decent. much better than the other math 7 professors. very helpful one-on-one.

he is a good teacher. Having done all homework garranty you can pass this class. He also helpfull.

Awesome teacher, but not for the faint of heart. Serious students will gain a lot. Tough homework, thorough exams, and absolutely no calculators. He takes a genuine interest in helping students with any questions about the material.

well organized..but the test is hard... 1 problem worth 6 pts... try to get good grade on quizes..

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He is a great teacher. He really knows his Math and tries to teach you EVERYTHING he knows. He is really out to help the students. His test are hard, and not consistant with the HW. If your algebra is weak DON'T TAKE THIS PROFESSOR!!!

good teacher. He explain the material clearly and easily to be undertood.

He is extremely arrogant. It is really annoying, but overall, he is a good teacher. His class is hard. You have to study a lot to get an A. I ended up with a B, because of lack of time. You need a lot of time to study to get an A.

Great teacher, but gives a lot of homework. His tests aren't too bad, but you really have to study. He makes some ideas seem more difficult than it needs to be, yet is very thorough. Make sure you have good algebra skills.

So far, this Intermediate Algebra seems small time, he does a good job at making math alot more simple, finding the roots to everything instead of expecting the student to know all the fundamentals prior, new subjects suddenly shed their difficult nature.

he's a good teacher, but he's pretty hard.

He s a great math professor. He helps anybody uderstand clearly any problem. He s willing give you many chances to get your best grade as well

GREAT PROF! WILLING TO WORK WITH STUDENTS DURING CLASS AND DURING HIS OFFICE HOURS. TEACHING STYLE- AWESOME!!!!!1

This guy is freakin hilarious. He said "If I have Y=mx+B How do I get 'B' by it self?" Then he said "well you subtract 'mx' from both sides leaving you with a new B" Then he said "soo... who knows what a newbie is?" He then stated that a newbie is some one that sucks at the internet. I then died ^_^

He's a vey hard teacher. But he's a real nice guy. His class is very hard and it sucks. Still a good class however.

It's true that he gives a lot of homeworks and he doesn't turn your test back without having your homeworks.But he explains very well and usually in the test he gives the same problems as in the class changing the numbers.He is also funny in class and final is prety difficult let's say. Good luck.

Mr.Kennedy has the hardest tests the rest is all fine. As long as you do your homework you are guaranteed at least a "C" on the test, the rest depends on whether you're in love with math or not. He is very nice and has sense of humor. Not an easy "A" or "B". By the second month of spring more then half droped.

The eaisest math professor at SMC. I actually learned in that class. Gives you lots of homework, but how else are you going to learn algebra? I would recommend him. You want a nightmare math professor? Then take Hong or Karkafi

i'm currently in this class, he's fun, had sense of humor. He's really smart and very clear w/ his lecture. explains every mathmatical concepts. If you love math and want to learn real math, take him. Much hw tho,,(all odd # in exercise problems in evey chapter)

His class is pretty easy if you practice and do the homework. Great teacher! He thinks the Nightrider ringtome is funny so get it andlet your phone ring during the class.

Though the worst grade I have ever received came from his class, his teaching was amazing. He simplified things in a such a way that even if you are bad at math, you would be satisfied with the skills you have acquired. I'm not fearful of fractions anymore and no longer hate math...Yet, it still hates me! Great teacher if you want to learn.

I dont know why all these people are leaving comments about him like that i guess they were just dumb asses who just were too lazy to do work or whatever but Kennedy is the best math professor i ever had very involved with his students in getting the material across and will answer any question no matter how dumb. Best professor fo math youcantake.

He knows Math and how to explain it. DO YOUR HW, GO to class, you'll be ok.

He is very much into theory and probably only professor who went for a weak explaining Albert(x). He is absolutely amazing, one of the best Math professors on campus. He is challenging but he is an absolute genius and extremely helpful.

gives out about 5 tests with about 8-10 questions.good teacher but if your lazy dont take him.you have to turn in all of your hw on the day of a test(about 7 sections).

the best math teacher ever! makes you want to study it. his tests are hard, but do the hw and go to his office. extremely helpful. get to know him he's really cool! :-)

He is not easy~ but he curved us and gave points if we tried our best even though we got wrong.

He's really good at teaching hard concepts in a way that's pretty easy to understand. Only 4 midterms and a final. Somewhat funny in class.

Very clear lecture. I didn't even open a book just to figure how to do homework problem. After listening to his lecture for an hr, you can do every single homework question without looking at the book. Test are easier than homework except that you don't have to make mistakes. Very Recommended.

Great and nice teacher! Like everyone else, DO YOUR HW ON TIME and GO TO HIS OFFICE HOURS if you have questions. Lectures are boring but it is worth taking this teacher. Sometimes he includes material that is not in the book or teaches different from the book (sometimes!). 8 questions/exam, 3 exams and final.

LOTS of homework which he does check. Gives pop quizes, all of which count and usually have 2-3 probs, one of which is very hard and time is short. Has a unqiue teaching style which takes getting used to. But once you do it's pretty helpful. Tests are easier than homework with plenty of time. Generous with partial credit compared to other profs.

