I really liked this class because Ms. Van Ells had enthusiasm for her subject matter and her lectures weren't boring. Her essay assignments could be tough, though. She has strict rules, but as long as you follow them and pay attention, you'll do okay.

Prof Van Ells teaches almost at university level. You will write essays. If you have no ambition to attend a 4 yr. college don't take her class. If you do - her class is an excellent way to get prepared for and receive help on what university level writing is.

lots of reading but lectures cover the majority of info. very funny. spells out expectations from students. as long as you go to every class and work on esay skills you'll do great.

Love this class!!!She is a great teacher. Her lectures are great. She makes it very intresting.She is very down to earth and easy to talk to and ask questions . She is very clear about what she expects from you on the first day of class.Be prepared to particiapte in class discussions. Do the reading

No Comments

I did like her class, but her midterms are killer - a little unfair in my opinion. However, her quizzes are very easy. There is a lot of reading required. I did find her lectures incredibly interestng, albeit a bit scattered and hard to follow at times. Doesn't take pity on students - you do your work, no excuses. Good university prep course.

She does not believe in an easy A. Makes you work for the grade. A LOT of reading. She loves this subject. If your not a history buff she is not for you. Good teacher though.

Good teacher, although most will give a bad rating because she DOES HER JOB... most of you morons give a teacher a 1 score because you didnt show up to class and got a bad grade, this is one of those teachers, but if your there to learn she will teach you

The secret to getting good grades in her calss is not to take notes, try to absorb the BIG picture by listening, and not take notes here and there. i will guarantee you a grade boost. I'm not that bright of a student, but if you hate note taking this is the class to take.( DON'T TAKE NOTES)

No Comments

Very hard class, but very worth the effort. The professor made history fun. Watch out, she is very strict.

This is not an EASY class, if your looking to slide on through keep searching. If you are wanting to learn about the history of women, and sooo much more, this is the class for you. I enjoyed her lectures more then any class I've ever taken!

Excellent, entertaining lecturer. Very funny and interactive. Brings in morale opinions that can be distracting. Difficult class. Assigns a ton of reading. Homework, videos, group activity. Don't come late to her class; she can be demeaning. Unless you have verbatim memory, you must take good notes in order to do well in this class! Worthwhile.

very enthusiastic. a very professional teacher.

Not an easy instructor but interesting. She does not teach at the community college level so don't expect it. A TON of reading. We had 3 books for an 8 week class. Expect to work for the grade.

I don't agree with previous comments/great teacher/not easy/lots of work/not a teacher for everyone/really good teacher/make sure ur ready to earn your grade/this is not a bird course you wont fly right thru it/its literally womens history you learn about the history as a whole not bits in pieces of famous women. Great course dull at 1st picks up!!

took this class in summer school, very hard A LOT of reading and writing. tests were all essay (blue book) if you prepare and put in the effort you'll be fine, but if you're looking to skate through, think again.

She is very hard. A lot of reading and essays. Quizzes are take home, easy A. In class essays she gives you subject in advance. The midterm was difficult. She loves her subject, as long as you show her respect she is okay. Show up to class everyday, lecture notes are not in the book.

If you have to take a history class this is a good one to take. She makes it interesting and makes you think about how it affects us still today.

If you REALLY want to learn about women's history, this class is for you. It is not a easy, if you dont want to care. I didnt have to read the books, as long as you go to every class, you will be prepared for the exams. She is the 1st professor I have taken at ARC that loves what she does. She comes off being very hard, but wait it out she's sweet.

i really enjoyed this class. i was scared at first because everyone said not to take it over the summer, and even though some of the work was rushed at the end, i still learned a lot. she makes the class really fun and if you attend class regularly then you should do fine. she really enjoys her job which makes the class a lot more interesting!

I learned a lot in this class. It was more interesting and less radical than I thought; there is so much more to women's rights than the bra-burning brigades of the 60s. I respect the professor because she is passionate about the subject and wants the students to leave with something besides a passing grade. Slackers, this class is not for you.

I liked the class, and loved the topic. Prof Van Ells is a wonderful teacher, and loves her subject. She does have a habit of ranting off topic, and is somewhat unorganized. However she does make the class interesting.

This woman holds a double-standard in just about anything. Don't EVER make noise or get up in the middle of class, you'll be reamed. Otherwise, she's passionate about what she's teaching and she makes a lot of wise cracks. Overall, her class was alright.

Her lectures kept me interested in the class. The book was very dry reading, and this class requires A LOT of reading. Don't take for an easy A. It requires work, but that's college right? Loved her, she is very opinionated and keeps the topic interesting the way she teaches it! I would definitely recommend her for her lectures.

LOTSSSSSS of reading !!!!!!!!!!! 4 quizes, med term and final are very hard, i will never take her again, too much work, she is not easy to take!!!!!!!!!!

I expected an easy A in women's studies. No. While the class is hard- read your book and make sure u UNDERSTAND- I ended up learning a ton from her! U get a fantastic dose of history because the class isn't only about women, but a comparison to society on a whole. Test are hard u MUST COMPREHEND the info and read online handouts! HARD BUT WORTH IT

I don't know why she gets horrible reviews, they are unwarranted. I took Van Ells' 2 semesters back, she really wants you to learn...expects you to learn. You leave her class with so much knowledge. She is kind, friendly, nice and cares about her students. SHE WANTS YOU TO LEARN!! I recommend her to anyone who actually wants to learn.

one the most memorable teachers I ever had.i read her ratings before takin her n they dont describe her well at all .she loves the subject,teaches wit passion. doesnt use boring, tedious powerpoints. she writes on the board as shes describing material so u really understand wat shes talkin about.highly recommend her!! hist 330 class is eye opening

I'm in her summer course and LOVE HER!!!! I have no idea what some of these people are saying. She helps you out as much as she can and has very interesting lectures. I came into this class not looking forward to it, but now I'm actually looking forward to going! Yes, you do have to read but I don't think it's any more than any other course.

she was really good. there is alot of reading but you will get everything you need to know from her lectures. i only read the first 2 chapters of the book than realized she was giving very good lectures. so i took notes on everything she said and i did well.

