3.1

Michael Childs

Chemistry - Temple University

3.1
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
N/A
Would Retake
83
Reviews
3.1
Quality
3.3
Difficulty
3.1
Helpful
3.1
Clarity

N/A

Would Retake

83

Reviews

Rating Distribution
Official

5

25

4

15

3

15

2

15

1

13

What Students Say

Professor Michael Childs

CHEM1032 - 1.0 rating

Childs is by far the worst professor that I ever had in my life

CHEM1031 - 1.0 rating
Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

0%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

80% confidence
Based on 10 grades
Most common grades:
C (3)
B (3)
A (2)
Grade Distribution
A(2)B(3)C(3)D(0)F(1)A-/B+(1)
Based on 12 reported grades
C: 3
B: 3
A: 2
A-: 1
Rating Trend

Declining

-1.71 avg change
Jan
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

CHEMCHEM

5.0

(1)

BIO1022

5.0

(1)

CHEM1033

5.0

(1)

CHEM1027

5.0

(2)

CHEM2

5.0

(1)
+12 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CHEMI

5.0

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4.3

10311032

4.0

CHEM2

4.0

GENCHEM2

4.0

Reviews (83)
5.0
1.0
CHEMCHEM
Oct 26, 2007

Extremely helpful if i had him as a teacher, i would pass. I would rather have him teach than john scovill.

5.0
3.0
CHEM1031
Mar 20, 2008

He is the best chem teacher ever!!!! He hand writes his notes on the overhead and does a great job explaining..... brings in demos ..... tests are a little hard but as long as you study you will do good.... (BIG CURVE!!!!)

5.0
1.0
CHEM1032
May 13, 2008

Great professor! Extremely helpful and exams are pretty easy if you study a little. If you fail his class you suck at life!

3.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Jul 8, 2008

you guys didn't have him the first semester he ever taught a temple. yes he was very helpful but his teaching was horrible, i would hope he does better now cause he was horrible then.

5.0
5.0
CHEM1032
Dec 11, 2008

Very helpful however his tests are EXTREMELY HARD!!!! But he really cares about his students and if you are failing and go to him he will help you out with extra credit etc. Go to class because he gives pop quizzes!!!

4.0
2.0
CHEM1032
Dec 26, 2008

Dr. Childs is a good dude. He throws you curve balls on the tests but his class really isnt that hard at all. If you can get 20+ points above average on all the tests (which really isnt hard to do) you can definetly get an A.

4.0
1.0
MATH1021
Nov 11, 2009

No Comments

4.0
2.0
CHEM1032
Dec 1, 2009

He is a pretty poor lecturer, but is very willing to help during office hours. If you can read and mostly comprehend the book yourself then you should be fine. The tests arent too bad either. They are pretty straightforward, if you read the material you should do well.

4.0
2.0
CHEM1032
Dec 10, 2009

Lectures are incredibly boring and more or less outline the book. However, he's a fairly reasonable professor and seems like he actually wants his students to do well on tests. The assignments he posts on MasteringChemistry are basically grade-boosters, they're so easy.

5.0
2.0
BIO1022
Dec 14, 2009

No Comments

5.0
3.0
CHEM1032
Dec 17, 2009

He was a very great teacher. Very patient and was ALWAYS avaliable if you needed helped. Tests are very similar to problems in the book and if you do the problems you will do just fine. Going to lecture helps too because otherwise you may be lost. But, overall a really great teacher! I would recommend him.

5.0
2.0
CHEM1033
Feb 17, 2010

Dr. childs is the best chem teacher at temple. I wished he took orgo so i could take him again. He is extremely helpful and if you go to his office hours he will do everything he can to get you to understand the material!

5.0
3.0
CHEM1031
Mar 29, 2010

Dr. Childs is a very nice guy. His lectures are very clear, he posts them on blackboard too. The class itself is as easy as you make it, like as long as you study over the material then you should do fine on exams.

