Great teacher. Very informative with all asian and african american cultures. Got alot out of the class including an "A".

cool, easy going teacher. keeps the class interesting. essays are graded fair and he is open to everyone's opinion. he's great!

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GREAT PROFESSOR WHO KNOWS HIS STUFF ABOUT ASIAN/BLACK HISTORIES! VERY EASY GOING, FAIR ON HIS GRADINGS, HE GIVES US HEADS UP ON WHAT WILL BE ON THE EXAMS, AND ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP STUDENTS. GREAT INSTRUCTOR - TAKE HIM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ETHNIC STUDIES.

Great teacher,just listen his lectures carefully and you can get A or B.

Excellent teacher! The class is so fun and interesting. His tests are way easy. You do not even really need to read the book to pass his tests. He is so easy going and cool. This class is a must, you will get an A if you just show up!

This teacher is really fantastic. Extremely nice and extremely helpful. I highly reccomend taking one of his classes.

Great class. A definite must! You will learn a lot. And its not hard to pass if you just come to class, do your work, reading, and participate.

Excellent.

Very interesting class, great teacher!

Great teacher. Interesting perspective, inexpensive textbooks, very reasonable. He has a great sense of humor and uses different media formats to get his point across, usually in the form of videos. You will become more socially aware after taking this class. And, he reviews before tests, so you know what you need to remember. Great class.

Take his class please!!!! He is such a grea teacher! You learn so much about Asian American history that you never knew. You do have to read a long book, but he goes over every chapter with you(read and discuss in class) but you would want to read the book because it is so interesting. He is very helpful and supportive. PLEASE TAKE HIM!

I've taken 2 classes w/ Professor Gaines in the past, in which I learned not only about Asian and African American History but about my own culture as well.Prof.Gaines is NOT only a Professor BUT also a Grad Student as well.Very humble.Dedicated to his own studies,very hard working & a great mentor.Recommend him 2 those Willing 2 LEARN the TRUTH.

Great teacher..i personally had fun in his class. Test are easy and the final was a take home essay. I highly recomend him.

I don't really know about the people who don't care for his class, but it's probably because they were depending on not showing up & waititng for study guide to pass. He is an excellent teacher & I can honestly say one of the few teachers that is truley interested in his students. Easy class, passionate teacher, and knowledge gained is worth it!

ethnic studies: evo. of hip hop. Extremely Easy Class. Gaines is a good guy, but didnt really have a game plan for the class. I recommend him for a GPA booster

I took his AA Cinema Class and AA/Asian History Class. He's very knowledgable about the subject matter. Disussions are encouraged & he doesn't mind if you disagree with him. The class is easy if you come every day and stay on top of your work, which we had his classes, so don't mistake him for a pushover because he will fail those who don't work

Extremely nice guy. Easy, fun, engaging class. He really seriously just wants everyone to learn and understand. Definitely a good GPA boosting class, even better if this is required for your major.

THE BEST TEACHER I'VE EVER HAD AT CSM!! SMART, RESPECTFUL, AND KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT!! IF YOU COME TO CLASS AND PARTICIPATE YOU WILL GET A GOOD GRADE!! A+++++++

Mr.Gaines is a great teacher! We don't use texbook but we have two books to read. You really have to keep up with the reading though, because if you don't you will be completely loss. His test are medium for my opinion, we usually two essays for every test, but he gives you the questions before the test, so that's a plus.

Professor Gaines is a great teacher and person who really connects to his students. Personally I found that it was necessary to keep up with the reading in order to enrich my papers but the reads are easy and usually pretty interesting. If you show up and follow directions you will do well in this course. I had an overall great experience!

Excellent teacher.

Mr. Gaines was a great teacher. Show interest and participation and he'll show you an A. Promise!

such a nice guy, very respectful. he wants all students to participate even if its by asking a question loved his class definately recommended!

He teaches with real passion and likes to form a real bond with his students. Besides just the course material, he often likes to talk to his classes about the importance of succeeding in education and in life, and it's quite inspirational.

