2.9
Quality4.0
Difficulty44%
Would Retake84
Reviews44%
Would Retake
84
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
17
4
17
3
19
2
15
1
16
What Students Say
“Speeds very quickly through notes”
MATH235 - 1.0 rating“She is rather soft spoken and slightly scatterbrained, but I would love to have her again”
MATH410 - 4.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
69%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.26 avg changeRatings by Course
M236237
5.0
(1)MATH435
5.0
(1)PHIL310
5.0
(1)MATH410
4.7
(3)MATH248
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
MATH245
5.0
MATH430
5.0
MATH410
4.3
MATH103
4.3
MATH235
4.1
Reviews (84)
helpful, but can't teach. she assumes you know too much and is very intelligent...but a horrible teacher.
Very nice teacher, but really confusing. In order to do well in this class, you need to have some knowledge of clac already. Goes really fast, and class only makes you more confused! Is very willing though to TRY and help.
She's very sweet, nice, likes to talk about Harry Potter, but she can't teach. She's willing to try and explain things to you, but it's basically a repeat of the same unclear definition. The book that she has the class use is very confusing and unclear.
She is one of the nicest professors I have. I was confused at first but as the semester went on things have gotten a lot better. She is willing to help anytime and really wants you to do well.
She's very intelligent in calc but not as effective in her teaching style. But if you go to her for help, shes willing to work the problems with you. And also her tests are pretty easy~*
shes very nice, but cannot teach, unclear and boring, i did have her at 8am though, tests are pretty easy, collects all homework and that kills me
take her! she is the nicest professor, go to her office hours and you will do fine
Very nice lady; truly cares for her students; not an easy class; lectures are kinda confusing and the class requires a lot of work. Do all the homework, go to her office hrs and the math lab and you will do fine. Rewarding to do well in her class
sure, the material may be hard, but she makes it so everyone knows what to do if they pay attention. Definitely take her if you get a chance.
I've taken two classes with her and she is an absolute treat! She's incredibly helpful, demands that we both understand and enjoy the material, and really works hard to see that we're getting something out of the class. "There are no stupid questions" during class, and she helps you outside of it.
Dr. Brown is the most understanding and helpful professor that I've had at JMU. I absolutely HATE geometry and she actually made the class worth coming to. Tests and quizes are pretty easy as long as you pay attention and do your homework. Extremely nice lady.
Take someone else for this class because she is incredibly confusing and doesn't know how to teach at all. The book she uses is awful and even worse than listening to her try to teach. I hate this class and I think she should find another profession. But it's easy, so whatever.
Dr. Brown is a wonderful professor... ok, so what if she changed her middle name to Theta, this just shows that she loves math, and her passion in the classroom shows this as well. She does whatever needs to be done for us to understand the material. I mean, 248 sucks bad, but having a good teacher makes it a little more bearable.
Difficult class, but she makes an effort to make the material clear when teaching and doesn't grade harshly. She's also helpful when asked. P.S. - She didn't change her middle name, it was always Theta. (It is rather convenient though)
She is a great professor! Take her if you can! Very abstract, the class is tough, but she loves what she's doing and helps a lot if you go to office hours. Take Dr. Brown for any class you can!
I like Professor Brown.. but this class is HORRIBLE! Math 103 should be a piece of cake; this class is not. I don't understand anything she says, and she just rambles about things that don't have anything to do with math. She is funny and nice and sweet, but not a very good professor.
Dr. Brown is very sweet and friendly, and her teaching style however is a tad bit disorganized, and she loves to churn out a seemingly never ending supply of homework to go home and cry about. Her tests are modest although they have an unnecessary deceptiveness to them, beware. Overall I recommend to try her for one semester and see how you likeher
wow. this class is ridiculous. Prof. Brown is one of those professors that obviously know a great deal of math, but can't teach it to save their life. Her quizzes are ridiculously easy, but the midterms completely blindside you. any other Math 103 prof is not only easier, but actually have structure to their lessons.
she should not be teaching a 103 course. all of the material went over my head...i would recommend avoiding her class at all costs if you're not a math person...she completely pulls information from left field and doesn't make any sense. she has lots of knowledge but again, SHOULD NOT BE TEACHING THIS CLASS.
Willing to go out of her way to help!!!
It's a great shame that someone so helpful makes absolutely no sense. I don't care how much she loves math, and she does, she is just not good at getting across to anyone but those that like theoretical and discrete math.
This class isn't easy, so you are going to have to work at it. Do the homework, pay attention, and ask questions. She is more than willing to help you with anything. Go to office hours with questions and she will really help you. Really nice lady and entertaining. One of the best professors the math department has.