5.0
2.0
CHEM1027
Sep 23, 2010

Great teacher, very helpful and clear, makes getting notes easy, although in class is impossible to keep up with his slide clicking. Makes it down to Earth and for a Chem class he's a good professor. Willing to work with anyone on anything, great guy!

5.0
2.0
CHEM1027
Dec 16, 2010

His powerpoints during lecture cover everything you need to know; you do not really need the book unless you want to clarify you can do the problems from each chapter for exams or when you don't really understand something. He is so laid back and easy to approach and will help you with anything. Nice guy; I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM!!

4.0
1.0
CHEM1032
Dec 21, 2010

He is very easy. His tests are very easy too. And the most important thing is, he curves A LOT !!!I got one of my tests below average and still end up with an A

1.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Mar 16, 2011

Apparently, Mike Childs upped the difficulty of his classes after the fall semester because the tests this semester are impossible. He really does little to help his students and is very condescending. Avoid if possible.

4.0
3.0
CHEM1031
Apr 25, 2011

Exams are not as difficult. You get about 5-6 multiple choice and the rest a cumulative problems! Not difficult not easy. His lectures are basically slides from the based on the textbook.

4.0
2.0
CHEM1034
May 5, 2011

Childs was a nice guy, but not the best teacher. He wasn't very clear when he explained things, so I had to teach myself most of the material. However, if you keep up with the material, tests and quizzes are easy.

5.0
3.0
CHEM1031
May 11, 2011

Attendance isn't mandatory. His class is probably the easiest of all the chem I teachers but it's just a hard course. the tests aren't too bad if you kind of pay attention. I didn't use the textbook once, just printed out his lecture notes and I expect at least a B in the course. He's really helpful at office hours and seems to actually care.

5.0
2.0
CHEM1032
May 11, 2011

Childs is interesting to say the least. He works off of Powerpoints and gives very easy tests, but the homework is pretty tough. He is extremely knowledgeable and is willing to help anytime you need it. His favorite phrase is, "If [blah blah] doesn't happen, life is not good," but it's pretty funny. Take Childs if you want to learn and have fun!

4.0
4.0
CHEM1031
Nov 8, 2011

Childs is a sweet older-middle aged guy.... he talks really quiet and just reads off the power point. People say his tests are easy but my class average was always a 60... or around there so really they are not easy ahha. They are 5-10 Multiple choice, the rest OPEN ENDED BLANK problems.... worth 10-20 points each. great guy!

5.0
2.0
CHEM1032
Nov 13, 2011

I absolutely love Dr. Childs. This is the second semester in a row that I have had him for gen chem, and he is one of the best teachers I have ever had! If you go to lecture and go through the problems he tells you to in the 'recommended problems', you will get an A. Nicest teacher, very helpful, very brilliant. Best class, hands down.

5.0
4.0
CHEM2
Nov 21, 2011

Dr. Childs is probably the most down to earth and reasonable professor I have ever had. ALWAYS willing to help, motivating, and a nice guy. If you don't know how to mathematically solve a problem, write out how you would conceptually solve it. He ended up giving me 10 points back on a test.

5.0
1.0
CHEM1032
Dec 18, 2011

I LOVE Dr. Childs!! he's seriously the best chem prof. I made sure I had him for 4 semesters of chem because his class is so easy to understand. he lays out the material in powerpoints and often gives "hints" of what will be on the tests. for the tests, just lightly read over the chapters and do the examples within the chapters- you'll be fine.

5.0
2.0
CHEM1031
Dec 19, 2011

i had childs for general chem 1. he was a great chem professor. i've heard people say he isn't a good teacher but i feel as though i understand chemistry very well. people also say his tests are easy. maybe compared to other teachers, but chem is a difficult subject and i wouldn't call his tests easy. you have to put in time and effort to do well.

4.0
2.0
CHEM1031
Dec 21, 2011

Gen Chem 1 was easy with him, he goes through all slides powerpoints. some say he doesnt prepare you for the ACS final exam but he does. just review powerpoints and do a couple practice problems and you'll do great. hes hands down the best chem teacher at Temple.

