3.2
Quality3.6
Difficulty35%
Would Retake162
Reviews35%
Would Retake
162
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
70
4
23
3
7
2
11
1
51
What Students Say
“I will admit that when I first took Professor Chapa's course, he left a bad taste in my mouth”
ENGLI86A - 4.0 rating“If you are taking English 1A (BASIC) to get an AS Degree”
ENG1A - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
81%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.10 avg changeRatings by Course
ENGLISH
5.0
(4)SHAKESPEAR
5.0
(1)ENGLISH80
5.0
(1)ENGLISHPART1
5.0
(1)ENGLISH921A1B
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
Unknown
5.0
ENGL101
5.0
ENGLI86A
5.0
ENG01C
4.7
ENG001C
4.6
Reviews (162)
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All his lectures are STORIES from his life...very hard grader...must be a teachers pet to get a good grade
Chapa is a great teacher, and I really learned a lot form him. He is a very cool guy, very down to earth, he's cool to hang around with too.
Greatest teacher ever!
Hard to grade, but at the end of the semester you will feel like you've learned something. I highly recommend his class. He is funny and easy going.
Good teacher. Is willing to help students who need help. He does expect a lot of students and there will be a lot of work. He gives enough time for all the essays and like I said before he is always willing to help. Has a great heart for teaching
Funny warm kind-has a passion for literature and teaching-excellent feedback on student papers
Don't I smell "BEAUTIFUL"
Funny, energetic, resourceful, and helpful. Although some of his stories are bad and disagreeable, you can learn from most of them. You just have to put up with his character. Warning: some people can't. But if you can, you'll love him.
he is the one of the best teachers I have had in a long time .His thought can be disturbing from time to time; but I like him just the same . o yes, Mr Chapa even though you say you dont like us we know that you do. Thank you
Mr. Chapa believes in me until I can believe in myself too. Thanxs
Excellent teacher.
Mr. Chapa is the hottest teacher at City. He is so nice and intelligent. It's nice to see a LATINO teacher. I love his class and plan on taking the other classes he teaches. You Rock CHAPA!
Mr. Chapa is a funny pendejo.
Best teacher I had even taken. I can easily say that he cares about his students and wants them to succeed. I would recommend this teacher to anyone. Not very hard but not easy. Very good professor
Mr. Chapa is awesome! I love his teaching style and he is hilarious! Reminds me a lot of Seinfeld. I would take another class with him in a heartbeat. Thanks for making summer fun, Mr. Chapa!
Mr. Chapa has taugh me alot of things i did not see before in men. For esample, he taugh me wjat really makes a guy sexy ( and is not about being hot or good looking) Chapa is got dam sexy.
I don't want to sound all corny or cliche, but Mr. Chapa is the best English teacher I've had so far. He has taught me how to improve my essays and HOW TO SPELL CORRECTLY as well :P I wish there were more teachers like Chapa, but "IT'S HARD WORK!"
Chapa will keep you interested in subject material, tells funny sotries of his past then relates it to the subjhect matter, and is an overall good teacher. His grading is the only thing negative. He is a difficult grader. You have to write VERY well to get an A
Mr. Chapa presents his lectures in a way to make the topic tangible for those that otherwise might be at a loss for words.I enjoy his use of sarcasm,and can identify with his (at times)"in-your-face" attitude. He makes people think, which is one of his many admirable attributes. Rock on!
Hi Mrs. CHAPA! He's an amazing instructor. I've learned & gained more from his class than in any other course or school year in my life. He's an incredibly intelligent man who stretches your mind to it's limits & encourages each individual to THINK & SUCCEED in ways that I never knew were possible.
Mr. Chapa's a tough teacher with a lot of valuable teaching to offer. I wouldn't leave CITY COLLEGE without having had the oppurtunity to experience his style of teaching. He is real, to the point, and highly informative. Moreover, you'll never want to miss a class because he is hysterically funny!
Readers…I can assure you that all the above comments are made by Native English speakers who didn’t need another English lesson… but want another bad mimic of The Man Show. In this show, you would learn about sex, the guy’s wife and the three Catholic Church candles.
