2.2

Michael Brunner

English - Sonoma State University

2.2
Quality
4.5
Difficulty
38%
Would Retake
158
Reviews
2.2
Quality
4.5
Difficulty
2.4
Helpful
2.0
Clarity

38%

Would Retake

158

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

21

4

16

3

23

2

42

1

56

What Students Say

" He fails AT LEAST half of every class

ENGL101 - 1.0 rating

I had him for English 101 and he is possibly one of the worst professors I have ever had

ENG101 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

77%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

95% confidence
Based on 24 grades
Most common grades:
C- (5)
A (5)
B (4)
Grade Distribution
A(5)B(4)C(8)D(3)F(0)A-/B+(5)
Based on 27 reported grades
C-: 5
A: 5
B: 4
B+: 3
Common Tags
Tough Grader (11)
SO MANY PAPERS (6)
Get ready to read (3)
Skip class? You won't pass. (3)
Gives good feedback (2)
Participation matters (2)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (2)
Inspirational (2)
Rating Trend

Improving

+0.24 avg change
Dec
Apr
May
Dec
May
Aug
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

ENG100

5.0

(1)

ENGAENGA

5.0

(1)

ENGL004

5.0

(1)

ENG101A

4.0

(1)

ENG201

3.7

(3)
+19 more courses
Difficulty by Course

101

5.0

ENG315

5.0

ENGLIH101

5.0

ENLISH201

5.0

ENGL201

5.0

Reviews (158)
3.0
5.0
ENG101
Nov 19, 2003

Hates giving students anything above a C on the first draft of an essay. It is possible to get higher grades only after multiple rewrites, keep this in mind if you get stuck with him. Avoid at all costs because there are plenty of other easy English Profs

3.0
4.0
ENGLISH10
Nov 19, 2003

No Comments

2.0
4.0
ENG101
Dec 14, 2003

Several students had to ask several times during lectures, "where exactly is this going," "what does this have to do with the reading," and, "what exactly are you asking me?"

2.0
4.0
ENG101
Feb 5, 2004

always gives low grades on essays

2.0
4.0
ENGL101
Feb 11, 2004

This guy is a****. Do not take his class. Steinbeck wouldn't get better than a "C" in this guys class. Avoid him at all costs.

1.0
5.0
ENG315
Feb 27, 2004

this guy's grading makes no sense, he'll tell you your essay is wonderfull and give you a C...what the heck. Avoid him.

2.0
5.0
ENG315
Mar 17, 2004

what everyone else said, very difficult to do well on essays

1.0
5.0
ENG315
Apr 2, 2004

This guy is absolutely the rudest person that could ever pass for an instructor. He belittles the students publicly and has no respect for injury/illness. He says the word "yes" or "yeah" after every sentence...must be insecure. Avoid

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Aug 18, 2004

Probably the hardest teacher at Sonoma. He has no mercy. He said he was disappointed in the public high schools that would produce such lousy writers! You cannot get higher than a C without multiple revisions to all your papers directed via his office hrs

1.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Dec 2, 2004

DO NOT I repeat, Do Not get stuck with this teacher. First off he hates freshman, he admitted that to my class several times, and secondly no one gets As in this class, no one. Nothing is clear, and when you ask him to clarify, things are even more confusing. Every other english 101 teacher is easie

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 2, 2004

Very tough, not a good way to start off a morrning or for that matter college in general. Only after visiting o/h many times and rewriting many times did i recieve a B. He agrees with himself a lot and he is very unclear. But if you get stuck with him REWRITE that is the only way to to decent.

2.0
5.0
ENGLIH101
Dec 3, 2004

Where do i begin? He is a complete joke of a teacher. He treats English 101 as if its an advanced writing course at Stanford, yet even that is not a fair assesment, for his lack of clarity and sense makes you wonder how he became a teacher. He is so very bad at connecting to the students.

4.0
5.0
ENG101
Grade: C-
Dec 24, 2004

All you who said that Mr. Brunner was a joke are just mad because you didn't do well. So what if he grades hard, i learned more in one semester with him then all throughout high school! I love mr. Brunner!

1.0
3.0
ENGL101
Jan 30, 2005

Brunner does not explain things, your opinion is always the wrong opinion; you assessment of a essay is never the correct. He tests on things he did not teach. Nice man, rotten instructor.

5.0
5.0
ENG101
Feb 1, 2005

He's a very difficult teacher who grades hard on the essays and has high expectations, but visit him during office hours, take notes in class and base your essays off of that. He has good ideas that, I think, he explains well. Just try hard, and it can be a very rewarding class. I learned SO much! (

2.0
3.0
ENGL315
Mar 9, 2005

This guy's a hippy. He won't tell you what he wants and likes to argue. He's kind of a tough grader. He does lots of handouts (copies of articles) and asks for responses.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Mar 15, 2005

This man is Satan in teacher form.. Don't take him.. When he explains things they're even more confusing.. Forget getting an A, he hasn't given one out ever. Even redoing essays doesn't help because he's so confusing it's hard to understand how to make it better

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Mar 25, 2005

go to his office hours and speak in class...your grade will reflect that more. expect to redo all your essays at least 7 times. hard teacher but valuable lesson learned after taking his class. cancels class a lot

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Apr 14, 2005

terrible teacher, simply terrible. stay away, far away.