She was great! She has so much passion for history that you may end up with some too! Her tests are easy if you take notes in class and do the reading. She doesn't offer many points so you have to do all assignments. The biggest challenge is the essays.

Little homework in the class and a quiz every other week. Lots of online reading needed but if you take notes then you should do fine. Entertaining and makes history somewhat fun. Watched lots of films in her class and allows extra credit. Looks like she lived the good life in her youth. She is always drinking a beverage and takes smoke breaks.

She tends to be unorganized. Go to class, take good notes, keep up on the reading (there is lots) and study. She does know her stuff about history.

She is awesome! I LOVED her! I wasn't that interested in history before I went, but she made the class fun and very interesting. I learned so much. You HAVE to do the reading...but, if you really want to learn something, she is the professor who will go out of her way to help you. She understands her subject matter well. Very easy on the eyes :)

Funny teacher with high expectation but offers a lot of help. She provides clear directions and the test are clearly linked to the reading.

Awesome teacher. People like to complain about her "attitude" but if you show up on time, turn in your stuff, and don't disrupt her class, then you shouldn't get any of it. We're in college folks - you can't get your hand held anymore. She makes her quizzes very easy to understand too. I'm not big on history, but loved her class.

Whom is protecting this teacher? This woman may be what each one of you are used to, in your home environment, yet noone should be subjected to her comments, when she is speaking to adults she does not even know. Yet since many of you are used to abusive behavior, she will continue to behave as such...

I enjoyed taking this class, Prof. Van Ells clearly loves her job. Her lectures are engaging and she is very helpful. You do have to do a lot reading but you do learn a lot. I took this class during the summer and as long as you show up on time, do not interrupt her lectures and do your work you'll pass.

Her class is as hard as you make it. I got a lot out of her class, she is firm but also funny. She utilizes every minute of the class time you are paying for. I recommend taking her class. I really enjoyed it.

One of my favorite classes Professor Van Ells teaches history using a very sociological perspective. (Why not what)one of the best history classes I have ever taken.

Best teacher I've ever had. She really cares about her students. Her tests are straightforward and mostly multiple choice. Don't slack off- you get what you put into it. I loved her class! Definitely recommended, but not for the slackers

Ms. Van Ells was humorous which kept the content interesting, although at times she was disorganized. I don't know who is writing some of these comments but they seem to not know what a college course entails. Don't expect to be held by the hand, remember we are adults. Do the reading and take lecture notes and you should do well.

Professor Van Ells was very educational, I had her summer of 2012 class which was six weeks. I learned all the 'important parts' of our american history 1865 through now. Taking notes was very important, she gives great lectures, Our final was an essay which I did well on because I paid attention. This is not an easy class,I do think she is awesome

Ms. Van Ells is one of my all-time favorites. A lot of people thought she was tough but it's just because they wanted an easy A. She is so intelligent. Also witty. I hate history and this teacher got me loving history. Never a boring lecture. She is very lively and clearly loves teaching. You will see the world differently after taking her class.

Pretty easy class, pay attention and do the readings and you'll pass easily. She's very opinionated and is strong willed about HER views and side ... but she respects debates if you know what your talking about.

Professor Van Ells was a great teacher. She really cares about her students and wants them to succeed. If you are having trouble she will help you. Also, part of her class is learning how to recognize significance, which is very helpful and will make reading her textbook, as well as textbooks for other classes easier. I enjoyed her class!

Amazing teacher. She's hilarious, and thorough. Just have to learn her ways of learning :) great person , awesome, but as she says NOT a nurturer.

She is an amazing an inspirational teacher. she says she just wants her students to become more interesting and i really think she achieves that. She makes you want to show up to class and really think about what you are learning. shes amazing

I really enjoyed her class! She is very passionate about history and is not boring at all! You MUST do all the reading and attend class if you want to get an A. Quizzes and exams are not hard if you do the reading and take notes!

I am just finishing Women in U.S. history and I really enjoyed it. Be sure to do the reading, you really can't skate by on the lectures alone. Class participation during the lectures is greatly encouraged. She seemed to really focus on not only getting her students to remember the facts but to ANALYZE the information for meaning and impact.

Deborah Van Ells is INCREDIBLE! Her lectures just feel like a friend telling you a dramatic story! I was completely enthralled by her, and I've always DESPISED History. After 27 years, she was the one who finally made it interesting. Fascinating, even. If you come to learn and be inspired, you will leave successful and enriched.

I really enjoyed Professor Van Ells class this semester. Her lectures were funny, informational and interesting to watch. If you don't want to be an adult and sign online and watch the lectures, read the book or do the homework, don't expect to get a good grade. I would take another class with her again.

Professor Van Ells is amazing. Her lectures were entertaining, funny, but very clear in what she was trying to teach. There were discussion boards, unit tests, midterm, and final, no essays. The textbook is pretty heavy but if you like history it won't be too bad. Her class was really fun and I would love to take another one of her classes.

I took this class in-person Fall 2023. Be ready to dive in deep to the topic of early American History. This class had in-person lecture, quizzes and tests in-person, writing assignments online, lots of reading and videos online outside of class. Typically due dates were Sundays. Great professor with entertaining lectures.

Professor Van Ells' class was a challenge, but her engaging lectures and resources like unstuck study made it rewarding. Stay on top of readings and assignments - the workload is manageable with dedication.