Course was challenging from the beginning. Professor Bessie really makes you think and calls on anyone and everyone in class. There are 4 papers in the entire course and your final is to revise one of the papers you have written to incorporate all the things that were taught to you in the semester. Great Professor and extremely helpful.

He was a good teacher but hard. You really have to be involved in the class if you want to pass. I hated english but now it isn't so bad for me. I learned a lot but like I said he really makes you work for your grade

I think that Mr.Bessie is a great teacher! He really challenges you, and makes you push your intellectual limits. There are four papers and a mid term due throughout the semester, they are not hard if you simply do the work and work hard. So far it's been a very enjoyable class, where he includes every student and encourages all to do their best.

The way he goes about teaching is great for essays. Going to class prepares you for essays and you learn a lot. However the guy has a huge stick up his ass. He's rude and disrespectful, and in discussions most people don't get to talk because you have to have your hand up and be chosen or he "can't hear you until you raise your hand" Annoying.

Professor Bessie does pick on the students, has a mean sense of humor, but his lectures are golden shows lots of examples and tells you what hes looking for, helps you form your essay so show up to class! pretty much the whole grade is your essays so dont eff them up overall passable class with some work, but he really opens your mind

I don't understand why people think he is such an awful teacher. I didn't like him much as a person, but I thought he was a pretty clear and organized teacher. He takes his class seriously though, and if you at least SEEM like you care, it will show in your grade. He answered all my questions and seemed like a helpful guy!

I believe Prof. Bessie is a good teacher. Yes he is a hard ass in terms of grading 3 essays and 1 revision final. However, I've actually learned how to write a better essay from this class. If you want a challenging and rewarding experience, take Bessie. For those that want to take the "easy A" route...this Prof. is NOT for you!

SUPER HELPFUL. You will learn alot from his class. You won't regret taking his class.

I think he is a great teacher, he really takes time to make sure you understand the material. I have had Bessie two semesters in a row. He is one of the best English teachers here at DVC, and I've taken English for three semesters. You really have to want to become a better writer to pass this class. People need to stop talking BS it's RUDE!

Fun and rewarding. You definitly learn how to write an essay. Bessie is super helpful if you just ask. if you miss one class day, you'll fall super behind - all you have to do in his class is 4 eassays and 1 revision; he pratically tells you how to write ach essay in class. He also grades amazingly, though hard. take his class!

Bessie was intimidating at first but trust me DONT EVER MISS CLASS, like the person said above, you will fall behind alot! Great teacher, he taught me how to write stronger essays! Also, if you do not like to read to the class dont take his class!! He doesnt care if you dont want to read, because he will make you! Again, overall, GREAT TEACHER!

This class was the ONLY reason I even bothered to go to school this semester. I absolutely loved everything about the class. Professor Bessie is a fantastic teacher. Keep in mind, there is a lot of participation required. But over all, great teacher, VERY engaging, and he really makes you think. Don't be afraid to speak your mind in that class!

Great Professor really passionate about his teaching. If you do the homework and attend class regularly you are likely to pass his class. The essays are challenging though, they require a lot of thinking and proving.

Mr. Bessie is such an amazing professor. He really makes sure you understand the material before he sends you off with all the work. I've had him for two semesters now and going on my third. He is the most understanding professor and is very engaged in his class and students. Essays are hard and the reading is as well, but he helps you through it.

Professor Bessie is on the best english professor I have ever had. He is helpful and works with you to succeed and acieve your goals. His grading is tough, but as long as you meet with him, and speak to him about the troubles you have in class he will work with you. Take him for English 96 and 122

Awesome guy, if you pay attention you'll learn a lot. He is super helpful, nice, great teacher. Don't try to bs him, he's a sharp cookie. I would take any English class with him again.

Professor Bessie is the bees knees! I learned more in this stunning man's class than I have in 6 years of English. Take this class if you truly want to learn more about college writing. Don't bs the man he knows his stuff! Fantastic teacher, and a great person.

Professor Bessie is the best teacher that I had so far He is a brilliant and cleaver professional writer, and when it comes to the topic of writing he knows what he is talking about. He has passion and high knowledge, but most important, he knows how to teach. I'm really grateful to him, he is the one that makes the difference! Take his class!

Bessie is fantastic. He makes such an effort to help every one of his students and you can tell he really loves teaching his subject. It's a tough class, you have to BE there & participate & THINK, but it's so worth it. This is probably my favorite class at DVC, and he's the only professor I care to review because he's A+ and everyone should know.