1.0
4.0
ENG252
Apr 14, 2005

crap teacher - doesn't care about students at all. Says that every other teacher doesn't know a good essay, and that you have to do it HIS way...problem is, he doens't tell you what HIS way is. He is a moron, worst teacher ever

5.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Apr 20, 2005

Brunner is an incredibly hard teacher. I'm used to getting A's in English but with his I had to work my ass off for a B+, but thats ok because i learned so much from him. Pretty much all my essays I got C's on but if you re-do them your gauranteed a better grade. overall, i thought he was great

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Jul 11, 2005

hard grader but wants us to become better writers. rewriting helps with raising your grade but he is often very unclear about directions. ask questions and be prepared to be asked numerous questions in response. i hated the class when i was in it but now appreciate the help with the writing.

1.0
5.0
ELG101
Jul 25, 2005

the hardest damm teacher i ever had! gives only D's and F's on essays no matter how hard you try. the prompts are utterly impossible and make no sense at all. i had a D going into the final and i did an exelent job on the last essay. i was expecing at least a D+, if not a C- and i ended up getting an F. has no sympathy for hard workers at all. suck

2.0
4.0
ENGL101
Jul 25, 2005

Hard class, stupid work. Learned less in his class then I every did in high school. Just do the work as best you can. Doesn't really want you to say what you think, he wants you to say what he thinks. Never want to see the man again.

1.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Aug 24, 2005

Run away! Hard ... I got all A's in Honors English in HighSchool. I got a D in Brunner's class. Had to rewrite all my essays at least 2x. NO ONE got better than a C+ the year I took him. Didn't know what he wanted from me?!?!?!

1.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Aug 30, 2005

note to the wise: if you have this guy, SWITCH...SWITCH now. hes horrible, boring, and not to mention a jackass....

2.0
5.0
ENLISH201
Aug 31, 2005

Worst teacher i've ever had. I'm a junior in college, and he's the most inconsiderate and ruddest teacher ever! No consideration for other people's opinions. Drop the class if u still have time and take it with another teacher.

1.0
5.0
ENGL201
Sep 1, 2005

When I first read the comments on here, I thought that these people were nuts, but now I kind of agree... if you get him, run away quick! His reading assignments are completely pointless. The only interesting part is the topics you dicuss in class.

1.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Sep 1, 2005

He must smoke an ounce of some sort of drug before every class, and he loves to laugh at his own jokes, which aren't in the least bit funny. AVOID THIS TEACHER!! Shakespeare couldn't pass this class.

1.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Sep 8, 2005

No Comments

3.0
4.0
ENGL101
Sep 8, 2005

He is ok as a person but he can't really cut it as a professor. He is nice engough and he does care (go to his office hours) but his grading is random and does not reflect the time or effort put into papers. The more I tried the worse the grade and when

5.0
5.0
ENGLISH101
Sep 13, 2005

No Comments

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
Sep 18, 2005

I suggest taking another section of 101 if you get him. But if you must go to his office hours every time and he will raise your grade lots. Don't be discouraged when you get your papers back and it is a D or a C, just re do them. This class stresses you out, but in some weird way you learn stuff from it. He makes weird not funny jokes and laughs at the students and his jokes even thought they are not funny.

1.0
5.0
NATIVEAMERLIT
Sep 20, 2005

No Comments

2.0
5.0
ENG101
Oct 11, 2005

he looks like chong from cheech and chong. shall i say a little to liberal???

2.0
4.0
ENGLISH101
Oct 29, 2005

No Comments

2.0
3.0
ENG201
Jan 22, 2006

He's a complete hippie. His grading system is random as hell. Didn't learn anything from him. I was in his class the day after 9/11 and he acted like nothing had happened the day before, then laughed when a student brought it up. Weird guy.

4.0
3.0
ENG201
Jan 31, 2006

He is a hard teacher that believes in chalenging his students. I thought he was a great teacher, but you have to be a serious student to do well or else you will struggle.

2.0
4.0
ENGL101
Feb 6, 2006

Stay away from this Professor if you ever struggle or just plain don't like english classes. It is very difficult to understand what he expects on your writings(i had to rewrite essay's multiple times to get even a C on them). I learned to hate him so much by the end of the semester i actually liked him....

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 4, 2006

if you are in his class, good luck. there are 2 things i will tell you. 1) you will be an exelent writter if you pass his class. And i mean if. 2) his class is so over the top difficult that you should really consider that you will have to constantly meet with him, rewrite all your stuff about 5-10 times, and feel like**** the whole time. ;-)

1.0
3.0
ENG300
Aug 29, 2006

He is one of the most distracting professors I have encountered. There were some good discussions in class and the papers were okay, but....every 1min 47 seconds (I actually timed and averaged it) he tosses his long hair back with a shake of his head then pulls on his fu-manchu moustache. It drove me crazy. Overall not a good professor

5.0
4.0
ENGL101
Sep 2, 2006

Brunner was extremely challenging, but coming out of his class I was a much stronger writer. Those of you who say he was so horrible, your whimps and dont want to be challenged and improve. He is so smart, open to new ideas, and leads great class discussions. He allows you to re-write your papers as many times as needed to get a good grade.Take him