4.0
2.0
CHEM1032
Dec 22, 2011

I had him for Gen Chem 2 and he was a lot easier than Dr. Price. His tests are very reasonable but I would recommend doing as many of the assigned problems from the book because they help a lot on the tests. He's very approachable and uses powerpoint slides to teach which is okay but still do the problems in the book for practice.

2.0
1.0
CHEM1032
Dec 22, 2011

Easiest general chemistry teacher there is. Aced all my tests, even got a 100 on one of them. I don't know how people fail his class. He doesn't teach well so you'll have to read the textbook on your own.

4.0
2.0
CHEM1031
Jan 5, 2012

had childs for chem 1, taking him again for chem 2. wouldn't want any other professor. he's not a bad teacher like people are saying, chem is a hard subject and requires you to do a lot of problems and reading along with going to class. childs is so nice and likable and his class is actually enjoyable.

5.0
2.0
CHEM1031
Feb 1, 2012

BEST chem teacher. i used to hate chem, it was like a foreign language to me. now chem is one of my favorite classes. i actually WANT to go to lecture and i have a good understanding of the subject. if you can take childs, do it. you will learn a lot and get a good grade as long as you study, read the book, and do the problems in the book.

3.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Feb 29, 2012

Taking Childs was a bad choice. In my opinion, Dr. Thomas is way better in terms of teaching compared to him. Lecture and tests are just plain boring with this guy. I remember lecture use to be full, but only like half the class shows up now.

5.0
1.0
CHEM1032
Apr 20, 2012

BEST GEN CHEM PROF AT TEMPLE. Exams are identical to the chapter problems, power points online so you don't have to go to lecture, and if you messed up on an exam and go to his office hours he will help you and bump your grade up a little bit. Super nice guy, makes chemistry easy to understand.

5.0
2.0
CHEM1032
May 14, 2012

i had childs for chem 1 & 2, i'm so happy i took him. he made chem easy to understand. i got an A- in chem 1 and an A in chem 2. he's so helpful if you go to him & he's understanding. if you go to lecture, read the textbook, do the in chapter problems & the problems he gives you, & go to recitation, you should get an A. best chem teacher! take him!

2.0
3.0
CHEM1032
May 25, 2012

Take another professor if you want to fully comprehend the material.

4.0
3.0
CHEM1032
Aug 27, 2012

I had childs for gen chem 1 and 2. I love him! Chem didn't come easy to me, but he is always willing to help. He teaches from powerpoints, but I would study the book as well. His exams are mostly made of all the math in each chapter, so don't spend a lot of time on the concepts. Go to lecture and ask questions and you'll be ok.

2.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Nov 16, 2012

I've seen prof. Child's exams from last semester, and they were extremely easy. The class average was high throughout the semester. This semester, the exams are the hardest I have ever taken in my life. I really don't know why he's aiming to lower the average of my group of student. The averages are as low as 60.

4.0
2.0
CHEM1031
Nov 29, 2012

He is a pretty good teacher. All you have to do is read the powerpoints he puts online to get a decent grade. You dont even have to attend the lecture since he reads off the powerpoints.

2.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Dec 4, 2012

He is HORRIBLE. You teach yourself everything! Yeah, I saw his tests last semester, which were much easier. The grade average of his new style of tests are low as 56 to the 60's! TAKE SOMEONE ELSE! Gen. Chem is not that hard, but his new multiple choice exams are confusing and too long.

3.0
4.0
CHEM1031
Mar 22, 2013

He literally reads off of every powerpoint and never writes on the board, even for math problems. He teaches as if we already know the information in the powerpoints, and his tests are super hard. The average for the first exam was a 70.

3.0
2.0
1031
Apr 7, 2013

his exams are way harder then every other chem professors. he doesn't teach.. he reads powepoints.. i can do that on my own. worst professor, he like puts you to sleep. am NOT taking his nect semester.