Mr Chapa’s class is very entertaining, but it is not for everyone. Those who can write well should take his class but those who wants to improve their writing skills shouldn’t. He is not there to teach or instruct, he is there to grade fairly and show people where they are (a talent that I admire th
Mr. Chapa knows how to make people laugh; he is also a tough grader. He would do well in giving English aptitude test for the college.
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SKEET SKEET SKEET!
It is sad to go from his 1A to his 1B, but it has to be so. This class is the most entertianing class I have ever had. I practically know everthing about his wife, and her habits. He will grade your paper, based on how you wrote it. There are no favorites here. FANBOYS baby, fanboys.
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Me fail English? That's unpossible!
DUDE Chapa is a rockstar!!! you learn a lot about shakespeare in some not so p.c. terms as well as getting a lot of entertainment. of course learn a lot about his wife and the catholic church as well as the ammusment of him bashing everyone. A bit of advice: he fully believes the bumper sticker "i'm not rasist because i hate everyone equally"
Is Mr. Chapa hot? Yes, he is!!! Is he an excellent Instructor? Yes, he is!!! Is Mr. Chapa an entertaining Instructor? Yes, he is, so people, if you want to have a hot, intelligent, and funny English Instructor, take Mr. Chapa. However, make sure that you are an good writer because he grades by how one writes, not by how one's pretty face is.
Mr. Chapa is all that and a bag of chips. He is intelligent, sexy, and funny. All those interested in taking his class better know how to write well. He is an awsome instructor. Yes, he will make you laugh your ass off, but you will also learn many things from him. You will love him by the end of the semester, I guaratee it. <3.
I recommend this teacher to anyone! He teaches you how to write well at the college level. He is also very informative and very funny, which makes it fun to come to class everyday. I would take any of his classes again.
Mr. Chapa is the greates teacher ever!!!! You will love him by the end of the semester. He is a great instructor, he is sexy, and so freaken' intelligent.
I hope you're an anti-Christian liberal if you're going to take Chapa. Be prepared to hear some liberal rants. He thinks he's so funny and witty; I can't stand the man.
Chapa is the awesome!
chapa is excellent!!However, if you're a very sensitive person don't take his classes. I found him to be hilarious!!Very clear on all assignments, willing to help whenever you need it, and he challenges you to write better! Very informative! I learned a lo
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know the six sentences structures, and you'll be ok.
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Mr.Chapa is the hottest,smartest man at San Jose City. Will You please marry me?? xoxox
Chapa is the man. Just come with an open mind, and realize that you don't have to agree with everything he says. I like that he's opinionated, it makes the class interesting.
Makes English easy by being clear and not boring us to death. I recommend this class to all those needing Eng 1A. And he's not an anti-christian liberal, by the way.
Challenging but good. If you want to learn something, take this class. Lectures not always relevant to subject matter but interesting. You'll never be bored.
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This teacher disrespects his female students constantly. He swears and talks only about his pathetic life. You learn nothing. Avoid this person. I talked to the dean but she wanted more people to come forward. How can this kind of people teach at college level?
He is very opininated but he is a great teacher!!! I would highly recommend taking this teacher if you want to be amused and learn at the same time. He makes the class fun and keeps you laughing the whole time! If you get offended very easily be prepared to get offended, but just jokes around most of the time. I love Chapa and loved his class!
The best teacher on the SJCC campus, regardless of department. Not only does he know how to work a crowd (there was never a dull day), but he knows the material very well. Class with Mr. C was one of the most worthwhile experiences of my entire education. I encourage you to take a class with him.
A clown. He only cares about winning popularity contests. His use of class time is terrible to say the least. Instead of helping you learn things, he spend most of the class time trying to be popular with the male students. Do not take this guy if you are a female. He will be condescending and will make you feel bad. A total loser.
Mr. Chapa's character will naturally provoke and challenge your way of thinking. Despite his, at times, in-your-face attitude, he wants nothing more than to equip today's complacent generation with conviction and passion for what they believe in. Chapa is intelligent and witty, and uses his strengths and weaknesses to stimulate class discussions.
