares about each student's success and is clear about what she wants you to learn. There are weekly quizzes, that are not hard, and a midterm and final. If you're slightly interested in Arabic...TAKE IT! Very easy to get an A.
totally enthusiastic everyday. very clear of what she expects on homework and exams. requires homework every night, but very doable. be caught up in the reading or you may look silly in front of the class. she expects you to work, but it's fun.
This teacher is very good at every part of teaching as far as I can tell. I recommend doing everything she says and paying attention very closely. If you take her summer course I recommend planning it so that her course is the only thing you do for those 9 weeks.
Magda makes class very fun and informative. Daily homework which takes about 30 minutes to complete. Don't take anything she says personally and you will enjoy the class. She resented al-dajaj haha ;)
Absolutely wonderful! Makes class time challenging and fun. Secretly loves al-dajaj :). Very effective teaching method. Be self-confident and you will get a lot out of this course!! I love her!
Amazing Teacher, this class was one of the most amazing experiences of my life =) I'll never forget it. Plus I can hold conversation in Arabic now.
Native Arabic speaker. Good teacher, easy to learn Arabic. Makes it fun and enjoyable. However, she's from Egypt and is pro-Egyptain in eveything that she teaches. when teaching about the Mid-East will focus on Egypt ans nothing about the other 20 or so countries in the Mid-East.
She's like a mom with a cute accent who bakes you cookies and give you advice. She doesn't give a midterm, just an oral. Homework is just pairing up with an Arabic speaker (if you're a non-Arabic speaker) and them helping you..easy. It's a fun class but she singles you out if you need help--this seems mean but its her way of helping, I think.
really nice, puts you on the spot but you learn the material a lot better, very clear and funny, definetly take her
She is an amazing teacher if you actually want to learn. She is witty and very nice