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Sep 15, 2006

avoid at all costs unless this is your only class for the whole semester, and no full or part time job on your hands. work expentency is: read and research everything in both books he has you buy. visit him and discuss how poorly you write.. and rewrite everything.. say 6 times before hitting a C if you're lucky

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Nov 29, 2006

He's hard but very willing to work with you. If you show concern and go to his office hours it helps.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Nov 29, 2006

never take this class. vp4L

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Nov 29, 2006

He never gives you a straight answer. He is very unclear and grades way above English 101 standards.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 4, 2006

No Comments

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 9, 2006

complains we are unclear but is never clear himself, just learn to accept the fact that u'll never be a good writer in his class....period. learn to accept that fact and MAYBE u'll survive the class. his expectations are VERY unrealistic, he gave me GREAT comments on one paper, but my grade was a C+, UNBELIEVABLE!

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 27, 2006

Very difficult! Wants you to guess what he is saying.

3.0
4.0
ENG101
Jan 4, 2007

Hard teacher. I had to rewrite essays 3 times to get a C. If you go into his office hours he is a lot more helpful then in class. He will end up grading you on how hard you worked so go in for help and he will raise your grade.

2.0
4.0
ENG101
Jan 14, 2007

just rewrite your essays and go to his office hours a couple of times and you'll pass. he's not that bad of a guy after you get used to him. laugh at his jokes, though they may not be funny and he'll like you. definatly plays favorites

2.0
5.0
ENG101
Jan 19, 2007

STAY AWAY! Brunner is the over-cliched hard annoying teacher you will have in college (if you have to take him) he has helpful office hours, but you will ONLY get C's and D's on all your essays throughout the year and his reasoning is that you can "rewrite it later for credit", but even when you do, you're lucky to get a half of a grade increase!

4.0
4.0
ENG101
Jan 20, 2007

It is a hard class but if you actually care about becomming a better writer then this is the class for you. He expects you to write college quality papers, not elementary which most teachers except. If you take his comments to heart when you re-write you paper then you should be fine. He is a passionate teacher which definately keeps you awake.

4.0
3.0
ENG101
Jan 29, 2007

He's all about improvement...you could be completely mentally challenged when it comes to writing..but as long as you're improving..you will get a decent grade. The people who complain about him..didn't follow his constructive criticism and got all butt hurt when they got D's..or worse no grades...GREAT TEACHER-def. my favorite.

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Feb 5, 2007

Brunner is a memorable teacher. He gives lots of essays, returns them without grades, asks you to rewrite them because your essay did not deserve a grade yet, returns them again with most often a C or a D grade, & insists that you continue revising & resubmitting your work until you receive a grade that you like. And he whispers when he's angry.

5.0
3.0
ENG201
Feb 27, 2007

Mr. Brunner is the toughest, most supportive, most well informed and most challenging instructor I ever had the pleasure of taking. If you don't participate in class, you don't pay attention to basic do's and don'ts of writing then you will certainly have trouble in his class. But, if you aspire to master lit/comp, then he is the teacher for you.

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Mar 6, 2007

you have to be a good writer to do well in this class. i hated it in the beginning and thought it was impossible, but by the end i felt like i actually learned something and came out with an A- even though i didn't talk in class and got mostly C's and some B's on the essays I rewrote. Make sure you go to his office hours, he will help you.

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
Apr 26, 2007

He demands perfection. If he doesn't think that your paper is good enough then he will not grade it and you will have to write it again. The thing is that if you took that paper that he doesn't grade to another teacher they would probably love it.

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Apr 28, 2007

i abosolutly hated brunner at the beggining of the year because he is such a hard grader and we were all getting Ds! but then as i learned what writing style he liked and improved myself i actually started to enjoy his class and got an A on my last essay! stick to it, youll learn a lot.

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 8, 2007

He demands alot out of students and he gives minimal back. If your paper isn't up to snuff he returns it with no grade. He hated our class so he started returning them with no grade as well as no comments so we would have to figure out for ourself what he did not like. And plus he is really mean and makes fun of students!!!

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 8, 2007

He is mean, he scares me and he is impossible to understand. I had no idea on what he wanted for essays and then he would give them back saying he couldn't grade it but wouldn't say why!!!!!!!!!!!

1.0
5.0
ENGL201
Aug 24, 2007

Do NOT take his class! I repeat do NOT take this class! You will be really, really sorry if you ignore this warning and take it anyways.

3.0
5.0
ENG101
Jan 14, 2008

Michael Brunner is a total hippie and laughs at everything. At first you'll think he's the weirdest and hardest teacher you've ever had, but you'll come to understand that he wants perfection. He is someone that wants to see you earn the grade you deserve and you MUST KEEP REVISING to earn the grade you want. Ask questions & be attentive in class

3.0
4.0
ENG101
Feb 5, 2008

Brunner a.k.a Merlin the wizard is freaking crazy. He tells a bunch of jokes in class that are not funny at all but he laughs at all of them. He puts you on the spot a lot and expects you to participate in class. good luck.