An instructor with more weaknesses than strengths.His opinions are the ones that matter even though he provides little evidence for any of them.This person is too opinionated and closed minded to be an effective teacher.Keep your opinions to yourself if you want a good grade.For the most part,an easy class.
i detest shakespeare, but having mr. chapa teach it was great! was not disappointed in this summer course at all! he made the works appealing and interesting! a graduate now, i would take his classes just out of pure interest and his personality that he puts into his lesson plans.
If you like Shakespeare,this class will be a waste of time,you will be disappointed.It is impossible for this prof to convey the emphasis,intonation, emotion and pleasure that comes naturally from someone with a true mastery of the works of Shakespeare:"sounds and sweet airs,that give delight and hurt not".Try other prof or go to de Anza instead.
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His class is way fun because he’s a total comedian. He makes Shakespeare fun and also discuss different themes, with humor. He speaks his mind and goes over the top but that’s often the funniest parts. Those who are narrow-minded, easily offended or have no sense of humor whatsoever, don’t take this course. Chapa is an experience not to be missed.
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He's a great teacher. very entertaining. But he does grade hard. but he is always there if you need the help. awsome teacher!
Some professors are inspiring. They help and encourage their students. Prof. Chapa is definitely not one of those. He usually comes late to class and talks about his personal life instead of class material. Some of his comments can be offensive. You will need to learn the material on your own instead of in class.
Mr. Chapa is probably one of the biggest jerks at City. He'll never stopping talking about how he went to Berkeley, his sex life, and how his female students totally want him. This is great coming from a guy who talked about two females in class dancing on tables. Most of the time you would sware he was doing stand up.
SJCC employs the worst teachers you've ever seen. Chapa is never prepared for class. He thinks that every one is interested in his pathetic life. I wish Chapa would have taken the class seriously since some of us wanted to learn the material. ONe would expect guidance from your teachers instead of hollowness. A frustating experience.
Either you love him or you hate him, there's no middle ground.Ironic how all the students who have negative comments to leave have spelling and grammar errors,makes you question the legitimacy of their rating.Great professor,may wander off in thought sometimes,but be patient.If you need a structured lesson plan w/ notes, this is not a class for you
great teacher, his class is not dull at all
This poor guy he thinks he's is something special. He is nothing but an arrogant jerk who gets his rocks off by putting students down; students who "want" to learn. Nobody wants to listen to him talk about his sorry self and how all the girls want him YUK! If you want to learn something his class would not be the one to take.
Chapa encompasses an often forgotten element of teaching into his class: humor. He's fun, blunt, opinionated, & a joker, yet he incorporates these traits into a fun learning environment. Granted, the true academics section of the class is somewhat scattered, however, he always makes it interesting. These negative comments are really puritanistic.
Chapa is awesome! He is extremely hard, but he teaches so much and through his own experiences, not simply boring lectures. He's entertaining and fun. He is one of a kind, and something that everyone should take because he is the smartest person I know. He's the sweetest, and he's always willing to offer his help whenever a student needs help
Chapa was a great professor. I had him during the summer of 2008. He made literature that I found to be dull, come alive. He focuses on the students achievement not failure. He will help any way possible. but to get a good grade in this class devote your self to it and dont get side track. Always peer edit your work!!
IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE OR EASILLY OFFENDED DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS!!! The people complaining about him are probably like that, so if you are too, spare yourself. If, however, you want a realistic professor who tells it like it is, TAKE HIM HE'S AWESOME. BUT ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU ARE EASILLY OFFENDED/CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH AS IT IS try a different professor
Be prepared to get your butt kicked. I am taking him right now, and he is AMAZING. Just know that he DOES NOT take any excuses or BS from anyone. I've always done well in English but this guy went to Berkeley and teaches like a Cal professor. In fact, I'm actually doing more work than my best friend who goes to Cal! If you want a challenge take him
It's rather hilarious that those who dislike him the most have such petty and childish mistakes , makes you wonder why they have such animosity towards him and his teaching style. Bottom line: Mr. Chapa knows his stuff, and he doesn't take anyone's crap. Best English instructor you will ever have.