He's an OK teacher. The essays were weird, he just told us to analyze two types of movies, but we never got a sort of paper with the guidelines or a rubric. He seems to only interact with the athletes.

I disagree with all the negative comments below. He is a very caring and passionate professor. He really inspires you to be a critical thinker. A lot of discussion during class. He wants you to absorb history and reflect on it instead of having you memorize anything. EXCELLENT professor."I don't want this class to be normal. I'm in a mission"

Super nice person. Really down to earth and friendly. We used the "Tom,s.... etc" textbook and the tests are straight forward. Show up to class and participate occasionally and you will get on his good side and easily pass this class... Don't text either

This was my favorite teacher of all time at CSM. his class is the only one I refused to cut and everything he says and we discuss is interesting. He's a funny guy and connects well with his classes. A lot of my friends take his class and they all love him. You need to read the book though and participate in clad discussions! A students are exempt from his final exam!

he is so inspiring and knowledgable and knows his stuff! possibly one of the most influential professors of all time. i cannot begin to say how much i enjoyed his class. DONT USE YOUR PHONE DURING CLASS. i mean why would you?? you have this amazing teacher right infront of you trying to educate you... go to class and youll pass. Dr.Gaines take em

Gaiens is the BEST professor over at CSM i wish he was able to teach every subject! He is passionate about his students and students. He really cares about us and is willing to help in any way possible. His class discussions are usually based on the text and are very interesting. You will learn a lot, just come to class prepared and be respectful.

Prof Gaines was very knowledgeable about class subject. He kept things light and interesting. I've decided to major in ethnic studies.

Excellent teacher!! Highly recommend. One of the best at CSM. Take his class.

Professor Gaines is very informative, knowledgeable and intelligent. He touches on many aspects of African American history that were never taught to me in all my years in school. It is easy to fall behind in this class because homework isn't due until the end of the semester so make sure to stay on track! A lot of work but worth it.

Prof Gaines is an incredible teacher! I look forward to going to class every day. His knowledge of history is amazing. He doesn't lecture, he has discussions with his students. Make sure to stay on track with film reviews or you'll regret it. Highly recommend taking this class!!

Dr Gaines is a cool teacher, he is very friendly and has a good sense of humor. He keeps is it real by emphasizing you will not pass his class without reading. Although i do not like how he babies to the athletes at CSM, in particular the football team! Hist tests are primarily true false which could be easy, unless you second guess yourself!

Professor Gaines is what I refer to as "good people," plain and simple. He is passionate about what he does, and his energy infuses the classroom with life when he enters it. He is caring, funny, and clearly enjoys his job. The amount of reading, and the density of the material are tough because there is a lot to remember, but you will learn a TON.

An energetic professor who genuinely loves to teach, and cares about the success of his students, but the amount of reading is insurmountable. For material containing such a massive amount of details, I personally find it very difficult to keep up with the chapters. While I view the reading as overwhelming, it doesn't change the fact he rocks.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up for this class. I have to say Dr. Gaines is a great guy who is very passionate about the material. He gives you every opportunity to succeed in his class. However if you do not do the readings and study, then you will have difficulty. He is a great man and a great teacher, I definitely recommend.

before i took his class i already heard things about him and being from Los Angeles i knew he would be my kind of teacher. He is very clear at the begining of class when he says that most of you will want a college degree but half into the semester you will realize it takes work. He helps you and anyone from the streets will definitely understand..

One of the best professors I've had in a long time. I took his Hip Hop and Culture Class and it was great. I learned so much. He is a truly awesome guy. Highly recommend! Do not even think about skipping class or not keeping up with the readings. You will easily fail. Do not walk up to him on the last week of classes begging for help either.

He is a great professor and obviously very passionate about teaching. The only issue I have with his class is how unorganized he is... I don't mean that personally, but every class we had, he ask US where were we in class, and what we were doing. He always struggled to find stuff on his computer and spent a lot of time looking for videos and stuff

A good guy

I really enjoy coming to his class, very inspirational lectures and giving a new perspective of the world we live in. Would definitely recommend and take again.

professor gaines is a great teacher just read the chapters assigned and make sure you take notes or summarize the chapters and you'll pass his test, since they are true and false questions so even better

Dr gaines was a great teacher because he made it very clear what he wanted in the beginning of the class. His classroom conditioned me to be a better student. A could of books to read which were not that bad. No other homework but you do have to be engaged to get a good grade in the course.