2.0
4.0
ENGL101
Mar 5, 2008

he was hard

5.0
5.0
ENG100
Jun 5, 2008

By far the best teacher I have ever had. He has absolutly enlightened my life and my outlook on writing, and english. He is hard to understand at first, but once you open your mind he is easy to read. He lets you know exactly what he expects. If you don't get an "A" in his class it's your own fault. HE IS GREAT!!!

5.0
5.0
ENGL101
Jul 8, 2008

His class seems really jard at first. I kept re-writing my essays and it helped. I got an "A". If you re write and go to his office hours for help and show you care and are interested in improving you should get a good grade, but it is ALOT of work.

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Sep 3, 2008

Hes always tugging his beard and whatever answer you try to give him is never correct..hes on some self induced ego acid trip. Stay away!!

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Sep 7, 2008

HORRIBLE, EVERYONE IN CLASS WANTS TO SWITCH OUT!!!!!!!!

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 2, 2008

HORRIBLE! I was so confused this whole semester and when you ask him for help he just laughs his scary laugh. The essays were really hard and we pretty much had to make up our own prompt since he didnt even explain what he wanted without his logic and ideas, which are totally crazy by the way. Tons of essays and readings and quizes and midterms...

5.0
3.0
ENG101
Dec 2, 2008

Kind of confusing at first but you'll get used to his style... he's really helpful and knows exactly what he's looking for and will tell you if you ask. He's got a great sense of humor and if you don't get an A on a paper you can rewrite it as many times as you want! He'll definitely help you build up the skills necessary for good college writing!

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 4, 2008

HE IS TERRIBLE RUN AS FAR AWAY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN

3.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 6, 2008

Seriously, run. the work isn't hard, but the way he grades makes it impossible to get a good grade in the class. He only tells you what youre doing wrong, and doesnt actually teach you anything. plus, he always makes really awkward comments about how he hates his life... guys got problems.

5.0
4.0
ENGL101
Jan 19, 2009

Professor Brunner is a good teacher. You need to be proactive in asking for help and rewriting your essays if you want to do well in the class and actually improve your writing. It's not an easy class, but a beneficial one if you try, which you should because after all... this is college people!

5.0
5.0
ENGAENGA
Mar 23, 2009

I loved this guy. God he was hard, but I learned so much about writing and thinking. Despite what all these other students said, he was a very helpful teacher if you only asked for his help. My entire class (75% less than what we started with at beginning of semester) loved the class and no one felt like it was a waste of time.

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Mar 29, 2009

I found that he is very unhelpful, and if you ask him a question he'll just ignore you or laugh at you... He also skips over people's opinions like they aren't important. He thinks there's only one way of thinking and that is his problem. There are multiple interpretations of anything in English, he only wants you to see his...

1.0
5.0
ENG101
May 7, 2009

I enjoyed his class. He is very sarcastic, dry, and cynical...but just laugh it off. Participate, he may laugh, may shoot you down, but he will know who you are. If you rewrite your essays he appreciates it even though your grade may not change. He is impossible, but just try don't take it to seriously!

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 29, 2009

EXTREMELY DIFFICULT!!! SOO MUCH WORK and still may not pass. A LOT of work for a C. DONT TAKE

1.0
4.0
ENGL101
Jun 2, 2009

I would not recommend taking this class. Professor Brunner was actually pretty funny and my writing improved.However, it's a lot of work for a C. I put hours into writing my essays and still only got a C+ and I usually get A's and B's in all my classes. I would not recommend taking him, he's extremely hard on grading no matter how hard you work!

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Aug 2, 2009

he is impossible. you need to go to every class, write every paper and rewrite most of them. even the best of english students may not pass

2.0
4.0
ENG101
Sep 2, 2009

He will confuse you. u ask for help he will ask you questions back. run. no one can help you

1.0
5.0
ENGLI101
Sep 3, 2009

He is horrible! I was unable to get a good grade on anything last year and i would study for hours. If its not what he wants it doesn't matter your going to fail. DONT TAKE THIS CLASS!!

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 7, 2009

Dude, don't do it. Unless you have a need for epic fail.

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 9, 2009

most difficult ge class ever taken. My writting did improve but there are essays every other week and you have to rewrite those essays several times in order to get a passing grade. He then gives quizzes which everyone pretty much fails and then he curves. I took advanced placement english all through high school and barely got a c in his class!

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 10, 2009

absolutley not worth your time. he has impossible standards and is never clear in his lectures. by far the hardest teacher to please. unless you think with the same twisted mind, you will fail. STAY AWAY!!!

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 11, 2009

During the entire semester he didn't give a straight answer to any question. He has a lot of essays and don't be surprised when the whole class has to redo it. He expects a lot out of your writing. I had to re-write my 5 essays 7 times each to get a B average! Doesn't teach the midterm & quiz material but he will tell you what to read. try 2 avoid.

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Jan 21, 2010

DO NOT TAKE HIM!!! i dont even know where to start, this class was so hard. weekly essays that you get Ds on and hard quizzes. he is really confusing when he talks. he ruined my GPA!! SERIOUSLY DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5.0
5.0
ENG101
Feb 3, 2010

Brilliant - helped me to open my mind and adore writing and literature. I am now confident in my writing abilities and it's because of all those essays.