3.0
3.0
GENCHEM1
Apr 12, 2013

pretty much just read of the powerpoint tests weren't that easy couldve benefitted from some practice problems but he's a decent chem teacher just dont expect him to go above and beyond

2.0
5.0
1032
Apr 12, 2013

worst chem prof here did not learn anything tests are completely different from what we are learning. take a diff prof he is terrible

3.0
3.0
CHEM1031
Apr 21, 2013

He's a nice professor, quizzes are super easy, but his exams are hard. Problems aren't from the exercises. I wish he'd at least taught us varieties if he throws in different kinds. I know we can and should be creative with equations to get answers, but I can't do that in a short time. And apparently, neither can many of us since exam 3 average=58

2.0
3.0
GENCHEM2
May 9, 2013

Stay away. I had Dr. Price for Gen Chem 1 and got an A-, but took Childs for Gen Chem 2 because I heard he was easier. After experiencing both professors, I can confidently say that Childs is a terrible chemistry professor and one of the worst professors I've ever had.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1032
May 10, 2013

Do not take him. Is not willing to help you at all. Only read from PPT that he didn't even make. Bring quizzes with him just in case he sees students leaving, etc. so he will give pop quizzes. He is also a smartass. His exams are much harder than Price's. Only take him if he's you're very very last last choice.

3.0
5.0
1031
May 12, 2013

TERRIBLE. I taught myself everything and spent hours a week doing it. He reads off powerpoints and gives pop quizzes when people leave. Awful teacher. Please take someone else.

3.0
3.0
CHEM1031
May 21, 2013

it look easy class taking it with him but, 4 and final test that at the end you don't know where the questions came from.

1.0
4.0
1032
Jun 17, 2013

When he made his own tests they were too easy. These days he gets his questions from another prof so that you won't have any clue how to solve half of them. Did not provide study guides or anything until complained to. His slides had TONS of errors. Self-studied on own from book and got an A. Lecture=worthless because of errors. SELF-STUDY period

2.0
4.0
CHEM1031
Dec 17, 2013

The worst professor I have ever had. Emailed him asking to see an exam and what his office hours are and he never responded. Does not care if you pass/fail. Reads off of powerpoint, which are wrong. Doesn't follow textbook. Tests are nothing like his notes, doesn't even make his tests. Every exam average was failing. Do not take him.

3.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Dec 17, 2013

He's a nice person but bad professor! Just reads off the ppt which contains a lot of errors. He doesn't actually prepares you for his own tests which are extremely hard. Take him if you have no other choice and I'll pray for you!

1.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Dec 18, 2013

He was horrible he failed the whole class and made them repeat gen chem 1. No curve whatsoever in his style of grading. Incredibly hard tests, you don't even know where the questions come from. And he loves failing you for the fun of it. He says it in the beginning his there to fail you basically.

3.0
5.0
1031
Dec 19, 2013

Childs is the worse professor I have ever encountered. He doesn't use his own tests, and the tests he does use are extremely hard. He reads off the powerpoint and his lecture is useless. You are better of skipping his lecture and studying on your own.

5.0
3.0
CHEM1031
Grade: C
Dec 19, 2013

Great Professor!!! Gen Chem is a hard subject but Dr. Childs makes it easy. Homework and quiz scores will boost up your final grade.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1032
Grade: A-
Jan 2, 2014

AWFULLLLL !!! He solely reads off the powerpoint slides and explains nothing. I self-studied the entire semester. Please I beg all of you to take someone else. All our averages were in the 50s. Who knows where he gets his test questions. Take someone else !

2.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Jan 2, 2014

I would not recommend him because he just reads off the powerpoint slides and does not help you fully understand chemistry. His tests are very hard and not what you study.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Jan 18, 2014

He was literally one of the worst teachers I've ever had. He doesn't teach at all and doesn't care about the class average-"Just get as many points as you can" is all he ever said about it. I never got higher than a 60 on a test and somehow passed with a C. If it wasn't for the homework and my recitation quizzes I would've failed. DO NOT TAKE HIM!!