Super smart guy, I definitely learned a lot from him. Hard grader on essays. Also, very straightforward, bordering on mean. I watched him call students out for stating their opinions. You can tell who he doesn't like and who he does.

Professor Bessie helped me with my writing immensely. This class is rigorous, as you will be asked to write multiple tough essays. However, if you reach out and stay in contact with Bessie, the end result will be the best essays you have ever produced. Bessie is an awesome teacher, but you will definitely have to work hard to receive an A!

So hard especially for international student

Professor Bessie expects a hard work from you but you will see it is worth at the end. As an International Student I have to work very hard and this class really helped me to get through the beginning of introduction to writing. You have to be focused in class and participate a lot and then it will be rewarded. Great Professor!

Bessie is one of the best english teachers here. I learned a lot from his class, and he keeps the discussions interesting. He does have pretty high expectations, but he is willing to help all the time. The workload isn't too much, as long as you keep up. Overall, not an easy A, but its worth taking him

Prof. Bessie has to be the best Professor I've taken at Diablo Valley College. He's very straight forward and clear in what he expects of his students. Students who are diligent and persistent will succeed in the class. Students who regularly skip class, are late, don't keep track of their assignments, or don't want to be pushed won't succeed.

Of my time at DVC Bessie has absolutely been my favorite professor. His lectures are very interesting and easy to follow. He has the ability to create a community atmosphere in the classroom where everyone is involved. Would highly recommend taking his class!

Bessie is the man

Bessie is the man, great professor. He grades tough because he pushes his students to be their best selves. Use his office hours, stick to his schedule on the writing, and you will do great. Absolutely fantastic class discussions.

I highly recommend this class for anyone who is interested in improving their writing skills. Your grade is largely based upon three papers but the miscellaneous hw and quizzes will help your grade in the long run. Attend class, turn assignments in on time, follow guidelines and you'll do well. Plus, his pop culture references are hilarious.

Awesome professor. You will learn a lot but be prepared to work hard!

Even after years his lectures are still my reference for any paper I write. Amazing professor, one of those who really makes a difference! I would not suggest his class to lazy students, rather I strongly suggest him to students who are really willing to work . I would like to have professor like him for all my classes.

Read a novel "The Circle", and the in class discussion will talk a lot product of Steinbeck. Analyze the shadow in people's heart. Four essays totally, the research paper will be at least 10 pages 3,000 words not include words cite. Very good lecture and explanation. Help students improve their reading,writing and critical thinking skills.

He's absolutely brilliant... he is clear and intuitive and really engages his students. You will leave his class with info, tips and techniques that you are guaranteed to use for the rest of your life and be grateful for. Is this really a 2 year college? You are getting so much bang for your buck with Bessie. (drops mic walks away)

Bessie will make you work for it. learned a ton from his class! hes such a good teacher! two books, 150 pages (short stories) and one 600 pages!!! stay on top of the reading and you wont fall behind. 3 essays, you cant get a higher grade in the class than your highest essay grade. would take again!!!!

One of the better teachers at DVC. Definitely in the top 3 that I took there. Like so many classes, if you are there and ready to learn/participate, you will do fine. If you are there just to slide through an English class do yourself a favor and take someone else. Otherwise, Bessie is a good choice.

After our first paper he really clicked for me as a teacher! He makes you work really hard, but I don't think I've ever improved my writing this fast! There's lots of group work and discussion so you have to really read and be focused, but it's so worth it in the end. Be honest with him about needing help earlier rather than later!!!

Bessie is super close to being a truly exceptional teacher. His biggest problem is simply a lack of focus. Meeting with him outside of class (which wasn't super difficult to do), I found him to be easily distracted. He asked me lots of questions, but would then get distracted with a certain aspect of my answer and trail off into a tangent.

Best prof. Love him. He is hard, you need to come to class to pass. You can't get a higher class grade than higher essay. He's super accessible and is always willing to meet to help you. HW might seem stupid, but he knows what he's doing and everything helps. Would defiantly recommend him and I will miss his class. My fav so far.

Got a D on my first essay and ended the semester with an A on the last essay. What does that tell you? Bessie really makes you work for your grade but it PAYS OFF. I'm telling you, if you want an easy A don't take him. But if you're willing to learn from your mistakes and are willing to improve on your writing skills, HE IS THE GUY YOU WANT TO TAKE

If you're looking for an easy A, I suggest that you continue your search elsewhere. If you're willing to work for it and you want an exceptional professor who will push you to become the best writer that you can be, I highly recommend Adam Bessie.