3.0
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ENGL101
Mar 25, 2010

Couldn't stand the class. Grading seemed unfair and slightly biased. Everything has to be by *his* point of view and what he says to the word, otherwise you're being "too general and unclear". Grades never given above a C on first round of papers and help is rarely given. Upside is you can rewrite papers as many times as you want. AVOID.

2.0
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ENG101
Apr 21, 2010

RUN!!!! AVOID!!! HIDE!!! The highest score anyone got on an essay on the first try was a C, if u were lucky. DO NOT TAKE HIM!!!!

3.0
5.0
ENG101
May 3, 2010

Honestly, I was scared to death when Professor Brunner first walked into class, and I nearly had a heart attack when I got my first paper back (apparently I was one of the "lucky ones"; a C). Once I figured out what he wanted, though, the rest of the course went all right. If you're not willing to work hard, don't take him (hint: go to his office!)

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 11, 2010

So Professor Brunner is not for everyone. He tends to be unclear about what your learning and what his expectations are. There is a fair amount of work which will make you a better writer, however his grading seems biased. Overall I learned a lot but it wasn't an easy class.

1.0
4.0
ENGL101
May 12, 2010

do not take this class. his prompts are ridiculous and listening to him speak is useless. do not take this class. However if for some reason you HAVE to go to office hours and read the handbook for the tests.

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Oct 6, 2010

This man was sent by satin from the depths of hell to wreak havoc on innocent college students. Impossible to write an essay he thinks is "good." Just do whatever you can to get out of his class. Everything he does is extremely annoying, and he is a ridiculous grader. GET OUT OF THIS CLASS OR PAY! It is sure to be your hardest class.

2.0
5.0
ENG101
Nov 2, 2010

IMPOSSIBLE PROFESSOR! ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY, U HAVE TO WRITE ESSAYS NUMEROUS TIMES, HIS ASSIGNMENTS R USELESS, HAVE TO TAKE NOTES ON 3 BOOKS, COLLECTS NOTEBOOKS, IN CLASS NOTES R TOO LONG N DOESN'T GIVE TIME TO WRITE, HORRIBLE GRADER GIVES LOW TEST GRADES N ESSAY GRADES, AVOID THIS CLASS!! EXPECTS U TO HAVE ALL BOOKS BY 2ND DAY OF CLASS!

2.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 2, 2010

This guy only wants you to rewrite your essays over and over again as a way of 'Learning'. Your essay could be the best damn thing written in one hundred years and you wouldn't receive an A on it. He'll hand it back with something written about what you should have done better and make you rewrite it. Thing is, one rewrite usually isn't enough.

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 3, 2010

He is very particular with what he likes for essays. getting above a C on an essay does not happen unless you rewrite everything. try your best to avoid the class. he doesn't give any positive feedback, only negative.

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 9, 2010

Be prepared to think. This guy will never give you a straight answer, but if you are willing to think a little you will learn a lot. I got C in this class and I learned more about writing in this one semester than any other time. If you go into this class thinking that you know nothing about English and you can learn everything, you will do fine.

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Jan 18, 2011

Nice guy, tough grader. A LOT OF ESSAYS.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Jan 23, 2011

My whole life i got A's in any english/writing class i had taken but i struggled to pass brunner's class. I'm a biology major and didn't have any time to focus on biology because i was constantly writing/correcting essays in this class.

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
Jan 30, 2011

This class was really tough! Brunner is pretty odd and a bit annoying. Many essays to write as well, however I did get an A in the class, did not do any of the readings and did not re-write one essay. That being said, I would stay away, especially if english is not your forte.

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
May 7, 2011

Not a bad teacher, honestly. Be prepared to work. I took AP classes in high school, I found the work level to be similar, which is more than I can say for my other classes. Essay every couple weeks, but you get an unlimited number of rewrites. It may take a few tries, but I got a B or higher on all my essays. Writing is so much easier for me now.

2.0
4.0
ENGL02
May 13, 2011

This has probably been my worst class at Sonoma State. Not only does he not teach you anything, he expects you to read a ton and then take notes on everything you read, including the preface. Lots of essays with unlimited rewrites but graded with confusing comments. If you are good at writing textbook essays, go for it but still a horrible class.

5.0
4.0
ENGL004
May 20, 2011

Mr. Brunner is an excellent teacher. He expects his students to pay attention and read the required material. He has helped my writing improve to an awesome level. I give him credit for making be the writer I am today. If you are lazy don't take this class. If you want to improve your writing skills and learn a lot in the process take this class!

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 22, 2011

Brunner knows his stuff. Make an effort to talk to him outside of class... he needs to know that you are putting in your best effort. Oh yeah, and you MUST put in your best effort if you want a good grade. He is the hardest grader I've ever had, but you learn a lot and your writing will improve. If you want to challenge yourself, take him.

5.0
5.0
ENGL101
Nov 4, 2011

The ratings from this might turn you off from taking his class but don't let it. I took his English 101 expos class and it seriously changed my life. He's one of the most passionate and interesting teachers at SSU. If you let these other posts stop you from taking this class you will regret it. Professor Brunner is a brilliant professor and person.

