2.8
Quality4.0
Difficulty19%
Would Retake85
Reviews19%
Would Retake
85
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
25
4
12
3
7
2
10
1
31
What Students Say
“He doesn't grade or answer questions clearly”
COMP1302 - 2.0 rating“He covers content for essay but not for Exams”
COMP1 - 2.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
95%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.43 avg changeRatings by Course
CREATIVEWRIT
5.0
(1)COMPII
5.0
(1)ENGLISHLIT
5.0
(1)ENGLISH1301
5.0
(1)ENG999
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
1302
5.0
ENGLISH
5.0
COMPOSITION1
5.0
ENGLISHCOMP
5.0
ENG1302
4.7
Reviews (85)
His papers are not very hard to do if you just do the work but one research paper has to be 8 pages over a longg novel. His test were extremely hard it was like i was trying to write a paper for a test. If you want to spend all your time studying english this is the class for you.
Prof. Matthews'class was not very interesting, but rather the stories and poems in the literature book. He requires you to write 4 essays and one analytical research paper(it's hard),which require ALOT of imaginative thought and precise formatting with exact details; he's very BIG on plagerism, so don't try and cheat he'll notice & alot of reading.
Mr. Matthews was extremely boring, and rude.. If you so much asked a question he thought you should know he'd ignore you... DO NOT GET HIM!
One of the best professors I have had, and I would venture to call him a friend. If you want to be a better writer, then he'll want you to, as well. He understands there is no magic formula for something so variable, but will shre your highs and lows. I
Don't take him, he won't help you with anything unless you have time to talk to him in his office. His lectures are very unclear and you are better off taking someone else.
Very rude, unhelpful, and unclear. He has no sympathy for anyone (good luck going to a funeral in his class).
He was unclear about his teachings and generally just a mean teacher. He gave me the worst grades I have ever recieved. His class was the worst class I have ever attended.
He was excellent, very helpful, very intriguing. He's the best english teacher I've ever had and since taking his course I've tried for 3 semesters to take another one taught by him. Hopefully it'll work this next time.
No Comments
He needs to be more clear, concise, and to the point on the essays. Tell the students in what order you want the essays like thesis, main ideas, transition and examples,and conclusin. Try not make the class confused but, make it easy to understand. More group activities.
The man can be indirect during his lessons, but he does communicate what he wants from his students. You cannot expect a "weeding-out" class to be all that easy. Generally, Mr. Matthews provides great constructive criticism when it comes to your essays and writing. If you're up for a challenge, and aren't afraid to learn, this class is perfect.
I loved the passion the man had for his work, I wish I could take his class over and over again. He always made time to answer my questions even if it had to wait for his office hours. His feedback was very easy to understand and his critism was well taken.If you want to learn I recommend him over any other prof at ctc,if you want an easy A not.
this is not the class to take for an easy A he is really passionate and very nice however, a hard grader and doesnt answer questions very well if you love to write and like details take him if you just need comp to get your degree, he is not recommended
I thought he was pretty funny, but I had to work my bum off to get my A.
Mr matthews is a funny teacher he is very helpful and will always take time to answer your questions. He is not a easy teacher he wants you to work for your grade but it is worth it!!
He's boring on the literature, the essays are very strict, and don't even think about analyzing the material other than what you hear him discuss in class..otherwise you'll make bad grades on the 2 critical papers. I wouldn't take him unless he's the only one that's teaching it.
He's a tough grader. We had to do four essays during the semester, each harder than the last. I always got a B on the essays even though I worked really hard. He is passionate about English and has a good sense of humor.
He is very helpful! He requires a lot more papers than other english teachers, but if you have any questions he'll answer them and he will meet you in his office if you aren't getting it. This class is not an easy A but it is fun and a very relaxed environment.
Very passionate about teaching. He is not a people person and he lost his temper more than three times in the classroom. It was rediculous! Redfaced and yelling is not what a teacher should do. If you are looking for an easy A don't waste your time.
Out of all the professors I've ever had, Mr. Matthews was my absolute favorite. It is because of him that I found my passion for writing. He gives detailed feedback on the essays and has an entertaining style of teaching. Not to mention he is very funny.
I love this teacher! He is one of my favorite professors. He doesn't require too much but you better bring your books to class. There isn't mandatory homework which is nice. He does grade the essays a little harshly but if you pay attention in class and bring your rough drafts when they are due, you will be fine. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND MATTHEWS!
Had him for creative writing. He's pretty cool and is almost always available for a chat about writing outside of the class. He's a pretty cool guy, but he gets weird sometimes. Like, he almost gets TOO into writing. But, then again, at least he loves what he knows. Really laid back on grading your assignments - as long as you turn it in on time.