This was a difficult course, but if your goal is to improve as a writer and a critical thinker, I highly recommend Bessie. DO NOT be afraid to ask for help! You can minimize hours of work by sending him an email. Even he admits the writing process can be painful, but he'll give you many resources that can help you confront your fears as a writer.

Some might say hes a hard grader, I think hes fair. He gives you great feedback on your essays and references to improve them. Lets you revise 2 essays out of 3 for a higher grade. Homework is basically working on writing your essays, very helpful. Readings are nice and short so huge plus! Caring but wont baby you. Accessible for office hours.

It isn't an easy class, but he will teach you a lot. One of the only English classes I've taken where I can directly list all the things I've learned and I noticed improvement throughout. I recommend him, just be ready to do a good amount of work. 3 essays, one can be revised for a better grade, and other random hw assignments.

One of the best English professors I've had. I learned more in his class than I ever have in an English class. He will make you work for your grade but is VERY helpful. He stays very engaged with all his students and is very caring. Dont be afraid to get help from him at office hours. 3 essays throughout the semester and no tests, lots of reading.

Prof. Bessie is a great professor in every aspects except grading. He has high requirements for quality. And his materials are all related to literature and psychology. There is a small advice. If you don't major in literature or psychology related subjects, you need to think twice to choose his courses.

My favorite English teacher so far! He can be a tough grader but you need to schedule office hours to get feedback which always helps for the nexts essays. He grades on how my you have improved on the class. He cares about all of his students!

He is a phenomenal professor. Do not think this class is an easy A. He actually pays attention to your writing and grades your accordingly. He takes your writing to the next level. Be prepared to be challenged. He is also funny and accommodating. I had to drop his class but I am definitely taking him again next semester.

Very embarrassed to admit that by the end of the semester I had the fattest intellectual crush on Bessie. Great at communicating and guiding you towards better writing. Material covered was interesting and made for stimulating class discussions. Not an easy A+ but he makes A+ jokes sometimes

I've only taken Bessie for 263, and if you are too, get ready to read that textbook k. The most important thing to do in this class is at least skim the material, as it will give you a good example of what the individual classes are about. That aside, his lectures are amazing and outside of class, he's available to see and very hospitable.

If you want to grow as a writer you should 100% take Bessie's class. He has high expectations but if you show up for every class, do all the homework and listen to his feedback you will get an A. Whether you think you need it or not GO TO OFFICE HOURS! If he sees you care about your grades and improving he will work with you. Don't be late to class

Bessie is an amazing professor. However, if you are looking for an easy A class, this isn't it. You must attend lectures in order to succeed in class, which shouldn't be an issue because he makes class fun. I came into the class worried because in HS I got a D in college level English but with Bessies help I passed with an A. Highly recommend him!

As someone who has now transferred to a UC, Adam Bessie's class was the most useful class I took in community college in preparing me to succeed after transferring (and I am not an English major). He will make you work for your grade, but what you get out of it is well worth the effort and will help you so much further down your academic road.

Took his Amer Lit class, he is knowledgeable, engaging & makes every minute of class count. This is not an easy A, and while the grading is fair, it would help if you're decent at English. My advice would be to GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS- I never do this but it helped a TON (for essays), he helps walk you through a good topic. Does not like tardiness.

Mr. Bessie was a great professor. He makes you work for your grade but also improve yourself by challenging you. If you enjoy an organized layout/structure, he's your guy. You do have to read novels but it's an English class, that's expected. He also will work with you during his office hours, which are highly useful.

Prof. Bessie is highly focused on student growth. He is very tough, and expects a lot of effort. Bessie can be funny but also show a bit of elitism. He embraces diversity but his focus on your comments can feel like more of an interrogation at times. With that being said, Bessie is spectacular and will prepare you for the road ahead in education.

I took two of his courses in the same semester, not knowing how awesome of a professor he is! He does grade hard, yes. But if you're really willing to learn, he is the kind of professor that you would wanna go for! He gives out a lot of homework, but they're not hard. Most of them will help you towards your essays and it really pays off!

10/10 would recommend.

Great teacher who really cares about his students. My writing is a lot better because of him.

I loved his class! He truly makes you think differently and learn a ton. He really cares about his students and office hours will help make all the difference! You read amazing pieces and books! The essay writing is a bit intense but as long as you work hard and talk to him you will do great! One of the best teachers at DVC IMO!