3.0
4.0
ENGL101
Nov 8, 2011

Don't be afraid of this guy, he actually teaches you something if you apply yourself. You are going to have to rewrite your essays to pass, so be prepared for that!

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Nov 10, 2011

Brunner is a pain in the ass. I learned a lot in the class and was able to succeed, but I had to rewrite my papers seven times each in order to do it. We're talking a straight-A-always student here. Sometimes if you ask him for clarification or offer a suggestion, he will throw his head back and laugh at you.

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 2, 2011

avoid!!!! unless you enjoy failing

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 6, 2011

He has got to be the worst teacher I have ever had in all the years of schooling. He makes no sense and is very vague about everything. I would wait it will be in your best interest he will drill you into the ground, ruin your GPA, and make rude jokes about you. So if you plan on taking his 101 class or being forced id drop it all. He is horrible!!

3.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 9, 2011

If you can, avoid taking class with him! his classes are super dull and boring and he never makes sense and getting anything above a C on any essay is impossible unless you re write it 6 times. Good thing is he let's you re write essays as many times as you want and is very helpful if you ask for it. Another thing you're sure to fail are his hw questions on the reading... Not one person in my class ever got above a D on the assignments.

2.0
3.0
ENG101
Dec 12, 2011

He's really interesting as a person, but cannot teach. He doesn't answer questions, and if he does, they're uncleat. You'll pass if you re-write your essays (you can re-write them until you get the grade you want) and his midterms and final are graded on a curve. If you're a good student who does their work, you'll pass.

2.0
5.0
ENG101
Dec 28, 2011

WORST TEACHER EVER. He is extremely unhelpful and a very unfair grader. If you go for help he will not help you rewrite papers. Told me what to write for a paper and gave me an F on it. Been up for review twice and you can tell why. Avoid at all costs. Finals are extremely hard and tons of work.

3.0
4.0
ENGL101
Jan 14, 2012

If you go to class, visit him during his office and rewrite your essays you will be successful in his class. He wants his students to show him they are trying to improve and learn in his class. It's very hard to receive anything above a C on the first draft of an essay but if you keep rewriting it your grade WILL improve!!

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Feb 2, 2012

His class was very tough, by far the toughest I've taken. I managed an A- which must be an achievement seeing all these other reviews. However his office was basically my second home and I re-wrote essays like crazy. His a good guy and extremely helpful if you seek it out. If you suck it up then you will pass his class.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Apr 17, 2012

DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! It is impossible to pass. I had to re-write essays 5 times and still got C's on them. He is extremely unclear and unfair with grading. Avoid this class as much as possible unless you want to die.

3.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 1, 2012

Horrible. He expects to think like he does, a modern day Emerson. He is funny and means well but his class is impossible. Avoid at all costs!

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
May 4, 2012

WORST TEACHER! He does not help you understand what he is teaching, expects you to feel the way he does about topics. allows for open discussion but in the end goes back towards what HE says. Im not a big fan of english anyways, so having him was the worst. He is not a good teacher, is not clear on anything and is not fun.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
May 11, 2012

Avoid at all costs!

5.0
3.0
ENGL101
Aug 6, 2012

Michael is hard, but do not just give up. He is a super easy to talk to and will help you out. Go see him in his office hours, he will help you focus and organize your papers better. At the beginning of the year he will tell you he doesn't care about you or want to be your friend, but that's a lie, he does care.

5.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 24, 2012

Awesome teacher! Improved my writing more than I ever have in any English class. My only advice: don't ever give up. Go to his office hours once a week no matter what grade you get, which I guarantee will be no higher than a C.

2.0
4.0
ENGL101
May 8, 2013

He is extremely hard and difficult. He is a very tough grader but he lets you make up his essays. there is an essay almost every week and reading to do. his test are hard and he expects you to explain a lot in detail.

1.0
4.0
ENG1B
Grade: Drop/Withdrawal
Aug 18, 2013

vague and at times offensive. Don't raise you hand, sit and take the ride and agree. if he disagrees with you, you will have to defended your perspective continuously through out the course.not friendly, at times very offensive on a personal/ ideological level. don't upset or disagree with him. your will not find it enjoy experience. 0.02cents:RUN

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Nov 16, 2013

The first thing he told my class was, "only one student last semester finished with an A in my class". That is all you need to know.

4.0
4.0
ENG101A
Nov 21, 2013

Brunner is a good man who knows what he is talking about. Theres 5 essays, which are rewritable for improved grades (70% of the final grade) There is a midterm & a final, an oral presentation, and a couple quizzes. His class is hard to pass, but it IS passable. He helped me to improve my writing immensely! so basically- dont be scared of Brunner

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Grade: A
Jan 2, 2014

Very difficult class. you have reding assignments every class and about an essay every week. He is very particular about his essays and i recieved a grade no higher than a C- on every assignment. DONT TAKE HIS CLASS.

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Grade: Not sure yet
Oct 31, 2014

He will laugh at you at one point or another throughout the semester

4.0
4.0
ENGL101
Grade: B+
Nov 12, 2014

This class is definitely very hard but that is because Brunner really does make you a better writer. He offers re-writes for every single essay and he honestly will give you a better grade every time, he just wants to see that you care. Really cool guy if you talk to him outside of class. This is a class you'll actually get something out of.

