I truly enjoyed this class.You do have to write quite a few papers.In class he can appeare quite intimidating but if you get to know him outside of class he is very kind and helpful. Get you paper done early and take it to him to look at. Get an A or B.

Great prof. very helpful, has interesting life experiences to share. Great guy

I took this guy for both of my core English class and recieved A's in both. A very nice guy and a very good teacher.

Hes a very intelligent and passionate man. You must be willing to put time into your papers. Other than the papers, the class consists of interesting class discussions. He may seem intimidating at first but he is a nice guy. He'll encourage you to think for yourself and form your own opinions.

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he is a cool guy, but there are a lot of papers and you have to go to class.

WIll go out of his way in order to help the students if they need it and are interested. Nice guy, very hard on grading. High expectations on papers. Makes you think. YOu have to go to class in order to pass

this guy is a very good teacher, you have to write a few papers and go to class but that should be expected of college students, he wants you to work and do well and will help you in anyway he can, very approachable and really knows what he's teaching, a good professor to take, just don't be lazy

Took 2nd English with Mr Helton. Me and a friend would always go in there looking FORWARD to class. He always wanted to argue and had a sarcastic sense of humor. I like that kinda stuff so maybe you won't? He is very intellegent and knows ALOT about whats going on. You CAN NOT bs your papers and with a bit of research you can do well. I wrote my papers the night before and got an A in the class. You just have to know what "side" to write for before he slashes your defense. Funny, and enjoy

I guess he is okay as far as teaching. I can't read the comments he writes all over my compositions, and you arent allowed to have an opinion of your own. He only likes you if you agree with him 100%. Otherwise he gives good resources and is very open with you when you talk to him one-on-one about your concerns.

NOT FOR SLACKERS,you write 6,6+ page papers, 2 of which are in class, and then your Final which is a 2.5 hour long in class essay. He knows a lot about whats going on, and BSing will not suffice, you can pull a C easy, and hes very helpful, but also rather opinionated. His lectures and class material is Great though, I really enjoyed the movies(4).

He is a good professor. I never wanted to go to class in the morning but I was always glad I went after it was over. your grade is based on the 5 papers which are I have admit hard. I have worked hard all semester and made A's on everything

Likes to take attendance and likes to debate

I wrote all my papers THE night before and I pulled an easy B. You just have to write more towards his opinion and you'll get a good grade. He cares a lot about current affairs and wants his students to care about them.

I hate writing papers and i got a B in the class, overall a good teacher.

Loves a good debate and has interesting topics. You must attend and participate in class. Doesn’t go for lines about missing class. Beware. Helpful but won't do it for you..

ATTENDENCE NAZI! Not recommended for early classes because you SHOULD NOT SKIP! You can really learn a lot from this guy. Papers are easy enough to pull off. He'll work with you as long as you regularly atend class. And if you must miss, be sure you have a doctor's note or he won't excuse it.

Professor Helton is by far one of the best professors at UTSA. If you come to class and participate he will teach you things that you will benefit from for the rest of your life. If you are looking for a class where you will actually learn something then you should definitely sign up for his class. Overall an excellent professor!!

really interesting guy. i found his class interesting and learned a lot of new things. his class is based on about 5-6 essays but he'll work with you if your having trouble. go to class b/c he takes attendence and you'll be fine.

Awesome professor. A bit blunt at times, but honest. Very interesting, and someone who is interested in writing can learn a lot from him. I highly recommend him.

cool teacher, you have to write 5 papers throughout the entire semester one is an in class essay and another one you have to present to the class, hes a smart guy and has interesting things to say, assigns reading but they are never more than 10 pages and not every day.

This was a great class. Don't expect to be able to coast and make an A or even a B. HE expects you to work and if you do, you will find that he is very helpful. ATTENDANCE is necessary. 5 papers. one in class and one is a presentation to the class (easy). if you try he will notice and help. go to class

He expects his students to actually do work. He's a GREAT teacher, and you learn a lot from his class. A B in his class is like getting and A+ in any other class. You have to write papers on what's going on right now, so the material isn't too hard to grasp. Just make sure you go to class or he'll drop you...lol...but seriously...

Prof. Helton is probably the best teacher ive ever had. Definitely makes you think for yourself and question authority, his class changed my perspectives towards alot of things. He expects you to work, not an easy A, but youll benefit alot from this class. 5 papers and one oral presentation, TAKE HIM IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW!

I swear this guy absolutly hated me,ask the entire class. But aside from that he was an amazing profesor, has a lot of intersting empirical knowledge he shares with he class. u have to pay atention in class and try or he will drop your grade You only get 1 or 2 absences befor he starts deducting from your grade. But you'l b a better writer for it.