You have to get Chapa where he likes to be. Behind his jokes and arrogance there lies one of the few instructors who is willing to keep it real. It seems that City does not fully appreciate all he does. I know he plays a big part in the puente program but also, contrary to other rates, is attentive in his composition and survey courses. Dont hate:)
He's a hard grader, but at least he makes the class enjoyable enough to go every meeting. The motivation to show up to classes with the many boring instructors made going to City nearly unbearable. Not a problem with Chapa. Plus, you will actully learn something! He applies life to centuries-old perspectives. Show up, pay attention, and learn.
chapa is the best yeacher i had so far
I think you either love him or hate him. I enjoyed his lectures and I love that he demands a lot from his students. He pushes you to be creative with your words and encourages you to expand your vocabulary. He is tough with his grading. However, he clearly points out what you need to work on. Correct your mistakes and avoid repeating them.
Mr. Chapa isn't like other instructors. He gives you a grade based on how well you do. He's not easy but he's not hard. Do the work and you'll be fine. He's super funny and you will learn just don't take him to seriously. He's the best instructor I've had. I highly recommend him.
Mr Chapa is super funny. He always uses a ton of humor in his lectures. He demands a lot from his students. I'm glad i took his class, i def learned alot.
Seems easy because Chapa is awesome! But his grading comes and slaps you in the face! Sadly he wont be teaching this semester- he will be missed! He would have a relaxing story time each period- was so cool!
Pretty much the BEST damn instructor on the campus! Super funny, has alot of stories, keeps you interested, motivates you, also wants you to do good. his grading isnt the easiest but if your try you can pass. claims hes more myth than man on campus lol, who says that!? anyways good instructor highly recommend but you will have to put in some work.
HORRIBLE TEACHER. you learn nothing from him. During his class, he just talked about his life, his farther and he complain about the war, ect. Then, He gave you assignment without instruction. As a result, you can not pass his class. Most of my classmate got A in ENGL 1A, but in his class 1 B, nobody can get B. DO you believe it???
Chapa is an amazing teacher! His class is a little difficult, but it is english course. He does spend a little too much time doing comedy hour but you will learn alot in this class. Take him if you want your writing to improve!
Great teacher! He always wants his students to achieve the perfect paper (score 10), and when they don't he just complains and tells you how to achieve it. He does tell his life story the first hour, but right after gets straight to work. I have taken his class for 92 and plan on taking it all the way to Eng 1C.
not recommend for ESL students, :v he's very funny but ...
This professor was very unhelpful. This was the first time he taught an online class and it took him several days to a week to answer any questions you had. He also wasn't very accommodating.
Super Amazing teacher! He is so funny and does get a little off topic somteimes but he knows how to engage you and teach you what he's supposed to teach! If you're afraid of meeting for help then don't expect to have it thrown at you. He strives to make his students succeed! :)
Chapa is an okay instructor but spends too much time talking about himself and his pony tail. Did not learn one bit from his class. What ever you do, do not take any of his classes. Please do your self a favor. Non-sense, and stereotyping everyone in class. Simply uneducated it.
Not helpful and very strict. Nothing is allowed late. You must read everything. He is a grammar nazi even in his humanities class. Even in online forums in moodle he corrects me when I didn't capitalize something.
Chapa is different, unlike most college professors I believe he actually cares about his students. although he tells all his classes their stupid and is an extremely hard teacher.. he's very inspiring and motivational. You definitely learn a lot in his class. he goes off topic way too much with personal stories but one of my favorite professors.
He's truly inspirational because he's taken students from Eng92 and gotten them to work hard to get scholarships for UCs. He's hilarious during class, but he does that in order to get your attention. He expects you to be ready to be a good student and makes you work for your grade. He wants you to leave SJCC and never look back.
Mr. Chapa definitely is the hardest teacher I have ever had at SJCC. He gives feedback like an uncle that does not care about your feelings. If you are sensitive to disrespect, you'll find it hard to tolerate. If you take the messages he is delivering through his harshness and follow rules you can succeed. GO TO CLASS AND FOLLOW ESSAY FORM
If you're planning on transferring to a UC or CSU then take him, but if you're not planning on furthering your education after SJCC then you don't need him. He's like going to the gym, it's work and dedication, but the muscle shows. His class gets student writing at a the college level. Like he says, just show up & do the work.(BIG sense of humor)
Best teacher I've had. He's there to teach, not to make things easy. If you pass his class it's because you've earned it. He tells personal stories but they usually end up with a point and has to do with the lecture. With other classes I would get tempted to just take the day off, but with him, missing was a NO-NO, I looked forward to his classes.