(the pic is funny..lol) ok...he's a very nice teacher. class is quite boring. A LOT of hw....tricky exam...but gives a lot of partial credits. very helpful. i would take him again if i need to take more math.

This is not an easy class. It is not supposed to be. It WAS one of the most interesting math classes I've taken. His lectures are great, and clear, and will make you think. And that's kinda the point after all. Highly recomended, but not good for your GPA.

He's easy enough compare with many other math professor at SMC. Also, he's helpful. The first test is the hardest test in the whole semester, so don't freak out if you cannot get a good grade in the first test.

Very very good teaching methods. He explains how formulas come about and does not expect us to remember those formulas, unless they are really crucial. His explanations are very clear;just pay attention in class and don't fall asleep.Do the homework diligently and pay attention in class and getting a good grade in his class shouldn't be a problem.

This teacher isn't as difficult as everyone made him out to be. All you actually have to do is pay attention in class and do the homework he assigned. He will help you after class should you have any problems with your work.Keep on practicing,get yourself familiarized with the problems, and getting a good grade on his exams should not be a problem.

Kennedy is a good teacher. He is fair and reasonable. You must do the homework - very important in his class. If you are sincere and try hard - Kennedy will do what he can to help out your grade. I recommend his class.

I was at the Comp Lab adding this course for the summer session, and the guy beside me--watching my screen--warned me not to take Prof Kennedy or I'd fail. He was right, I failed with an 'A.' Kennedy is one of the finest instructors at SMC. Clear, concise, and ready to help with lots of homework and hard tests. Not recommended for lazy students!!!

He is a great teacher man. He has been teaching for almost 30 years but he has not lost even a bit of his enthusiasm. His tests are easy and he also grades easily. The most important thing after all is that he curves. Yes even if you get an 88% in the class you will get an A. I would definitely recommend people to take his class. You will enjoy it!

Awesome professor, very helpful and an easy grader, gives lots of partial credit. His tests are competitive but conceptual too. If u take good notes and do the assigned homework,be prepared to get an A with some hard work. Tests are straight from h.w. and straight forward. He is the best for higher level math courses at SMC.

Only lazy, anti-homework, non-thinkers would find Sr. Kennedy difficult, un-helpful, and not funny. Because of him, I changed my major/career to Math Teacher. Had I had him in Jr. or Sr. High, I could have tested out of college Math courses. He helped me to understand the hows and whys of Algebra- which is what TRUE LEARNING is all about!

He teaches very well, concise and to the point. His teaching methods are unique and take a while to get used to. His exams are unpredictable and very challenging, but they're not impossible. I managed to pull a B during the winter session. It was a great experience nonetheless. You should take Kennedy if you have to go above Math 8. Recommended.

Professor Kennedy puts all my other math teachers to shame. The level of his understanding in mathematics gave me confidence to "think like him" when approaching hw/tests. He is a great teacher and I have confidence that I could be a math teacher and enjoy myself.

Average teacher, sometimes he spends way too much time on trivial problems (e.g. spends 40min on simple Algebra for solving a system of equations). His tests are EXTREMELY easy and straightforward, if you know most of the book, you're fine. The only big downside is that attendance is required, his lectures really didn't help me that much.

Teaches Math from the core. Explained why zero is such an amazing concept. If you come from a public school (which doesnt care much about your aducation) this teacher will surely open your mind into logic you havent used before. Leaves fair amount of HW and explains material clearly.

The best Math teacher at SMC. Very helpful, tests are challenging but he gives lots of partial credit. He truly wants you to learn but to think outside the box. He likes to interest his students in math rather than just teach them how to get an answer. If you want to understand math than take this teacher. If you want to be a robot than dont.

Professor Kennedy knows math better than any teacher I have ever had. The way he explains concepts is brilliant. He makes sure you KNOW the subject, rather than memorize the material. His test wasn't that hard, but it was a little tricky. I had to drop his class only because the morning hours were horrible. I wish he would teach night classes!

I thought he was a decent professor, his tests were moderately hard, but if you do the homework then you'll be O.K. and his tests are harder versions of homework problems. Of course I didn't do the homework and didn't pass either!(so no surprise there) but I thought it was an average math class.

The tests are hard....avoid...

He is an alright teacher. He spend much time on one problem. If you have no clue about algebra then take the class. I didn't attend class often and still got an high B. He also gives a lot of homework and loves UCLA.

good luck, math is tough no matter who u take it with. good professor, tricks a lot on tests, be prepared to do a lot of hw! first 2 tests are the easier ones, do well on those cuz they get a lot harder. take if you want better than the other profs my friends were taking it with. straight As in math in High School, B in this class! good luck!

taht was very hard. he doesnt care about your gpa

The best thing about Kennedy is how he thinks he's really scary and intimidating on the day of a test. I had to give it everything I had to not die laughing...I thought he was joking! Smart teacher, but not recommended if you don't get turned on by math problems.

I learned plenty from Mr. Kennedy, especially about the HP-41 calculator. I wish I could get him again. Eventually, he authored a book, "Pre-Algebra" because most college students here do not learn it in grade 6 as we do back home in Uganda.