He is a cool professor. That are a FEW paper (five to be exact) but they are all pretty okay. He is very willing to help you with your paper. All in all I would like him to teach some of my other classes.

I loved this class! He's hard, but he'll do everything in his power to hep you succeed. He makes you think about current issues, and others that you might not have considered. Like I said, I loved this class, and he was a great teacher.

BE WARNED! He is a great prof. but the toughest grader! He loves to ask peoples opinions, if you are not picked on, or have a good idea keep your mouth shut! His papers are good topics but he is a hard grader, even the writing center won't help with this professor! I wrote my papers a week to 2 weeks in advance still made a C!

He is THE best teacher i've had so far!! Yes, you really have to use your brain, and participate in class, but as long as you ask for help and make an effort you'll do great! Don't listen to these other people, they're probably right-winged and don't agree with his opinions b/c he is very liberal, but overall amazing!

Very interesting professor, makes you think about things you never thought about before. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who wants to actually learn. Must attend class or he will deduct! If you work really hard you can get an A.

He's the most competent teacher I've had yet! He brings up a lot of important current topics. If you're looking for a person who you might actually learn something from, he's your guy. If you follow directions well and pay attention you'll do fine. You won't fail for misplacing a couple commas, but it's not an easy A either.

Great professor and a tremendous asset to UTSA. Professor Helton is the caliber of professor that is pushing UTSA to become a Tier 1 institution. He's strict, demands you show up to class, and will make you write and THINK. Very approachable and helpful ouside of class and during office hours. I learned a lot!

Not an easy A, but that's a good thing. College is about thinking and learning. Professor Helton will help you develop essential writing and critical thinking skills. Excellent class.

Hard ass, doesn't accept late work, which is not good for me. Handsome beard, possibly covers under-bite. Drinks lots of water, pretends to be parched. Worth listening to but fell asleep reading his short story.

Fantastic professor! In no way is it an easy A, but the in-class discussions are incredibly intellectual. He will definitely make you a better writer. A tip for taking the class would be to note that he has a strong liberal agenda so try to write your arguments more left-wing for better grades.

Tough class. Thought I had writing skills before taking this class. They improved. Recommend looking past the rough exterior in class--totally different during office hours. Learned a lot, had to think a lot. Show you care about the class and he will be most helpful.

I LOVED THIS PROFESSOR. He is really blunt and he expresses his opinions. the class consists of a lot of reading and essays worth 10% each. The only grades are participation (which he is really big on) and essays. an A is truly possible. i highly recommend :)

HE IS AWESOME! Do not be afraid to answer questions in his class. The work load can seem like alot for freshmen, but it isnt. He is super helpful and really good at teaching. If you need help he is there to assist you. Come to class prepared! This will help you enjoy the class more and help make your writing skills way better.

He helped whenever needed. He looks scary but is not at all as long as you take the time to do what is needed. Tons of work but it helps with writing skills.

He's amazing. He expects a lot out of students, but you'll surprise yourself as you rise to meet his expectations. Not only did he teach me about writing, but he helped open my mind to new ideas and kick-started my awareness of the world. He also wrote me a thoughtful recommendation the next semester. Be sure to visit his office and ask questions.

If you actually want to learn and become a great writer, take Helton! He is by far the best professor I have ever had. His class is nowhere near easy, but if you show that you care, he will most definitely help you out! Despite, what other people may say, he really cares about his students. I most definitely worked hard to earn my A in his class.

He is a fantastic professor! Don't drop him just because you do bad on your first paper. He told me everything I was doing wrong on my papers and it helped me immensely! Receiving an A is SO EASY if you turn in your work on time and put effort into your work.

Professor Helton takes time to be available for all his students. I have never worked so hard in my life for a series of papers, but each paper helped me learn something very important about writing technique. If you take Helton you will learn very valuable writing methods. To be sure you will work your ass off. Be prepped and you will succeed.

He's not a bad professor but he assigns A LOT of work and he grades pretty harshly. I was a fine writer before entering his class and I found that I was struggling to meet his criteria as he is very specific about what he wants. I don't feel like he helped me to become a better writer, but simply added more stress to my already hectic schedule.

Professor Helton is an extremely intelligent man with a lot to teach. He is intimidating in class but very available and helpful in his office hours. He expects a lot of you but you will learn so much in return. The documentaries that we watched kept the class fun and interesting. Through all the hard work and frustration, I am expecting an A!

This man as an absolute wealth of knowledge. His class isn;t one of those classes where you can expect to slack off and do great, but rest assured: he's a fair grader who rewards you for the amount of work you put into the assignment. He gives excellent feedback on all your papers so it's your fault if you make the same mistake twice. VERY helpful.