He is by far the best English professor I've ever had! I was already a decent writer prior to takinh his class, but he pushed me to become the best writer I could be. He is tough on you, and will criticize you harshly but if you are serious about your education and want to truly improve your writing skills,then he's the professor for you.
Readings are very dry and tedious. Talks about himself A LOT. Readings every week, forums, journals, 4 essays and a big final project - which is not very clear and he doesn't talk about until the last few weeks. He grades VERY hard on the essays. Not a very interesting class. There was only 8 people by the end of the semester. Take someone else..
Really enjoyed Chapas class. I learned so much. It is a tough class but well worth it if you struggle on essays
Mr. Chapa's English 1A was easy once I learned what he expected from me. He has a structure that he wants his students to follow. He also has high exceptions of the works cited page and sentence structures. He wants things to stay simple. His lectures go off topic but he always finds a way to bring it all together.
Mr. Chapa is the instructor to get! Without a doubt. He is tough but he will never give you bull with feedback and will always give it straight. If you don't like to be told the truth about your mediocre work because you think its a game, don't take him and don't take his classes. The best English instructor.
Worst teacher I've ever had. He doesn't respond to emails (for an online class), says he needs everything to be MLA and marked me down on papers claiming it was not MLA even though what he said contradicted the website and I never saw him once write positive feedback on forums. Summer session means a new play/novel every week.
I will admit that when I first took Professor Chapa's course, he left a bad taste in my mouth. However, the reason for this was because I wasn't used to any teacher at SJCC pushing me the way he did: honest feedback and wanting nothing but the best. During his course, I developed a lot of respect for him and I am thankful I had him.
Super tough grader. Marks you down for any little mistakes that other teachers normally would point out, but never mark so much credit down.
I took ENG1B over summer. It was difficult, but that's just how it is (Eng1b in 1 month!) We responded to discussions based closely on the essay of the week. Had an essay due every week but it's not too bad if you start it at least 3 days before it's due (I would do it all on the last day... very stressful. Do not recommend doing that at all). cont
Remember to follow guidelines closely, do everything in MLA. For summer it is not possible to resubmit anything as far as I know, best not even ask. If you like English you will enjoy! The prompts were interesting and despite it being stressful & hard for me, I learned a lot. I got very truthful feedback (tho some were confusing & a little harsh).
I knew Chapa was my only choice, so I had to buck down and deal with whatever got thrown at me. And Boy, did things get thrown at me. Chapa is an hard grader and he's very blunt and straightforward, but he's an incredibly good teacher. Take his class. He is very honest and blunt which at times can be hard to take, but he has so much to offer.
Tough. but you will learn in this class. Chapa wants you to do your best and keeps pushing you to be better. I would take him again. If ESL, you may find it difficult. Make sure you do the previous class to understand grammar. If you do, then you can concentrate on learning essay writing, which is what ENG-1A is. You might even enjoy it!
In my opinion, the best English professor in San Jose City College. Take advantage of his experience!
Mr. Chapa is smart, hilarious, and cares deeply about subject material. However, he expects a lot out of you, and if you aren't already proficient in writing and are not willing to seriously engage with the material, you will not do well. You cannot coast in his classes; put in the work, and you'll succeed and learn a great deal.
You should never take this class thinking you will pass it easily. He is a very tough grader and if you are not going for English major, I do not recommend you to take him at all cost.
This guy is totally wack! I wish I could add screenshots of all his wack comments and announcements. I've never had trouble with English before but this guy got mad over everything. He insists on putting 5 spaces to indent a paragraph meanwhile every other professor accepts the "tab" button, if you use the "tab" be preprared to lose points. AVOID!
He is not supportive and encouraging. I also find him close-minded.
