Teaching

“What makes a great educator is not only her ability to teach, but also her capacity to inspire change. Anna embodies that quality of a great educator. Although our time together was only a short 6 weeks, Anna’s classes offered a structure to sociology and insights into many of the most important sociological topics including race, gender, education, social deviance, etc. Anna designed a syllabus that is both meaningful and manageable, complemented by readings with well-rounded perspectives. I would highly recommend Anna as a professor in sociology; she will affect change in society for generations to come.”

“Thank you so much for such a wonderful class, it was a real watershed moment in my academic career—our class felt so personally pertinent and was the exact source of renewed motivation I needed.”

“Anna was a great professor that genuinely respected and appreciated student feedback, using it to continuously improve her lectures or assignments every week without fail. She was a great teacher at the start, but ended as an excellent teacher.”

“I was nervous since I was so new to a university environment, but her candid relatability and easygoing lecture style really helped me not only ease into the course, but also convey lessons effectively. She uses personal examples and humor to get through tough topics, and has made herself very accessible for extra help and guidance. In addition, our class projects have been engaging and constructive in building upon lesson topics, rather than falling into the trap of simply becoming busywork. I have really been able to apply the sociological lessons we’ve learned about to my own life, and loved the class.”

“I came into the class knowing nothing about sociology– if someone had asked me to define the term, I don’t think I would have been able to give them an answer. I feel like I learned so much in just six weeks– Anna fostered a rich and welcoming environment where students helped each other understand difficult topics and were welcome to (even encouraged) to offer contrasting points of view. I feel like my eyes have been opened to how the “social world” functions, and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to take this class!”

“Professor Hidalgo is such a great professor, she keeps the lectures relevant and engaging with stuff that is happening now. I could confidently say that she is a top professor from all my years in college, her style is very enthusiastic, she loves what she teaches and wants us to be creative about our learning and understanding while guiding us into the overall concepts of sociology. It serves as a positive indication that she cares about her students and is not just a teacher who teaches for the sake of teaching.”

“Professor Hidalgo is an amazing professor. She is passionate about the subjects she teaches and makes lectures fun. Her assignments are interesting and the readings she assigns are thought provoking.”

“Anna keeps class very engaging; I think that this is a result of her genuine passion for sociology. She has a deep understanding of the material and always encourages her students to get involved in class discussions. Anna is the most caring and understanding teacher I have had at Columbia so far and I am so happy I took her class!”

“Anna lectures comprehensively, and with great enthusiasm. Her classes are structured in a way that shows she wants to keep her students engaged and learn about concepts that challenge their previous opinions. I have great respect for Anna not just because of her teaching position, but also because she is always excited to hear her students opinions. Her dedication to teaching is very apparent and I deeply appreciate it.”

“Anna is an exceptional Professor. She brings enthusiasm, passion, and dedication into her class which invigorates class material that would otherwise be hard to understand and learn. She listens and truly hears out her students. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the class as well as the most up-to-date methods. Would highly recommend her as a teacher to anyone I know.”

“Anna has the ability to make a class lecture feel personal–that is, she uses examples within our cultural literacy which allows concepts to stick with me forever. She is incredibly articulate and eloquent, and manages to do so very casually, which maximizes class time and retains engagement. She is very easy to talk to and makes getting extra help simple. I can tell that she is in tune with the students needs and concerns, making deft decisions and prioritizing our experience over everything.”

“It was evident that she was excited to teach us and engage in the material in many different ways. Utilizing slides for lecture, and structuring group activities and discussion, students like myself were able to grasp connections and new ideas in this introductory classes. Her relatability made it easy to ask questions and made class material very accessible and often provided examples that made thinking easier. Her feedback on work was prompt and meaningful and every assignment that she gave was purposeful in the way that it would make us better thinkers/students. Professor Hidalgo is truly one of a kind and I am glad that other students who may have no knowledge on sociology can come into this class and establish a strong foundation in the topic for the future.”