Hard class, but she is really good. If you get confused go to her office hours, she is extremely helpful. loves to teach, a good choice. do your homework, it will count the same as a test and bring up your final grade. Take her!
Dr. Brown is easily the best math teacher in the department. Funny, nice, and truly cares about her students. Always available outside of class to talk about anything, not just stuff related to class. NOT an easy A by any means, but if you care about the material and truly want to learn there's no better teacher to take.
Brown talks in a very high level math language. She is hard to understand and despite her love for math, isn't very helpful. Her explanations are hard to follow as is her thought process. She writes her own reviews on here, so watch out. Not the best math235 professor. Tests are extremely hard and pressing for time. Very slow at getting grades back
Math was always easy for me 'til this class. Dr. Brown def. knows her stuff, she just does NOT know how to deliver it to students who are not "veterans" (her term). Reading the book helps but not enough. Don't take her if you struggle with math. Focuses on theories/meaning more than doing problems with #s. She writes her own reviews-dont be fooled.
I got a 3 on the AP calc test but nearly failed this class. She only does proofs without to many examples and she's all about the philosophy of math rather than the application. IDK how people who haven't taken calc before pass this class. It's really difficult. She's nice though. Never went to office hours so I don't know how much that helps.
she's a nice person but a horrible teacher. focuses too much on theorems and proofs and won't actually teach you how to do the work. her exams are tricky too because you need to know definitions. ask her a question and she'll laugh and smile awkwardly for an extended period of time...
This class is extremely Hard. I took Pre-Calc & Calculus in high school & still failed this class. She tries to help you during office hours but still makes no sense. Her grading scale is n/a because she personally determines your grade & your test scores don't matter. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
If you take her good luck. She gives ridiculous hard tests. Her lectures make no sense. She love the "intuitions" in math & likes everyone to be a "veteran" at calculus. You will never know your grade in the class & asking her for it doesn't help either.
Never, ever take this class.
Dr. Brown is horrible and the book she uses is even worse. You are given homework which is nothing like what she teaches in class. You must type up the homework as well and she only returns the homework twice a semester. Her test are then like homework questions.She is very disorganized and you will have no idea what your grade is till the end.
It's obvious Brown is extremely intelligent, but this does very little for the students' benefit. I'm not sure how I learned anything during the semester, and I'm pretty sure all the tests just test your ability to mimic patterns that you will never understand. It's impossible to master the material; Brown is no help. Awful class.
I got an A in Calculus first semester, and did worse in her class. That explains how bad of a teacher she is. I work hard, too. Avoid this class.
This class in general is incredibly hard, and she doesn't do the best job of teaching it...I ended up getting a good grade but only after I spent 20+ hours doing homework and visiting every office hours opportunity. Expect to do A TON of outside work.
She is the worst teacher i have ever had. Her lectures are unorganized and it seems like she doesn't know what she is talking about. Also, she answers students questions with a question; getting a direct answer from her is like pulling nails. She brings down the whole math department. JMU should get rid of her.
Class covers very hard material. She's a good teacher. If you are exceptional at calculus, her class will be easy for you. Otherwise expect to put in a lot of work.
Average teacher. She's very nice and understanding, and her discussions are amusing. She is clearly very intellctual like people say but i think she would be better at a higher level of math. She sometimes doesnt explain easier things to students in a way they cn understand. She curves tests so if you get a 75 on all of them you should be ok
She's nice and knows the class is hard, so she treats you and your grade fairly. No homework. She curves each test, and then your overall grade at the end. The material is very dense and she goes through it very VERY quickly. You need to be able to learn from the book as well because you won't always learn it from her proof-oriented lectures.
She is incredibly smart and likes to glaze over some things that aren't immediately obvious to everyone. That being said, she is very receptive to questions and is good at explaining herself 90% of the time. The class operates on a curve determined at the end of the semester. Just ask a lot of questions, study, and you'll probably do fine.
If you decided to challenge your knowledge of math - that's the professor you want to take. She goes into depth of calculus and makes you question everything you've learned about calculus in any previous section. Material is very dense and hard, so be ready to put a lot of effort in this class. She is very helpful outside the class.
The class itself is very hard. I have never taken calculus before, unlike most of the class. Read the textbook. If something in it doesn't make sense, go to the office hours and Dr. Brown will gladly explain. She's very easy to talk to outside of class and she will make sure that you understand if you ask questions.
At the beginning of the semester this class feels like it is going to be impossible. I visited during office hours and she was more than ready to help me with whatever questions i had. She can be hard to understand sometimes and she loves proofs. Honestly, this class is not as bad as people say. I enjoyed it.