Chapa is a contradiction because he talks about needing to correct his work on his PHD then says he knows more than his professor grading him. He prides himself on degrading students writing skills and loves to say, "you are the worst students" Find a better teacher. His favorite feedback is "I dont understand you" FYI .21 and .42 for tabs in Word
This professor is smart and perfect (in his own eyes). If you love to feel degraded and just want to work 10 to 20 hours on an essay so he just say is trash all the time then he is the professor for you. Don't worry he lets you ask questions, but he's a selective listener meaning he'll probably answer none of them. No rubric either so good luck. :)
I loved this class. Chapa makes lecture very interesting even if he gets off topic at times. He grades very tough because he truly wants his students to succeed.
This is a prerequisite course.... not everyone taking this class is going to be an English major. This professor expects you to write PERFECT college ready papers and will literally dock points off your essay for hitting TAB instead of using FIVE SPACES. He seriously made an announcement on canvas about no one doing MLA format correctly. Horrible!!
This professor sent an email to the whole online class saying to treat the class as if it were a traditional one, but isn't the reason for an online class to accommodate for those with busy schedules. He thinks he's SOOOO great and perfect when really he isn't. He really needs to be more open-minded and realize that even his work isn't perfect.
He expects you to know everything he wants right off the bat. He says one thing in the instructions and says another when giving feedback on work and he doesn't even double check discussions before saying that he didn't see yours. Also, will not respond when you correct him, therefore he won't change your grade to what you deserve! DO NOT TAKE HIM!
This professor expects you to right perfect college essay as he wants. He announced to the whole class that nobody doing citations correctly in the essay on Canvas. Do not recommend it for non - English major people.
Worst teacher I've ever had and I'm trying to have him replaced. If they don't replace him with a real teacher I'll have to drop the course. In 5 weeks he has taught one lesson and otherwise just assigns work. Its a critical think class, but he's delusional and lacks basic interpretive skills, so it's impossible to satisfy what he wants in a paper.
Chapa is probably one of the most delusional boomer professors I have ever seen. He doesnt do honors projects and doesnt grade his students work, students must grade themselves. He also follows an outdated MLA format version, and forces students to press space 5 times instead of indenting with the tab key. You will lose points for this.
This professor gives no grading rubrics for what is expected for essays. His feedback is extremely negative and trashes students. He is extremely picky and makes you evaluate yourself every week. He is demeaning and offers no help when needed. He tells the whole class that no one knows what is expected of them for the essays, but offers no advice.
I have taken MANY English courses he is by far the worst! I have never had a teacher speak so poorly on my hard work. He also sent a email to the entire class saying that no one did the essay in MLA format correctly. He will ruin your confidence and make you feel small, he requires many books for his class. I had to drop a course I needed.
Chapa is a tough grader but only because he wants you to succeed. He won't just hand you and A he wants you to improve your writing throughout the semester and start producing college level work. He explained to us how when we get to the 4-year they're not going to pass us for mediocre work. He just wants to prepare us for the next level.
i really really disliked this class. i took him online and it was a disaster. the entire semester, all of the due dates were mis-scheduled on Canvas. we had to write an essay every 2-3 weeks. he was very rude in his responses. he did not teach us anything about writing. there were no lesson plans. do not take this professor
This was the worst class I've taken in my life. He calls his announcements in Canvas "lessons" and tells you to read a book and write about it. No rubric, no exercises, no peer reviewing, no help. He doesn't give guidance in writing, doesn't like or accept feedback, and loves to criticize his students' work without being constructive.
I've taken about 4 or 5 classes from Dr. Chapa, starting with English 92 back in 2013. There were a lot of tears shed from some of his feedback. But Dr. Chapa has changed me forever as a student. Thank you for your honesty, your encouragement (that you like to say you don't give!), and your well thought out lectures/lessons. State college? A's.
this professor do not grade its students accordingly and gives unclear rubrics.
This professor causes anxiety and self doubt to its students. he only says what he wants to say which is not even helpful. he is very unclear with his instructions, and thinks highly of himself. this professor is not even that good for what I can see, there are much better professor and it is so unfortunate to end up with a professor like him.
Please never enroll to this professor.