5.0
1.0
GENCHEM1
Jan 28, 2014

One of the greatest professors I have ever taken in my life. Tests were incredibly easy, like highschool chemistry. Received an A+ in his class and he responded to every question I had for him. I suggest going to his lectures because he has pop quizzes.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Grade: Incomplete
Mar 21, 2014

Do not take this course at all costs. It is nothing but self-teaching and studying. The tests are hard. He does no examples to help you and no curve even though the whole class fails. Everything is unclear but you're expected to be a genius at the material. AVOID. This class is hard to begin with and he makes it SO much worse

2.0
4.0
CHEM1031
Apr 2, 2014

Honestly... DO NOT take Childs. He doesnt teach, he literally reads off powerpoints, that have tones of errors, and that he didnt even make himself. You can get off from masteringchem. In addition to that he doesnt even make his own exams. Each test average for my class was a 55% and he still didnt curve, the highest was a 65%... Just dont

4.0
1.0
CHEM1031
Apr 8, 2014

Easiest class I've ever take. Tests are a joke, showing up to class is unnecessary. Class avgs are ridiculously low like 50% so even getting an 88 is like a high A. Somewhat helpful during office hrs, HW was very easy and fast. If you want an easy A in chem1, take him!

3.0
4.0
1032
Grade: B
May 19, 2014

He is absolutely terrible. He does not teach the material you will need to know for the test (which he does not make himself & are entirely math based) and basically copies and pastes the bold definitions into slides and reads them to you.

1.0
4.0
GENCHEMI
Nov 7, 2014

He is a nice guy, but his lectures are absolutely pointless. Also, be prepared to study a looooot. He has no clue what he is doing and gives pop quizzes towards the end of the year because no one shows up to lectures. You will probably so very poorly on the test, but if you get above the average you should be fine.

2.0
5.0
CHEMI
Grade: Rather not say
Nov 7, 2014

Child's is by far the worse professor on campus. Attending lectures are pointless. you will learn nothing. Tests are extremely difficult and it makes it even worse with the limited amount of time given. Avoid Dr. Child's at all costs.

3.0
5.0
CHEM1032
Nov 8, 2014

Impossible Tests. Reads off Power Points instead of Teaching.

3.0
4.0
GENCHEM1
Nov 16, 2014

He reads right off the powerpoint. he tells the class "Lets see whats on the next slide.

2.0
5.0
1031
Nov 20, 2014

He's a nice man outside of class but by far the worst professor I've ever had. He clicks through power points too fast for anyone to write anything down, his tests are nothing like the book problems, and he doesn't take action to improve the class avg. Everything is self teach and he does not prepare his students for exams whatsoever. Avoid.

2.0
3.0
GENCHEM1031
Grade: F
Nov 30, 2014

He teach you one thing and test you for something else........

1.0
4.0
1032
Dec 16, 2014

-Has no clue how master chemistry works but uses it -just reads off the slides -whenever you ask a question he just rereads the slide again and says "that's as far as I know" -doesn't teach -only gives out quizzes when no one is there (only show up for the last 30mins when you know no one else will be there -your textbook is your teacher

1.0
5.0
CHEM1032
Grade: B
Dec 19, 2014

Avoid at all costs. Did not teach directly but instead used PowerPoints from another teacher. All the tests were multiple choice but were hard and didn't relate to the homework. The only positive thing about Childs is that he curves generously for your final grade.

4.0
2.0
1031
Dec 21, 2014

He uses powerpoint and thats the only bad side to him. tests are easy, many who say otherwise are either lost freshmen who dont have their priorities straight yet or dont know how to study right. this guy's tests are a joke compared to dr. price.