Definitely a great professor, especially for my first semester overall. The topics for our essays are interesting and he gives great feedback and only wants to see you improve in your writing. He also makes you write pieces of your essay throughout the semester so it's easier to write when the time comes. Highly recommend!

Professor Bessie was one of the best professors I've ever had! His class was fairly easy. Keep up with the homework and do well on your essays and you'll get an A. He's very understanding and truly cares about his students and their work. He wants you to succeed in his class and will spare his time to help you if you find yourself stuck on an essay

He is one of the kind and good professor I ever had. He always helped me when I needed help. He alway made sure I was on top of my grade. He is a great professor

What a legend. Very understanding of the multiple personal issues I had during the semester, gave me lots of extensions and help. Tough grader, but his feedback is very valuable and he genuinely wants you to succeed. My writing improved a lot thanks to his class.

Overall, great prof. If you have anxiety surrounding your english skills or perhaps its been a while since you have been in an english class/ school in general, this is the perfect class for you. This class is pretty stress free in that Bessie does his best to keep you on track. Manage your time well and ask questions and you will be awesome!

Prof Bessie is an amazing teacher, and I learned so much in his class! I hesitated to take an a-sync (fully online, no scheduled meeting times) class, but he did a fabulous job keeping students engaged. He is very organized, and I enjoyed his mini-lectures, posted videos, and writing workshops. Very accessible, caring, dedicated, knowledgeable. A+

good essay topics and fun/comfortable classroom environment

good professor, caring, and you should take him!!

Amazing professor. His lectures are very interactive and he's fun to be around. However, he will scare you by saying that you will fail the first essay and he was pretty accurate (class avg 72%) . If you are a good writer, you will be fine. Just make sure to implement his feedback into your next essay. Attendance matters so participate.

talk to him! ask for help! i took this as a hybrid class and wrote, i believe, 3 or 4 essays and i genuinely enjoyed most of them. subject manner was interesting. if you participate he'll like you. very kind. accessible outside class (book appointment w him) he is a great english professor but def not an easy class. easy A if you work for it

Wen't into the course after not taking an English class since high school(about 1 year), so I was pretty intimidated. He makes you feel very comfortable and challenges you to grow every week. I'm a big fan of the group work/discussions in class and learned to feel confident in my writing abilities again.

Took him as a hybrid course. No textbook but we read out of several comic books/graphic novels and those must be read before weekly class for discussions. Really funny and will help you if you don't understand. There's a million extra credit opportunities that boost your grade a lot, and I loved his class! Would definitely take again!

Professor Bessie was a great English teacher! He emphasizes group discussions to hear classmates' perspectives and personal experiences. The class involves writing about your personal experiences, but is beneficial since you're able to think about topics you might not have before. He separates the essays into manageable deadlines to help you out!

Professor Bessie has got to be the best English professor I've had period. He puts a lot of emphasis on free-thinking, and not letting your mind get in the way of achieving greatness. He cares a lot for his students and will reach out if he sees a problem. He wants you to succeed and will do his best to get you there! Mind before matter!

As an international student taking this 'standard' english class, I was a little worried but he made me feel at ease and guided us step by step. A ton of discussions in class and online, and despite being rather reserved, I still got 100% for my participation score. Clear rubrics and pretty lenient as subsequent essays were graded on improvement.

it pains me to see all of these bad reviews. professor bessie was extremely lenient with assignment due dates. so so so many extra credit opportunities. he grades on how his students' writing has improved over the course rather than how good they are at writing. very clear, helpful rubrics for the essays. if you put in the work, it is an easy A.

After having a gap year I was nervous with the amount of knowledge I had but this was the perfect class for me. Bessie gave all the instructions needed and explained thoroughly while supporting tools and resources. He does lots of group work and encourages everyone to participate. You can tell he genuinely cares for his students. Take him!

Bessie loved an involved class and open discussions so be prepared to socialize or share ideas. As a student coming from a gap year and having no knowledge of writing an essay he provided very clear criteria and format. This class was very helpful in showing me what a college English class would look for. Prepared me well for ENGL-123! Take him.

Very kind professor who is very passionate about his class. Does a good job articulating his topics and has variety in the books you read. You read superhero comics, LGBTQ comics, WW2 comics, and manga! The final project is a lot of fun since you get to make a comic! Workload is very manageable, and if you're into comics you'll have a blast.