I have to say! She has the most absurd teaching method. She teaches it her way which makes her assignments and exams so hard. Don't take her!
if you are going to take her calc 1 class and didn't take a calculus class in high school, dont take her class.
Her class is definitely a proof based class when it shouldn't be. When you ask a question in her class, she explains it in the hardest possible way. She also made our class go to the SUMS conference and write a paper about our experience. Avoid this class unless you're super good at math and feel like putting in a ton of time to learn the material.
Dr. Brown will transform your mathematical skills to an intellectual level. Prior to taking the class, I was well aware that she was the most difficult professor at JMU. This is true, yet false. I have never had someone be so helpful in office hours. Become friends with her, and you will ace and learn MultiCalc. Take her if you are a math major.
She is soooo nice, but the subject matter is very difficult. She is one of the harder calc teachers at JMU, because she makes you do proofs on tests. Do the homework or you will have a hard time!
Dr. Brown definitely has a different way of teaching. However, I have never felt stupid asking a question and she is very easy to go to for help. She loves when students ask for clarity and come to office hours. Tests are hard, but she wants a more mature math mind. Hard class, but definitely worth it.
Only take this course if you are a math major. She's a great person and very enthusiastic about math, but her method of explaining complicated ideas is confusing and unclear. You read the chapter prior to going to class and then just do example problems in class so chances are if you are lost while reading the chapter you'll be lost in class too.
Get ready to learn everything on your own from the text book and memorize every little detail written in the book so you can pass the tests.
She is super nice and really willing to help but you honestly need a really good grasp on calc 1 and 2 if you plan on doing well in her class. She talks really fast and if you don't stop her you will get lost if you are confused. Make sure you go to office hours and do the homework and practice exams.
speaks like a textbook
If you took calc 1 in high school and did well, this class shouldn't be a problem.
Dr. Brown moves at an incredibly fast pace and rarely stops - even if she knows most of the class is lost. She went over material in the next course (MATH 431) 3 weeks before the Final Exam and tested this material. Hard professor; requires lots of leg work outside the classroom. She is passionate about Mathematics though.
The course itself was incredibly difficult; however, Professor Brown makes herself very accessible. She's also entertaining and loves her work, which you can clearly tell. You need to work hard and practice but you can do it!
Dr. Brown is very intelligent, but she isn't very successful at explaining concepts clearly. I did well in this class only because I took calculus in high school. If you have taken calc before, you should be okay, but if you haven't, you will probably struggle. Very nice lady, just not very clear in explanations.
Dr. Brown has a nice personality and curves the final grade by a mere few points, but those are the only good things about her. Tests are hard because they're based on proofs and other inessential concepts. Speeds very quickly through notes. only take her unless you have no other option.
Professor Brown is a nice, caring teacher, however, she is not that good at teaching. When she writes on the board, she jumps from place to place, so it is confusing on where she is. She's not very good at explaining the material. It is better to go to the SSC Math & Science Center to study. Also, her tests are curved a lot.
Dr. Brown is a tough grader, but at the end of the semester she adds a huge curve. She is super sweet and knowledgeable. She is rather soft spoken and slightly scatterbrained, but I would love to have her again. If you participate in class shell like you and be more likely to help your grade out
Dr. Brown is a tough grader, but at the end of the semester she adds a huge curve. She is super sweet and knowledgeable. She is rather soft spoken and slightly scatterbrained, but I would love to have her again. If you participate in class shell like you and be more likely to help your grade out. Yes I know I copied this comment but its 100% true
Best professor ever! Don't listen to the people who complain about how hard she is; math is hard and her just does the subject matter justice. And there are definitely harder teachers in the department. She gives you clear expectations and will always go above and beyond to help students learn.
Dr. Brown is so sweet and her class is pretty good. I'd recommend her because JMU math department is pretty not great, but that being said this class can definitely get pretty tough.
such a sweet woman but actually the worst thing I've ever done. If you're not a math person, don't. I took MATH 103 thinking it would be easy however, this was my hardest class. does not explain a single thing. no study guides, impossible content, and doesn't know how to teach in a way that makes sense to non math people and gets upset w/ q's
Awful. condescending. regretable class. Doesn't put grades in as they "are time-consuming to grade," but it's been over a month since our last exam. The average was a 60 on the first exam except for a physics major in our class. We learn things that have nothing to do with the course description and are expected to know it like NASA employees.
class is insane, too much for a 100 level course. Gets mad when asked about what's on exams, even though the class had 0 structure. She isn't helpful as I had to teach myself 99% of what we learned and I still don't know a single thing.
back for part 2 because I wasn't clear enough last time about how you should not for this course. the actual material is so hard and no one in the class understood and also would study together and none of us could help each other because we all had no idea. she's no unhelpful and scatterbrained. oh my god I can't think about it without getting mad
Professor Brown is a very sweet lady but her class was horrible! It seems like she does not know how to teach a lower level math course. Everything we did in this class made absolutely no sense and she is terrible at explaining things. Do not take this class!