1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Grade: D+
Nov 19, 2014

Worst teacher I have ever had In my life. Will fail every student in the class and not even think twice about it.

1.0
4.0
ENGLISH1A
Dec 8, 2014

Brunner is by far the worst teacher I've ever had. He offers rewrites for essays, but only expect less than a 10% increase. He often picked on a sight-impaired student in my specific class (asking why he couldn't read the assignments, why he needed so much help, etc). Not a good person or instructor. Steer clear of this one.

2.0
4.0
ENGLISH
Grade: C+
Dec 11, 2014

Brunner is an awesome person to talk to outside of an academic conversation. That being said, his hand writing is illegible and his lecture topics are all over the place. Don't even try to follow.

4.0
4.0
ENG101
Apr 7, 2015

One the best teachers I've ever had. He will make you work hard. He will challenge you on a weekly basis to provide accuracy and precision on your essays. The class takes careful and deliberate effort, the kind that is rarely given in the classroom now days. Those who dislike him are probably lazy and content to use English in just a mediocre way.

3.0
4.0
ENG101
Apr 20, 2015

Professor Brunner was definitely one of the least helpful professors Ive taken at SSU towards learning . His lectures are long, boring and unclear. Expects you to listen and memorize everything for future assignments. class is mostly writing papers which are worth 70% of total grade.

3.0
5.0
101
Grade: C-
Apr 20, 2015

Overall cool guy to talk to. Other than that, he will never listen to any other opinion except his own. Hardest grader I've had here at SSU. Any way he can make this class difficult for you, he will do it.

2.0
4.0
ENGL101
Grade: B+
Apr 24, 2015

This professor is very hard. You need to make the time for him. Overall, he helped me become a grammar pro. He assigns essays every week, but my writing has improved a lot! Worth the work. He's very opinionated. Revise essays!! He gives so many points for at least trying! He wants you to succeed if you take the extra steps.

4.0
5.0
ENG101
Grade: A
Aug 20, 2015

I received an A in this class, so it is possible. Keys to success: - Visit office hours once a week. It only took a few minutes out of my day and showed him I cared and wanted to improve. I think that's all he really wants. - Study hard for the midterm. It was all memorization, so you get out what you put in. Make flashcards and memorize them.

3.0
4.0
ENGL101
Grade: B
Nov 17, 2015

His lectures are all tangents, and the work is very difficult. He expects a lot from you and his tests are compiled of random sentence exercises you do in class. His papers are very tough, but he lets you turn in revisions to improve your grade. He is slightly helpful in his office hours, but don't expect any help during class.

2.0
5.0
ENG101
Nov 19, 2015

Brunner is a cool guy, but harder than every other professor. A new essay every week & don't expect any leniency on any grading. You can rewrite everything until the end of the semester for a better grade. He takes his teaching seriously, which is cool, but he is so confusing and his tests are ridiculously hard. Probably going to be my first C ever

3.0
3.0
ENG101
Grade: B
Jan 31, 2016

He's a really good guy, but in class he's a bit confusing. There are a total of 8 papers and one oral assignment. The papers aren't that terrible, standard paper honestly. My average paper was around 950 words, which really isn't that bad. He knows when you aren't there even though he doesn't verbally take attendance. Go to office hours.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Grade: C
Feb 6, 2016

Do not take this class. I had him for English 101 and he is possibly one of the worst professors I have ever had. He's rude and it is almost impossible to get decent grades on his essays. If I could have dropped this class I would have. 100% do not recommend. It seems that he thinks his opinion is the only correct one.

2.0
5.0
ENGL101
Grade: C+
Mar 30, 2016

Extremely hard professor. Expect to re-write your essays multiple times to get a decent grade on them.

1.0
5.0
ELG101
Apr 11, 2016

Hilariously horrible Professor. Has not actually lectured anything, students have just received assignment after assignment in which he grades with no specific guidelines. Depending on if the professor(using this term loosely) likes you or not, will get you a certain grade. AVOID THIS "PROFESSOR"

5.0
4.0
ENG101
Grade: A-
May 31, 2016
Would take again

It is possible to do well in this class, I got an A-. He's the only English professor at SSU that allows you to rewrite your papers. Do the rewrites and participate in class so that he'll like you and get to know you. Office hours help a lot. He's a tough grader and his class is hard. His sense of humor is weird but he's a great guy.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Grade: C-
Jun 19, 2016
Wouldn't take again

Very intense grader. He doesn't care if you pass or not.

1.0
5.0
ENG101
Grade: D+
Jun 19, 2016
Wouldn't take again

He is very opinionated and does not let you speak for yourself without putting you down. A lot of people hated this class because of how hard his grading is. He expects you to already know how to write essays without teaching you. Everyone in my class received no more than a C+ on the Midterm. I would not recommend this teacher for this class.

2.0
4.0
ENG101
Grade: B
Jun 20, 2016
Wouldn't take again

He is a very difficult instructor especially with essays and reading assignments. The in class work was manageable and if you attend every class you should be fine. Also, for his essays he grades them and returns them to you very quickly and you are able to revise them as much as you want until you get the grade you want.