If you are taking English 1A (BASIC) to get an AS Degree. You are in bad luck. He will destroy you. Doesn't matter how hard you try, he is extremely cruel and very rude on comments and essay feedback. Here is what you gonna get weekly: at least 2 Discussions, 1 Paper (3 pages). If you are taking this, make sure you are ready. DIE HARD,and good luck
Dr. Chapa is so organized on Canvas during this time and I highly appreciated that. Readings and discussions every week and that is how you get points! Simple! Just do your homework! He gives thorough feedback and teaches you something new in the feedback every time. Would definitely take his class again. It was such a delight to be in his class.
Ive been out of school for maybe 4 years, thats why I chose a community college to get started and re learn the basics. The lectures were him flirting with women in our class, going off about random things not pertaining to the class and wasting our time. The coursework was not heavy but if you dont write exactly what he wants then you fail.
Chapa is an instructor that will give you the grade you deserve. Lots of students do not like his class because of his expectations, but if you really are struggling as a writer and need honest feedback, then this is the teacher you want. He encourages his students to think outside the box in their own way. He doesn't give out grades, you earn them
he is very hard and doesnt teach use critizes your work
(no straight narrative)Javier chapa spent most of class ranting about irrelevant things and tried to connect them poorly to the book. workload not that hard just a few essays. class is mandatory but shouldn't be. I could've gone the whole semester without going to class and get the same grade honestly. 10% of the class was book related.
This is a challenging course.
The most opinionated professor i have ever had. Thinks he lectures at Harvard but this is SJCC.... dude needs a reality check. The very first lecture he told the entire class everyone is stupid and reiterates that every class. He lacks empathy and does not use lecture time efficiently. He's too busy flirting with female students than lecturing.
He is awful. Criticizes you but never gives actual helpful feedback. If you're not already proficient in writing, he's a lousy teacher.
Chapa is opinionated but he's also the quintessence of a critical thinker. He'll teach and show you how to start thinking for yourself because of how dangerous it is to let other people think for you. His lectures are sprinkled with humor, and as long as you come to class with an open mind and take his feedback seriously/critically, you'll thrive.
Professor Chapa is one of the best professors out there. His teaching method is different but rather fun and exciting. Professor Chapa is a hidden gem that pushes his students to always strive for better. Highly recommended for those who strive to be better rather than expect a free ride.
Dr. Chapa is a 1 in a million type of professor. He provides excellent feedback to correct any mistakes in your writing. He will teach you the proper way in order to be up to par in college-level writing. He is tough only because he wants you to do well in his class and others. I HIGHLY recommend taking him in English 1A. I loved his class.
If you want to become a better writer or thinker, Id highly recommend Chapa. I have to admit that I despised being in his class some days. However, if you see this class through, then youll be better for it. Chapa has unlocked the secret formula to writing that you can bring anywhere and his lessons are invaluable. Thank you!
Dr. Chapa is a tough professor but the reason why he is tough is because he corrects our bad habits weve learned, prepares us for the 4 year level of writing. He does cause doubt (in myself) but comforts the students through the semester by explaining what is a functional essay and does a excellent job at explaining it. He is tough, but manageabl.
He is really one of the best professors Ive had. He helped me improve my writing skills by so much. He is super funny and his class was very engaging. It is not an easy class with him but it definitely helps to be pushed.
He's very much a grumpy old teacher who can come off abrasive but he does care deep down. Not assignment heavy and to get an A you just need to be smart enough to back up whatever you say with evidence from the text. He does make you a better writer so if you're an english major you really should take him.
He's a tough grader, so if you're an English major - take this class. He'll push you to think, which is fun and annoying at times. I loved his assigned readings. Lots of writing but it's really easy if you can sit down for an hour and just write it out! But He can be unclear with grading and never gave me clear feedback. INTENSE on textual evidence
For English 1A class this was just a little too much. Be prepared to write many essays. He also expected us to know everything like we were journalists. He was quick to critique and give a bad grade but didn't take the time to help you get better. Although I got a decent grade I would not recommend him to anyone!!
