2.9
Quality3.7
Difficulty51%
Would Retake189
Reviews51%
Would Retake
189
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
189 total ratings5
54
4
31
3
14
2
29
1
61
What Students Say
“He explains things very briefly and expect you to know everything beforehand”
MATH151 - 2.0 rating“Nelson does not lecture on the material”
MATH151 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
35%
Textbook Required
24%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
B+
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+0.24 avg changeRatings by Course
MATH256
5.0
(1)MATH
4.0
(1)MATH157
4.0
(2)MATH151
3.2
(47)MATH141
3.1
(53)Difficulty by Course
MATH97
5.0
CALCI
5.0
MATH142
4.1
MATH125
4.0
MATH148
4.0
Reviews (187)
His accent is nearly indecipherable. His teaching is straight from the book. His handwriting is atrocious, and reverses letters or numbers. He tends to forget parts of equations that are essential for comprehension. This professor takes days to answer emails, and has only 30 minute "office hours," only twice a week.
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nice person...i like him as a teacher. he gives us a lot extra credit. and u don't need to take note cause what he write is exactly the textbook says.
this teacher is so easy , anyway he is good.
His teaching is basically from the book, and his exams are easy. His opinion is that not everyone does well in a class so he can't make it too hard, but he's willing to talk more if asked. Office hour is short, but he's kind and can stay much longer. Clear handwriting. Asian accent, speaks Mandarin and Cantonese as well.
good teacher
don't really like his method of teaching. unclear explanation but give hard exams. not experience in teaching math 224. think twice if you wanna take him for a calculus class.
Although his teaching is basically from the book, you still need to take notes from him. He would do some examples that was from the exercise. If you have question, you must ask him because he doesn't know you understand or not. If you don't ask any question, he think you are ready for the test. By the way, he is a good teacher though.
This is the function, ....... isn't it? Not a good teacher, but EASY class....
Very unclear. He doesnt answer questions very well about the homework. If you have problems with math, don't take him
Very hard test and you cant use a calculator on them. But he drops one test of three and as long as you turn in all the homework and do ok on the test you should pass. Its kinda hard to understand some of the things he writes on the board because some letters are backwards. But he knows the subject and will help you with any problem.
I usually don't have trouble with math, but Nelson's class was a horrible experience for me. I cannot understand his accent, maybe that's my fault, and he explains concepts in incomprehensible roundabout manners. He grades arbitrarily and doesn't explain himself well. Can be friendly if you ask questions, but you are best asking another teacher.
OMG! he has got to be the worst math instructor ever. i usually receive 3.5+ and received a 1.7 in the class. you cant understand what comes out of his mouth but he does write everything on the board. his test are extreamly HARD!He's a usless instrucor & often speeks other languges in class. College advisors dont recomend him to non-internationals.
Do not take his class if you aren't good at math. Doesn't explain himself clearly. When you ask questions he repeats what is written on the board. Definitely try another teacher if you have problems in math. I've been teaching myself off youtube.
I failed a test because I solved a question using the 30 60 90 triangle rule, and that wasn't what we learned that chapter
This teacher rocks hard. LOL straight forward teaching. so you will know what's coming to you.
I did not choose to continue Nelson's class because his teaching style was not working for me. The problem for me was that his lectures are straight from the book, including the examples. He is a nice guy and he will help you if you ask, but I wanted to try another teacher for this class. I took the class next quarter and got a 4.0 from Mrs. palmer
His tests are not very easy but if u attend his class everyday then it would be easier ! His explanation is easy to understand. I like his class.
Nelson is a really nice guy that will help you with all your questions and try to explain them as best as he can. However, you cannot use calculators on tests, he is sometimes late, and make sure you really study the notes for the test. Also, for a 10 pt problem he will only give you 3 for the answer and 7 for the work. SHOW YOUR WORK. Even on hw.
I wouldn't ever suggest taking his class, if you haven't taken the same exact class before. He doesn't really explain things very well, and you end up in the math center everyday, just trying to pass his class. I went from a 3.7 in my last class to a 2.2, and he doesn't give students anything to help them succeed! Good luck
Nice guy. Not a style of teaching that works for me. Just shows how to do problems over and over again without a lot explanation. Difficult tests.