5.0
4.0
ENG1B
Grade: A
Sep 1, 2016
Would take again

If you put in the work by revising the essays once or twice, and make a serious effort to comprehend the material, it's a guaranteed A. One of the best English classes I've ever taken.

Tough Grader
Gives good feedback
Participation matters
1.0
5.0
ENG101
Oct 3, 2016
Wouldn't take again

He is very unclear about his expectations and about what his assignments are and what he wants you to do. There have been multiple instances where he asks for an assignment to be turned and majority of the class has no idea the assignment was ever assigned. Avoid Brunner at all costs.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
1.0
5.0
ENGL101
Dec 1, 2016
Wouldn't take again

This story describes the usual experience with Professor Brunner: I went to a student advisor explaining I had been failing English 101. He/she then asked me who my teacher was, which I said was Professor Brunner. The advisor responded with, "oh well it probably isn't your fault then." He fails AT LEAST half of every class. AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
Skip class? You won't pass.
5.0
4.0
ENG101
Grade: A-
Dec 5, 2016
Would take again

Professor Brunner is definitely not the easiest teacher, but he is one of the better ones I have had. He's a really hard grader, but if you put in the effort to rewrite your essays and meet with him during office hours, it's pretty easy to get at least a C+ on them. Midterm is pretty straightforward and he curves a lot! Very approachable.

Tough Grader
Skip class? You won't pass.
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
1.0
4.0
ENG101
Grade: C-
Dec 5, 2016
Wouldn't take again

This was the worst class I had this semester and honestly he grades so hard its ridiculous. I didn't learn how to write any better, I just learned how to write like he likes, which is different than I write for all of my other classes and I get A's and B's on those essays easy. He's also kind of a jerk, definitely avoid his class.

Tough Grader
LOTS OF HOMEWORK
SO MANY PAPERS
1.0
4.0
ENG101
Grade: B
Apr 11, 2017
Wouldn't take again

Get ready for challenge! You will have a paper due almost every week, but trying to get a grade on your paper will be the hard part. For our first essay everybody in the class had to rewrite their paper for a grade, and even after the rewrite was done people still got D's and C's. He is not clear in what he teaches and a tough grader.

Tough Grader
Participation matters
SO MANY PAPERS
5.0
4.0
ELG101
Apr 18, 2017
Would take again

most I've ever learned in a class, great teacher and the level of work is exaggerated

Tough Grader
Inspirational
SO MANY PAPERS
1.0
4.0
ELG101
Grade: C-
Apr 27, 2017
Wouldn't take again

be prepared for a lot of papers, almost no feedback, and a lot of F's. He allows you to rewrite the papers and went up a letter grade for each time i rewrote one. Attendance is not taken but he occasionally has questions from the reading that he may or may not collect and will grade hard on.

Tough Grader
BEWARE OF POP QUIZZES
SO MANY PAPERS
1.0
5.0
ENG101
Grade: Not sure yet
May 12, 2017
Wouldn't take again

By far one of the worst teachers I have ever had. Shuts down your ideas, grades insanely hard for essays and doesn't give any good feedback, inconsistent with his grading. Completely rude, his lectures are confusing and make no sense. Im generally good at English but this is by far the worst class and I learned absolutely nothing. DO NOT TAKE IT.

Tough Grader
SO MANY PAPERS
GRADED BY FEW THINGS
5.0
4.0
ENG101
Grade: A
Dec 9, 2017
Would take again

I took this professor two years ago as a first year student and absolutely loved it. It is a lot of work, but it is a college class. See him in office hours, make sure you understand the reading, and pay attention to details. Very focused on improvement. Got an A even after failing the midterm. You will learn to write as long as you try. No easy A.

Tough Grader
Gives good feedback
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS
2.0
4.0
ENGLISH1A
Grade: A
May 1, 2018
Wouldn't take again

In order to succeed in this class, you MUST rewrite your essays. You are allowed to do this as many times as it takes for you to get your desired grade. It is possible to get an A, but you will have to work for it. There are assigned essays every week. Our class only had one "true" exam (the midterm.) The class lectures often veer off topic.

Tough Grader
Get ready to read
SO MANY PAPERS
5.0
4.0
ENG1B
Grade: B+
Aug 26, 2019
Would take again

Brunner is definitely a tough teacher, not going to lie. Although I took him 3 years ago, when I look back at it now, he is very inspirational and absolutely has the best in mind for his students. Just ASK QUESTIONS. He loves inquiry and if you do so he will LOVE YOU!

Lots of homework
Inspirational
Lecture heavy
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

77%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

95% confidence
Based on 24 grades
Most common grades:
C- (5)
A (5)
B (4)
Grade Distribution
A(5)B(4)C(8)D(3)F(0)A-/B+(5)
Based on 27 reported grades
C-: 5
A: 5
B: 4
B+: 3
Common Tags
Tough Grader (11)
SO MANY PAPERS (6)
Get ready to read (3)
Skip class? You won't pass. (3)
Gives good feedback (2)
Participation matters (2)
ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE CLASS (2)
Inspirational (2)
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5.0

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5.0

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5.0

(1)

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4.0

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3.7

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5.0

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5.0

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