I love literature but his class involved more writing and essays than actual study of the literature. You do the same thing in class everyday, which is just listening to him talk. Kinda boring but nice guy.
Wow! Between temper tantrums and incoherent rambling, I felt completely lost this entire semester. I honestly don't know how I passed and cannot understand what I learned for 16 weeks. There are a lot of papers and good luck if you ever have to miss class. I will not be taking another class with this professor again.
He was moody and rude.He took not understanding a concept or having to leave early personally. He would go on and on and by the end of class everyone was confused. He would answer a question with a question. He would cut in while a person was trying to answer. It was not a pleasant experience. I will never take another class with him.
He is an horrible teacher. Never disliked any teacher so much. He acts like all your taking is his class and it's the most important. And he grades the essays rough. I had 2 small papers, an 8 page paper and 3 tests. The final covers the whole semester so make sure you take good notes. Only take him if you have too
Between tantrums and him going on about nothing until the last 30 sec of class....NOT. He is nice but not helpful never received a c on a Eng paper until him and the explanations are incoherent!
I had a great time in his class. Some of my classmates might not have appreciated the way he answered questions, but I thought the way he demonstrated what he was looking for was funny.
I have a hard time with English classes, but I think he was a fantastic teacher. He is a bit of a rough grader, but I have never learned more from an English teacher in all my years of school.
I see a lot of comments here about "Easy A's." If that's what you are looking for, go to some sleazy online money trap and buy yourself a degree. If you want to learn about composition, writing, and literature FOR REAL then take his classes. He loves what he does (for real!) and respects those that want to learn.
I love this class. You can tell that this professor knows English really well. He loves what he does. He is really interesting. You will come out of this class having learned something. He gives out 4 papers, 3 of them are 3 pages long and 1 is 4 pages. There are 3 grammar tests and a final. But don't worry this class is easy.
Whenever a student doesn't understand something, he goes into detail and makes sure everyone is on the same page before he teaches more. He sometimes is hard on the papers you turn in but he has certain things that he looks for in a paper.
As my creative/imaginative writing class professor, he communitcated well and taught earnestly. I enjoyed the challenges in critical thinking. I like that he holds his students to high achievement standards. I like that he loves what he does. I am one step closer to being fuller developed in writing skills. He gets that credit. I'm a fan.
Professor Matthews made me somewhat enjoy English in a way. I would reccomend him if you are in college to actually learn something. If people say he is hard, that's because they don't care and expect college to be easy or something. Overall he cares about your work, so take him if you are there to work.
The worst experience of my life. He does not teach at all, just sort of gives you the assignment and says "go." The things he have is to study with did not help at all. I got a B due to extra credit. If you need help with writing, do not take this class.
HE IS A GOOD TEACHER. IF YOU DON'T LIKE WRITING I WOULDN'T ADVISE TAKING HIS CLASS. THE WHOLE COURSE IS WRITING TESTS AND ALL. YOU HAVE ABOUT 5 GRADES AND THEY ARE ALL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS. THEY ARE ESSAY WRITINGS SO AIN'T NOTHING FAST ABOUT IT. ITS BORING ALTHOUGH HE TRIES TO MAKE IT INTERESTING. TAKE YOUR CAFFEINE PILLS.
The first essay I had returned to me was a sea of red ink. I had thought myself a good writer, but he didn't spare anything. I loved that he didn't just cover it in red and leave it at that, he offered suggestions based on what I had written to make the paper better. All in all, I came out of his class with a better understanding. Great teacher
Extremely intelligent and a will take your questions very seriously (even if they may seem silly to you). Open door policy usually and will work with your projects and give you EXCELLENT feedback. Take him but expect to put in real work to get full benefit (as with all in life).
Very fun class. Challenging and super interesting.
very helpful. great teacher. very funny. very clear
This was THE BEST professor that I have ever had. This class made me view literature and writing in a whole different way. The professor is funny, helpful, and super nice. He opens up your eyes to see the world in a different way, and brings the best out of your writing.
This guy should be in the professor's hall of fame if there is one. He can teach and he cares about student's learning from him. I will recommend him to my friends, family, and even my enemies!
Did not make anything clear when you asked a question you had to look into a metaphor and pray you interpreted him correctly. Enthusiastic about things not important to the class, extremely hard grader, I don't believe he gives A's. Will not take him again.
If you have a question, expect a metaphor for an answer. Tough grading on papers, but explains every mistake made.