Dr. Brown's class is so hard and confusing and frustrating. She doesn't really answer questions, her homework is so hard and it isn't about what you already learned but instead about stuff you don't know how to do. She makes math theoretical and philosophical. She's kind, but is not very flexible if you can't make office hours. Very frustrating!
Soooo you just simply will not know what's going on, in every aspect. The syllabus is not clear, lectures are confusing, and she responds to your questions in class with another question. Nice lady and clearly cares about math but she lacks the awareness that her students need clear guidance instead of insparational lectures.
She is a very intelligent lady that combines mathematics and philosophy in a new (at least for me) way. There is one paper that she assigned that I would highly recommend you read more than once and very carefully. A lot of topics you wont get right off the bat, but it helps if you do ask questions (she loves questions) and go to office hours.
this class was so hard for no reason. do not take math 103 with her. it was so bad and she tries turning every question you ask into philosophy rather than actually helping you.
Genuinely one of the worst professors I have ever had. She's so disorganized (physically and mentally) that it is impossible to comprehend/follow her. NEVER responds to any messages asking for help. She's incapable of grading in a timely manner and continues to assign the longest lists of problems while relying on other students to answer any Q's
I absolutely love Dr. Brown. I'm taking some math classes as prerequisites for a masters, but my major doesn't require them. I always thought I wasn't cut out for math, but Dr. Brown proved me wrong. She does an incredible job of explaining all the formulas and theorems. I heard calc 2 was the hardest, but with her it's been downright enjoyable.
I am so thankful for Dr. Brown, she is super sweet and wants the best for all of her students. The class is hard, and you do have to work outside of class to keep up with content. Office hours are super helpful, she's excited whenever we show up and loves when you ask questions. She's patient about hw deadlines if needed, worth taking her class
I really wanted to like this teacher, I thought that I was going to enjoy her going into this but as nice as she seemed she was just a bad teacher. Always in front of her own work, tells everyone they aren't trying hard enough even though 70% of the class is failing, and it is currently the night before a retake exam for an exam she has not graded.
Dr. Brown is by far one of the worst professors I have ever had. Her teaching methods are very confusing and hard to understand. And she is very disorganized. She takes really long to grade tests and never posts the grades so you will never actually know how well you are doing in the class. Overall if you can avoid taking her class I would.
This class is very hard and at times it does feel as though Dr.Brown jumps all over the place and it doesn't click. However, she will try her best to help you if you put in the effort. She gave our class retake options to try and help. This is a hard class in general so if you need help go to office hours and ask questions.
The class is hard, and she is disorganized with lecture. It can be frustrating, but if you put in the work, she was willing to help you. So, if you are confused go to office hours and ask questions.
Dr. Brown is nice and very helpful if you reach out to her. Her teaching can sometimes be unorganized but is usually good, she teaches straight from the textbook basically.
I took calc 1 in high school and received an A. This course is just review from that. However, Dr. Brown made this course very complicated. She is very knowledgeable about the material and is very passionate about her class, but isn't the best teacher. Overall, if you took calc already you'll be fine, if not, don't take her.
drbrown is very caring, sweet and motivated to help. that being said, teaching style may not work for everyone. she tends to go on extensive philosophical tangents that make people more confused about subjects. if ur not a math related major, I would opt for a less theoretical teacher. def take her if u want to learn math more deeply/applicatively
Dr. Brown is the most theoretical but most passionate mathematics teacher you'll meet. She's very sweet though and gave us the option for quizzes to not be graded and only our Tests to be graded. Definitely go to office hours, as I am not the most theoretical math guy ever but it has me turning a different leaf. Def harder than ur high school calc.
Calc I with Dr. Brown was great! She mainly taught from the textbook and found ways to relate math to our majors. Her teaching can sometimes be a bit fast and confusing, but she's always happy to answer questions in and out of class (office hours). Exams can be difficult, but I would recommend taking her if you want to better understand Calculus.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
69%
Textbook Required
50%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-0.26 avg changeRatings by Course
M236237
5.0
(1)MATH435
5.0
(1)PHIL310
5.0
(1)MATH410
4.7
(3)MATH248
4.5
(2)Difficulty by Course
MATH245
5.0
MATH430
5.0
MATH410
4.3
MATH103
4.3
MATH235
4.1