His class teaches more then pure academics, he also emphasizes regulating your study habits and reflecting on your behavior to optimize productivity. Very inspirational and reasonable teacher, he's very passionate about what he does. Class isn't too hard, just ATTEND class and nail the tests (to ace tests, READ the book!!!)

Dr. Gaines is simply fabulous! Absolutely loved all the lectures during each class. I gained a wealth of knowledge and enjoyed interactive class discussions. Highly recommend!

Dr. Gaines was one of the most amazing professors I have ever had. The reading is based on one book for the semester. He gives a lot of extra credit as well. As long as you show up & READ, you'll do fine on the tests! What was great about his lectures was that he connects terms with real-life scenarios and occurrences. + He's funny and caring!

Dr. Gaines is very passionate about African History, he shares real personal life stories. He cares for his students. He has a different style of lecturing. No homework but, to get an A+ be sure to actively participate in class discussion, read each chapter well for the exam, do all the extra credits, start early on the Self-Regulated Learning! 

I loved this class he gives great talks and debates, read the chapters you will need them during tests he sometimes lets you do open note/book but for limited time

I really enjoyed his class. He is very passionate about the African American culture/history. I learned a lot from his class and on top of that he really cares for his students. He is understanding and recognizes you have a life outside of school. The only downfall was the lack of organization. You really need to pay attention for quiz/due dates.

I love Prof. Gaines!! He is so awesome and interesting. I looked forward to his classes and I learned so much from him! He was also so nice, flexible, and was always ready to help. He truly cares about his students and their success.

Loved Mr. Gaines Ethnic studies class on evolution of hip hop! I learned so much about the folks who influenced a lot of the music we hear today. Such a great class to take. Will definitely take more classes with this professor!

Excellent lectures, amazing grader. If you want to pass his class you need to get engaged and involved. Speak your opinions regarding topics even if it's against what you think everyone in the class will believe. He's all about being real and rewarding you for putting in the work. Easy class with knowledge to keep from it. Keep an open mind.

Class was sorta weird. Grading criteria wasn't accurate and I didn't see my grade until after the course was over.

Dr. Gaines is one of the best professors I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. Prepare to be engaged in passionate and communal discussions!

I loved this class! amazing lectures and we watched a lot of interesting movies and clips. We were assigned to read one chapter a week and had an exam each month. Not hard unless you didn't read the chapters. very easy class that you learn a lot from!

Dr. Gaines is great, values students. Film class involves watching films, discussions, and test prep. Good time management and class participation lead to success. Lack of clear guidelines may frustrate detail-oriented individuals. Unfortunately no feedback on written work, including final paper. Overall, enjoyed ETHN288 but recommend with caveats.

Instead of a textbook, you read a book. Grade from 4 exams based on book info. Two extra credit opportunities, take them. Lectures could be boring (when he played videos or documentaries) but they could be interesting when it was a class discussion or he would lecture. Knowledgable prof who cares that his students do well in and out the classroom.

He's a really cool dude. Showing up to class and participating is important, and there're lots of extra-credit opportunities. He cares a lot about his students and how they are doing in life. You can tell he's passionate about the class. Just take him, I was always looking forward to his class. But you need to keep up with assignments and reading!

Dr Gaines' entire "lecture" is just watching documentaries. He rarely does lectures and I have fallen asleep before because of how mind-numbingly boring it gets. He is not tech-savvy at ALL. It's almost painful. He encourages in-class discussion but will redirect if it gets off the rails. All of the grades are tests, but they're all open books.

Super easy class. He doesn't know how to use Canvas or email but will give you his phone number to contact him. Attendance is very much required but class is fun, watched documentaries and movies, only had one book assigned and quizzes are open books. Gives out extra credit and is super understanding! definitely would recommend to take him