3.0
4.0
CHEM1031
Jan 11, 2015

He explained things in a really confusing away, when he could've made it much clearer. Lectures didn't help so I stopped going halfway through the semester. I felt like I learned more in recitation than in lecture. He gives lecture quizzes around the end of the semester. I would recommend taking someone else. I only passed because of Mastering Chem

2.0
4.0
10311032
Jan 16, 2015

You have to teach yourself in his class. He blows through power points and doesn't help when you ask questions.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1031
Grade: C
Jan 19, 2015

He is terrible!! Avoid him at all costs

2.0
5.0
GENCHEM2
Jan 29, 2015

Worst professor I've ever had in my college career. He's so bad that I changed my major from chemistry to kinesiology, he literally ruined chemistry for me. Tests are nothing like what you learn from class. No point in showing up to lectures cause he just reads off the powerpoint.

2.0
3.0
CHEM1032
Mar 25, 2015

Reads straight off of the powerpoint so there is no point in going to lecture. He doesn't make his tests and uses ones from other profs so they're impossible. You have to be willing to teach yourself chemistry if you take his class. Class average on tests is usually in the 50s or 60s.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1032
Grade: A
Apr 6, 2015

Professor Michael Childs. Boy. I could say a lot of things. I wish this was a comedy central roast so I could have more time to rate this, professor, but I'll keep it brief and to the point. The fact is, he understands as much chemistry as there is much on the powerpoint. That is it. He cannot teach you, you must teach yourself.

1.0
5.0
CHEM1031
May 9, 2015

Childs is by far the worst professor that I ever had in my life. I thought he would be a professor that enjoys teaching you the material and that he would make it easy to learn I was wrong. He flies through the power points and doesn't answer questions clearly. The recitation quizzes do not relate to anything learned in the class. AVOID HIM!

5.0
3.0
CHEM1032
Grade: B
May 11, 2015

Dr. Childs is one of the best chem professors at Temple. He gives a decent curve to your final grade. He's always willing to help if you go to his office. Gen Chem 2 is a hard subject so try to put a lot of effort in. If you goof around, then you'll definitely fail. Dr. Childs tries his best to make you pass the class. I would take him again.

5.0
3.0
CHEM1032
May 12, 2015

Dr. Childs is the best. If you go to his class and do the suggested problems then you'll get a decent grade.

5.0
3.0
CHEM1032
May 15, 2015

Dr. Childs is among the most respected faculty members at Temple University. His lectures are amazing and gives study guides before every exam. Very flexible office hours and he is willing to help. You must put in the effort for your grade. The exams are tough but chemistry 1032 is a difficult subject.

5.0
3.0
CHEM1032
Grade: A
Jun 3, 2015

Dr. Childs is a legend! Best Chem Prof. at temple. Work hard then you'll get an A. I would definitely take him again.

3.0
4.0
CHEM1031
Grade: C
Jan 3, 2016

His lectures were not like his tests at all. He would do easy problems in class and you were on your own for the difficult ones. Had to take him again for Chem 1032 and I withdrew. Rumor has it that he used to give his own tests, but there were complaints from the University saying they were too easy. Apparently now he uses Dr. Price's exams.

Class Info

Attendance Mandatory

0%

Textbook Required

100%

Grade Predictor

Your expected effort level

LowHigh

Predicted Grade

B-

80% confidence
Based on 10 grades
Most common grades:
C (3)
B (3)
A (2)
Grade Distribution
A(2)B(3)C(3)D(0)F(1)A-/B+(1)
Based on 12 reported grades
C: 3
B: 3
A: 2
A-: 1
Rating Trend

Declining

-1.71 avg change
Jan
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jan
Last 6 months
Ratings by Course

CHEMCHEM

5.0

(1)

BIO1022

5.0

(1)

CHEM1033

5.0

(1)

CHEM1027

5.0

(2)

CHEM2

5.0

(1)
+12 more courses
Difficulty by Course

CHEMI

5.0

1032

4.3

10311032

4.0

CHEM2

4.0

GENCHEM2

4.0

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