Professor Matthews never had a lesson plan and often talks about things that have nothing to do with the class. He walked in and said "I don't have anything planned today, so I guess we can look stuff up and talk about it?" He also made incorrect statements about the work he showed us.
Don't ask him questions :(
Good teacher.
Great teacher!
Boring.............
I actually really enjoy Professor Matthews class. He has helped me grow as a writer and gives honest, great feedback. Sorry kids, you're here to learn and grow as a person not to just space out and get an easy A. He has a very quirky yet understandable way of teaching. A's are possible in this class but you have to work. Welcome to college folks.
Mr. Matthews is an excellent professor. I have always been good at English, but he really showed me a thing or two and gave me an opportunity to grow as a writer. Many feel he is a tough grader, but he is grading college students, not middle school. There is a standard to which you will be held, and if you understand that, you'll do fine.
If you want challenge, take his class. He will even research your own information. He is the master of researching word for word, like you copied other people's work. Make sure you give the author's credits. He knows his subject well, and students feel like he cannot go wrong. He can be sarcastic. You need a thick skin if he picks on you. Good luck
He is a tough grader, so if you aren't good at writing expect to have a difficult time trying to get a C. English isn't my first language, so I struggled a lot on the essays. I took him him for comp1. passed with a C and made the mistake of taking him for comp2. Overal, the class was really boring and I found it difficult to stay focused.
I had professor Mathews for a summer class. I found this class to be very challenging, but Mr Mathews made it very enjoyable and he explains things very well. I also enjoyed his great sense of humor.
Professor Matthews was interesting to say the least. He has a very odd sense of humor and can be slightly aggravating at times. However, as an English teacher he greatly pushes you to be a better writer. His class wasn't easy, but I left feeling more confident in my writing. I recommend him for anyone looking to improve their writing.
Tough Grader, Calls out students and judges the way you revise papers, Make sure you understand and know MLA formanting (the Updated most current version)
He is really confusing at times. Okay professor. If you have a question due to confusion, you become more confused. When we had a test I read the Saint Martin's handbook religiously and did good on the test. He is a tough grader on essays but this is college not high school so get over it. His notes are scattered and very unorganized.
Way too difficult and at times, obnoxious. Take a different teacher if you can because there's definitely better as you can see from his grading on the site.
Strict, but great feedback, however unable to understand that writing is not a skill that all possess!
Professor Matthews is a cool person but not a cool professor. He doesn't grade or answer questions clearly. If you are afraid to talk to your professors outside of class or ask a lot of questions, avoid this class. I only did well because I talked to him about my essays during his office hours. Be ready to put in a lot of time and effort.
Mr. Matthews lectures in metaphors and talks about information that is not related to the content and doesn't answer questions. When he talks about the assignments it would be about the many essays assigned. Theres an essay every week and even if you work hard, he takes points off for little things. He covers content for essay but not for Exams.
Although he can come out as a tough professor. You do learn from him. He gives great feedback and his office is always open. You can take in your essay before you submit it and he can tell you what you need to work on. Attendance and participation is important since you can recieve participate points that can boost your grade
Matthews is probably the worst professor I have had at CTC ever. His lectures were often irrelevant and did not help me to write better analysis essays. Also, he spoke in metaphors in class and did not make much sense. The class altogether was awkward and his teaching style was awful. I ended up going to other professors to get help on my papers.
If english is not your thing do not take this class with this teacher. The professor is extremely unclear and will talk for the entire class period and you will leave the class feeling like you know less than what you walked in knowing. He makes simple tasks seem ten times harder than what they actually are and grades them just as hard.
His class is very difficult. Starting off with his personality, despite him trying to be humorous, professor Matthews is rude and has a habit of interrupting and likes to act passive-aggressively towards students he does not like which I find immature about him. He is also a tough grader and gives out vague lectures. I would not take him again.
Professor Matthews is a pretty difficult professor compared to other English 1301 teachers. His grading is also much tougher than most English professors, and he has a lot of specific requirements for each of his essays. However, he's a nice professor and tries to make his lectures interesting. If you effectively do what he asks, you should be fine
Do not take this professor if you actually want to learn. His lectures are vague at best. He grades essays on how he feels, not on anything quantitative. I've never gotten less than a B on a paper in five years in college. This class was a waste of time. Now I'm going to have to spend time and money to retake this class to get my 4.0 back.
This guy is the least helpful professor in town. I think the "most useful" rating on here is fake. During the COVID shutdown, he left us out in the cold. He wouldn't post lecture videos or do interactive class online. He even told us not to ask him for help. He said that since he's grading the papers its a "conflict of interest" to help.