He's not as hard as everyone says. He just has his own style of doing things. He's not picky in format but he wants you "think like he thinks", and if you do then the tests are not very difficult. He teaches through epiphanies & it's amazing to listen to him lecture. He is the best at SMC next to Askarian. Those two are your guys for Math 02-13!

I love Mr. John Robert Kennedy. I love his knowledge of mathematics. I love the stories he tells in class. I love the way he solves problem and I love the fact that he uses HP calcs with RPN. But most of all, I love the fact that he is the only teacher at SMC that will give you an Asian-free math experience at SMC. FINALLY! Thank you Mr. Kennedy!!

A very good teacher; extremely knowledgable, friendly and helpful (but knows where to draw the line between answering useful and dumb questions in class). Somehow made a 7-10 am Monday thru Friday summer class enjoyable

VERY GOOD! I took his Multivariable Calc class during the summer. He is passionate about math. A nice, funny, helpful prof. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Class isn't too difficult. Summer class is extraordinarily demanding due to course content. 4hrs+ hw per day. I'm not joking. But that's not Kennedy's fault. It's a tough subject. Take Kennedy for MATH11!

Who else can teach MATH11 with stories and countless baked potato and cheese block references? He makes the class fun even though it's incredibly challenging. You will work hard. Don't take MATH11 in the summer at all. It's TOUGH! If you HAVE to take it, then take Kennedy. You WILL learn the subject and be entertained as well.

Good Teacher, Accept No Substitutes. Be Sure To Be On Time For The First Week, then wing it, he doesn't care. First week: complete hard-ass, then the other weeks come in as late or wasted as you want; just do the hw and speak when he asks you to. This may sound like him typing this, but it's just a student who had fun even at 7:15am cuz of him.

Interesting subject, you should be able to think abstractly and visualize things in 3D, calculus is used in about 3% of examples. His teaching was very good and prefers to teach you the theory over mechanics. Expect the tests to be 50% proofs. Tip: Don't be fooled by the easiness of matrices, once you get past that the class completely changes.

What an angel! He welcomed me to come audit his class 1/2 way through the term when the another teacher (whose class I'd been taking) refused to let me stay and just learn the material for no credit after it became necessary for me to drop the class. I am so grateful to Professor Kennedy!

1st, hard class!!, virtually no calculus, but more of logic and understanding the proofs. minor errors will cost you a letter grade, probably curves about 3-4 percent per test... comes around 87-88 percent is the A cut, new and interesting subject. I didnt do good on calculus but did great on this class. GL! gotta say great teacher

He doesn't review for any test. The final is really hard.

Hard exams and he knows it, so he curves each test 3 to 4 percent. Professor Kennedy is huge on making you think before you solve, so pay attention very closely to his lectures and take very good notes. Homework is mandatory. An A is not impossible but it will require hours upon hours off thinking your way through problems to prepare for the exams.

he is one of the best teachers.his class is interesting and never boring! his tests are a little very hard but the final was very EZ!he teaches as clear as crystal so he expects u to know and learn what he teaches! if u wanna learn calc take him and do what he asks u to do!

He's an ok teacher, but you HAVE to do the homework, or he won't grade your tests. Which is ok, because I can't imagine doing well on the tests if I hadn't finished all the homework anyway! Hard exams, but he knows they're hard, so he curves. I took over winter, so probably easier in a normal class. He prefers thinking to memorizing formulas.

professor Kennedy is a "genius"! He took physics once! He learned 2 things, he'll tell you all about it. He is incredibly helpful. Every time I asked him a question after class, he was more than happy to help me. When you get the chance ask him to graph a paraboloid and ask him what it looks like. Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmass!!!

The best math teacher I have ever had and probably ever will have. He is definitely not easy. He just does a really good job teaching and his tests are straightforward yet not easy but if u do the mandatory hw, you will be fine. He has hilarious anecdotes to tell and if u ask him a question, he is more than happy to help.

He is a really good teacher and wants things done his way and not the books. he teaches you how to do things without the calculator. A lot of work with semi hard test. fun class but must be a hard workers. He has some good jokes and a lot of good stories about the things he has done

Has a clear, engaging, and humorous teaching style. Checks homework and bases grades entirely on pop quizzes and tests. Keeping up with the pace is indispensable, and practice can really help make perfect.

It looks like Kennedy is retiring after 35 years of teaching at SMC. That's a shame, there are literally no good teachers left for higher level math courses. I could not recommend any other teachers for math 11 or 13, as they are all completely useless. The way he made you think was unlike any other math course I've taken.

took math 11, 13 with him I wanted to say one thing thank you prof kennedy and it is very saddening that you are retiring.. and i feel sorry for kids who will be taking higher math course in near future

BEST. PROFESSOR. EVER. For all the students entering Calculus at SMC now, I sincerely hope that you may one day find as wonderful a professor as this man was. He has more than earned his retirement, but his leaving is truly the end of an era at SMC. He was a mentor to his students, and the quality he brought to the school will be missed. - 1215160