Do not recommend to take his class, especially for intersession. He assigns a lot of essays, and doesn't grade like a traditional English class, he has no wiggle room when grading. If you are not an English major or have a passion for writing essays I wouldn't recommend his courses.
If you are looking for a reasonable, responsible, and passionate professor, please don't take English 1C from this professor. He gave little to no effort to actually improve student's writing skills. You can do everything perfectly and he will dock 5 points off total easy and he is not afraid to do it. Never take this professor.
He is tough simply because he cares that much. And only until you can begin to care about yourself you will not get it. There are easier classes out there, but if you are looking for that underpaid, well-educated phenomenon who can look you in the eye and bring you forward in life with thoughtful discipline, then you have the right teacher here.
Pretty rude and definitely should be teaching a higher course to match his expectations. If you don't genuinely enjoy the subject then this isn't the class for you, would absolutely not recommend for students who only need his class for their credits
Just got back from my first class w/ Chapa (i dropped it when I came home) He said he k1lled and buried his GF in HS after she broke up with him. He also said that last year "he almost choked out a student and almost took his life" BC the student told him he was going on vacation. He also complained about how no one on campus is attractive...
Dr. Chapa is someone who does not do his job well. Does not give proper feedback under the guise of time restrictions and course setup. Also bad at articulating instructions, which affected my grade even though it was not my fault. As someone of his caliber with a doctorate, I'd expect better but here we are. Unless you're perfect, do NOT take.
I would not recommend at all. Very rude on his feedback. Expects you to know everything by searching it up. I don't even know how he has a Phd and still teaching. Even if you do what he told you to fix, he'll still say it's not in MLA. He's like that to everyone. You can do everything good and if he doesn't like it, he'll take points. DON'T TAKE!!!
Don't take a class by Chapa. I learned absolutely nothing in his class. Chapa only discussed his personal life for a majority of the class and left the last 10 minutes for what is expected out of us. He made comments about the girls in my class and how they were good looking and to "see us outside of the class" for him to use his karate moves on us
Coming back after break, to this professor was a punch in the gut. He said he was not there to teach but to make us think. Some of his corrections on my paper were redundant and he docs a lot of points off. He said the class was not writing at a college level yet didn't want to teach. He didn't provide an adequate syllabus/resources.
Don't take this class unless you want to be rudely criticized on your writing. Me and a couple of other students had rude comments on our papers yet he never helped us fix what was wrong just told us to look up what was wrong. Everything we did was wrong, he was never happy with anything. Graded hard and I didn't learn anything.
Chapa is a tough prof, but worth it if you're willing to put in the work. Lots of essays, high expectations. Unstuck AI was a lifesaver for study prep. Not the easiest A, but you'll learn a lot.
Very little feedback. Does not use textbooks, but several books. Does not provide a syllabus for guidance. Forgets to upload assignments and students have to remind him. You can NOT have your own opinions, he will say you are wrong, which is odd since this is a critical thinking course. He is rude and condescending. DO NOT recommend this professor.
Complete waste of time. I had amazing teachers for English 1A and 1B they made me confident as a student and writer. Then Javier made me hate English as a class and writing essay's in general. He is the strictest grader ever I made a mistake of putting Chapa for his name and he took points because he likes to be called Dr. Chapa.
You will write a lot with almost no feedback from him. He has an ego and he always replies in a condescending way. I wrote some genuinely good papers which he acknowledged, but he is the type of professor to NEVER give an A because "no paper is perfect". I got straight Bs in his class and almost everyone dropped the class. STAY AWAY.
I'm taking this class during the summer because it was simply required for my degree. I was not expecting a professor who thinks he teaches English majors at Irvine. The whole class got an average of a D on the first essay and got insulted in the announcements. He seems to love the phrase "don't waste my time". Threatened me through the feedback.
This professor has an attitude and is a very aggressive grader with the feedback they give after the assignment is submitted.
For Midterms and Finals, he told us(the class) to do an essay, and we were graded based on how well we were able to create an essay. In all 5-6 essays I did, I always got a 6/10; every time I created a new essay, I applied the feedback from the previous essay to improve the quality. No matter the improvements, I always got the same grade.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
81%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B
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Declining
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