Professor Bessie is a great person, and a good professor. Unfortunately, his class is rather hard. He claims that he grades your final based on how you have progressed in writing through the year and I'd say he does a pretty good job. Lots of discussion posts and outside reading. You have three essays. Honestly/ take ENGL-122 online.

I wish I took my ENGL-122 with him or had more english classes to take! Very personable and within reach. Good feedback on essays & oppurtunity to revise them. Required to read 3 short stories, novel & graphic novel: nothin crazy for for a literature class. By the end class you'll feel much more comfortable analysing texts and writing essays!

Professor Bessie, was a great and amazing professor. He was super accessible outside of class through email and canvas and he had plenty of opportunities for revision and improvement. His class is graded on writing improvement, so writing in one manner the entire semester probably won't cut it. Tough class with tough grading but a great teacher.

Such a nice teacher, he really cares about his work and helping his students succeed. His discussion posts also are super useful because you can just use a lot of them for parts of your essay. I usually don't like english courses but profess. b was super helpful so it wasn't bad at all

Bessie was recommended by my DSS counselor. All I can say is 10/10. His class isn't boring and all the material is interesting. I was scared about a college English class thinking the material was all vintage pieces of work. Nope! We read comic strips and researched AI. He cares about his students. I cannot recommend his office hours enough.

His class was pretty straightforward and you'll likely succeed as long as you put in the work and pay attention.

Bessie is an attentive professor. He's passionate about his job & students it shows in the way he teaches. He's willing to challenge kids if he knows they can rise to the occasion & he's super easy to communicate with. He wrote me a couple letters of recommendations & knows great resources on clubs and events within DVC to get students connected.

He's one of my favorite professors! Class was so fun, he made it a very social and welcoming environment for everyone, and I made a lot of friends in class because of this! He is great at motivating students and so inspirational. Usually, I don't like essays, but I like that he allowed us to be creative with ours, and gave great feedback on them!

good dude gives lots of chances and has relevant essay topics he cares about his students but isnt gonna give you a free A

Prof. Bessie makes this English class engaging with discussion and hands-on work. While it's a challenge, the feedback and support are invaluable. unstuck AI's tools were super helpful for writing prep.

Professor Bessie is a cool professor. I myself am a student who was looking to have an easy time and while it wasn't easy, I still got an A because I showed up, revised the essays, and participated in class. If you do just that you'll be fine. Discussion posts make up essays, grading strict. Feedback, Office Hours, Lots of fun readings, Discussions

He is overall okay. He needs to like you to grade you well and honestly, his grading didn't always match up with the guidelines. He claims you can write however you want but clearly prefers a specific style of writing. As long as you show up to office hours and make a big effort you will likely get a good grade.

Bessie is dope!! He wears his political beliefs on his sleeve so if you're a Trumper or someone who can't handle talking about LGBTQ issues then you will hate him (probably most of these 1-star reviews). He's open and compassionate and really cares about his students. His delivery is fun and wants to connect with students. Take his class!

Professor Bessie is one of the best English teachers I have ever had. He is smart, witty, and hilarious. His classes rely heavy on participation, so get ready to read and immerse yourself in the material. Bessie gives great feedback and always has office hours to help you with your homework and assignments. I would take his class again if I could!

Professor Bessie is a nice guy, 2 exams, and a 3rd if you do it as your final. Light amount of online work, mostly reading science fiction and a memoir. In person class structure is based on extroverts, he will call on you specifically if you don't talk much. Introverts avoid the class. Overall really nice guy with a medium workload.

Professor Bessie's class is quite challenging. He always try to help all his students, but you still need to put in the work. Be prepared to spend 8-10 hours a week, attend office hours, and look for tutoring. If you work hard and look for his help he'll always point you in the right direction. His A+ isn't easy to get but he's a great professor!

Professor Bessie is so awesome, I love that man sm. He gives clear feedback on essays and assignments, his lectures are fantastic (!!), and he grades the quality of writing, not how much one's writing style matches his own (which I can confirm since my essays were often written in a voice similar to the voice I use in formal mathematical proofs).

He is very kind and wants you to succeed to get the grade you want. He gives so many chances for you to get an A -- revisions, extra credit, and you can literally just go up and talk to him. He is super chill and down to earth. He only asks that you be present in the class and participate, so very doable lol

Professor Bessie is a chill guy who genuinely wants you to succeed. He is very open to talking to you if you are struggling and he offers a lot of extra credit. Worst part is that he needs you to show up to class (on time). Really easy class if you know how to write and not a lot of hw