One of the best English teachers I've ever had. Willing to help with office hours and in-class questions. He is peculiar about what he wants in an essay, but once you get that clear, it's all good. Gives A LOT good feedback on your essay on how to improve, which is very impressive given number of students. Ended up loving literature that I despised
DO NOT TAKE MATTHEWS. He spends the entire class talking about nothing that pertains to the essay, then makes us write a paper over it. He never directly gives his grading criteria either. In his class, I took more notes than I too in my history and philosophy class combined.
Please do yourself a favor and listen to the *chorus* of former students warning you about this guy. CTC is doing a serious disservice to students by keeping him aboard. You will have to teach yourself while he spends his time playing with beads, giving bizarre, vague lectures and grading based on his feelings, not on factual considerations.
He's a very good professor if you're actually willing to learn as well as check the syllabus frequently. If you are blessed with this professor, take full advantage. LISTEN to his lectures. I know that sounds hard, but you have to. Your essays will turn out so much better and so will your quizzes and exams.
If you are coming to CTC through a high school program and are able to choose your professors, do not take Matthews. He always made simple things seem so so confusing. If you are coming to CTC through a high school program and CANNOT choose your professors, see if you can talk to your counselor about switching your professor
I hated this class so much. This professor made the most simple of concepts difficult, and graded very harshly. He's rude and passive aggressive towards students with "dumb questions" and will not hesitate to make his distaste for you known. Don't take him if you're a high school student and just trying to pass!
To be honest I felt like my counselor lied to me when she said I could not switch my teacher. This was the worst class I have ever had, he overcomplicates things to his own liking. He claims false plagiarism that doesn't make any sense. I bet he failed more than 80% of his student each year. I will never have respect for him.
I failed all papers in this course. He refused to be understanding when I missed a paper due to the Feb. snowstorm. He gave me 50-60s on each paper and marked for plagiarism that wasn't even accurate. He told me everything comes from somewhere, so everything must be cited. His lectures were always vague and gave me no info. Don't take his class.
He is a terrible teacher. He belittles and chooses to pick on struggling students. No matter how hard I tried, I never made above a 50 on any essay but when i took the class again with a different professor, I didn't make below a 90 on any essay and received good remarks!
Horrible, does not follow the syllabus nor use the content provided in the syllabus. Only a few readings were assigned and barely anything was taught for the essays. Quizzes and exams were given the first two lessons and then dropped.
My honest opinion of him is that he is a tough grader, but he made me a better writer. He gives good feedback for each essay, and if he sees that you improved, your next essay grade will improve. If he tells you what you need to have done by the next class, do it, or he will not be happy. Lectures are super boring, so be fully rested.
Although I passed the class, this class was a living nightmare. Some of the previous comments are true... Mr. Matthews comes late to class, talks in lecture about topics not pertaining to the lesson, and holds the class to make up for being late. He overcomplicates lessons, and likes to put students on the spot.
Probably the worst class I have taken at CTC so far. His lectures include a lot of rambling that does not help with the actual assignments, and you often leave class feeling like you know less than you did when you came in. Be prepared for awkward and uncomfortable interactions. Listen to everyone else and avoid this professor if possible.
This professor is very narrow-minded and is one of the worst essay graders. He grades and takes things off for the most pettiest errors. He also looks for the hardest things to take points off off, such as "shift in number and discourse." He grades based off of how hard you challenged yourself from the last essay. DO NOT ENROLL IN HIS CLASS!
Horrible teacher, doesnt bring any assignments up schedules them back to back leaving barely any time to complete them. Rambles most of the period and doesnt really teach, assigns a final essay over a novel but brings it up in the last month of the class. Avoid him if possible.
Awkward and uncomfortable vibe. His lectures are irrelevant, and what is relevant is poorly explained. Very hard grader, but gives decent feedback. Pretty stuck in his ways, so write your papers to fit his opinions and regurgitate points he says in class. Not the worst teacher, but definitely not my first choice.
I did not like this professor at all. His class is often boring along with his lectures being too vague. He grades too hard and overcomplicates simple things. I do not recommend taking his class, his teacher is rather ineffective and does not give out a lot of helpful advice. The way he talks and looks at me gives mental illness.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
95%
Textbook Required
21%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.43 avg changeRatings by Course
CREATIVEWRIT
5.0
(1)COMPII
5.0
(1)ENGLISHLIT
5.0
(1)ENGLISH1301
5.0
(1)ENG999
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
1302
5.0
ENGLISH
5.0
COMPOSITION1
5.0
ENGLISHCOMP
5.0
ENG1302
4.7