If you are coming to pass WRC II and thats all then don't take this guy. I really enjoyed the class. He shows great documentaries and makes you think critically. He's a little full of himself but overall the class was interesting and I learned alot.

Prof Helton is an extremely smart man. I made a horrible grade on his first essay. Went his office and he told me what i was doing wrong and how I could fix it. You have to put effort into this class to get a good grade. Gives EXCELLENT feedback on papers. Honestly, work ahead of time, go to the writing center, his office hours and you'll do well!

Prof Helton can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you slack off and expect for him to treat you the same as a person who actually tries.. Keep dreaming. This man is an amazing teacher, go to class, start essays ahead of time, go to writing center, go to his office hours, and you have an A guaranteed.

Professor Helton is a wonderful teacher. I took him for both WRC 1013 and 1023. I learned a lot and my writing did improve! He is NOT an easy teacher. He does ask you questions in class about the homework reading so be prepared or you will be chided! I recommend him if you like writing and want to learn more

He makes class very engaging but you MUST attend class! Lots of participation points. 6 essays, 5 pages each. Topics are interesting for the most part. I would recommend him. If you need help go to his office hours, DONT talk to him after class. He's too socially awkward for that.

Best writing professor that I have ever had. Really made me enjoy writing. He is clear on what he is looking for in papers and is very helpful. You will writing about intriguing things and you will need to think critically in his class. Your grade depends on how much time and energy you put into your papers.

Prof. Helton is VERY sarcastic. He made it clear from the beginning that it would be hard class that you would have to work for in order to get a good grade and he was correct. Very harsh grader, but he was very helpful during office hours. I'm glad I stayed in the class. WIll need book, if you don't have it he will kick you out of class.

Not very nice, doesn't like students who don't answer properly. Writing feedback is good but he is blunt and insulting. Not an easy class at all. Don't touch your cell phone, and DO THE READING or he won't tolerate you.

Don't take this class unless you are good about going to class every day. He is a very tough grader, you have to make sure you get your papers reviewed and edited multiple times before turning them in. Not a bad teacher, just don't expect an easy A you have to work for it.

If you want an Easy A, do not take this professor. But if you want to develop your writing and critical thinking skills, take John Helton. He makes you work for an A, but it's very attainable. He gives excellent feedback on your essays. Do not skip class. Participate and read your homework carefully. I would definitely recommend this professor.

The only grades we had in this class were the 4 papers, the final, and 2 group projects. He makes you work for your grade, but he is always available inside and outside of class for help on your paper. He wont let you fail if he sees that you are trying. He would check all of our theses to make sure they were strong before the paper was due.

Professor Helton taught me so much and I am so grateful for his class! Not an easy A class, but definitely worth taking if you're willing to work hard, show up to class, and go to his office hours.

If you do the work and listen to his feedback, you will do fine. Don't let the negative opinions of others influence your own about him. The more you make him out to be some ghoulish lout, the more he will be - like any teacher. So, take it seriously and do the work, but don't make it too serious. In private he's a cool and compelling guy.

Professor Helton is very intelligent, knows his subject well and expects a lot right from the start from his students. He gives you about 4-5 papers during the semester and grades very tough, and the topics are kinda difficult but he gives you the correct tools to find information for your paper. There is no final, it is a writing portfolio.

One of the best at UTSA. Don't take him if you ain't willing to work hard tho bc he doesn't hand out A's. You will have to push yourself. May seem grumpy, but is actually chill so don't be intimidated. He reads your paper VERY thoroughly & will leave markings & comments all over it. Listen to his feedback. Tough class, but you'll learn a lot.

I really wish I could have Mr. Helton as my professor for every single one of my courses. He is so intelligent and knowledgeable on what he teaches, gives very clear and straightforward instructions during lectures, and is extremely helpful during his office hours. I have never seen myself improve on one subject so exponentially in my life! Thanks!

He's a somewhat tough grader but his office hours are very helpful and he provides detailed feedback on your papers! He has a clear grading criteria and as long as you follow instructions you should do well in the class. Papers are not hard at all and he always assigns them with at least 2 weeks time to complete them.

Took him for my second English requirement. Great guy, great professor, lots of actual writing and analysis.

It was a difficult class but if you learn from your mistakes on your last paper, you are guaranteed to receive a better grade on your next paper.

Good guy, tough grader through but if you do what he says you will get an A. Ask questions ! he will respond and try his best to help you. Overall good teacher

Professor Helton is a good teacher and knows what he is talking about in regards to course content. He is a hard grader but will tell you exactly what you need to do to improve. Assignments consist of rhetorical analysis, big papers, a group project, and a portfolio. Overall good class and funny, accessible professor and would take the class again.