I dont recommend him at all. Nice guy but he shouldnt be a teacher. He doesnt explain the work, just does it. Tests are hard.
i like his teaching stylee... well organize, and easy to understand... the test is easy to me... most test come form the paper he gave in class
He is probably the worst math teacher I have ever had. He has a very heavy accent that people can barely understand what he is trying to explain. His test is extremely hard (average from the last test in our class was a 67) I have a 3.7 in his class because I worked really really hard to get to that point. Strongly suggest to NOT take his class!
Nelson is a nice guy, but the way he teaches is just so complicated. Sometimes i cant understand what he says because of his accent. his tests are really hard and people barely make good grades on it. dont take his class!
Phouphakone is a nice guy, but if you need to stay after and ask question, he wont help and he will just tell you to come to his office hours, because he has to beat traffic home -__-. His tests and homework are really hard, he has very complicated ways of explaining things and hardly anyone passes or gets a good grade in his class.
book and "do next problem, if you have questions ask". How in the world I can do with out explanations? Tests are extremely hard and NO calculator. Very bad teacher and very bad grader!!!
TERRIBLE TEACHER! He does not explain things well at all. We never used the book just his own made handouts. He shows one easy example and gives you hard ones with way more steps that weren't explained. Tests are hard, class had a 60-70% average on all tests and you can't use a calculator. He does not care at all for students to succeed. DON'T TAKE
Bad, bad, bad, bad!!! Run away from him! Worst teacher isn't it??? He makes students to hate math and he strongly believes that that is lack of Algebra and not his talent to teach! Choose a different teacher who actually CAN teach! His tests are far away from material covered in class! Read the book and what is your question about this problem???
He is very difficult to understand. The homework is all online and difficult to complete sometimes. He doesn't use the book, he just makes handouts that can be very confusing. The tests are hard, even if you study from his handouts and most of the time you can't use calculators. When people asked questions he didn't answer them, most of the time.
DO NOT TAKE
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS!! He doesn't care AT ALL whether or not students succeed. Doesn't answer questions, assumes you already know everything. Not clear. Talks fast. very bad experience((( I wish I knew about this web-site before. Do not recommend at all!!
Nelson is very straight forward in the way he teaches. If you study, you should do fine on his tests as the questions are similar to those on the handouts we use in class. If you're looking for an instructor to hold your hand and baby you, move on. But, if you're looking for someone who knows his stuff, he's awesome!
I actually really respect Nelson as a person, he is great at math. He is straight frwd. But unfortunately I think he isn't great at articulating concepts. When he teaches, he reads the instructions and does the problems on his handouts. Outside of that, don't expect any more clarity. If you're like me, you'll be using a lot of math youtube videos.
This is the worst class I have taken. If you have never taken a calculus class DO NOT take his class. Hard tests! Hard Grader! Does not explain problems.
You will never get any feedback from this professor. You will type many complicated expressions into wamap and pray your syntax is correct. You will hear "if you don't know this, I can't help you" so often you'll question if you're working with a professional educator. Nelson knows his stuff, but it can't make up for his terrible communication. Run
He is one of the worst teachers EVER!! Even when you would go ask him for help he made you feel stupid and dumb. If you care about your grade, don't take this class. He can't teach at all, he skips several steps and students can hardly understand him. He also talks really fast and goes a very fast pace.
This teacher is God-awful. It is very difficult to understand him when he lectures, he skips steps when trying to explain problems, and his handwriting is highly illegible. I don't recommend him at all for any class.
never ever take this class
I like the way he teaches his students. I took a 3 hour night class for summer quarter and it was very tiring. However, Nelson is very helpful. If time is available, he will be delightful to re explain problems that are confusing to you. His tests are pretty tricky and he likes to takepoints off from small mistakes like when you forgot to put units
He is hard to understand sometimes so id recommend studying ahead so you have a much better understanding of what hes lecturing about, tests are not easy, average amount of homework. it wasn't so bad. Expect to study more then average. Use a lot of online resources to supplement lectures. practice both the wamap HW and textbook questions.
He explains things very briefly and expect you to know everything beforehand. His homework is the same, which is very tough and you will often find yourself wasting your time to guess the answer while hoping that it is the right one. Overall, if you don't know the stuff beforehand or you're taking the class for the 1st time, I'd not recommended it.
He's a great person who is really good at math. He does his best to answer questions but you have to be very specific about what you're asking and be very willing to ask questions. Tests are really hard but you can get through them if you do the HW questions and PRACTICE. Wouldn't recommend if it's your first time taking calculus
very helpful. very good. u r able to skip his class cause he doesn't take attendance.
Nice person. But that's about it. Very difficult to understand. And he has a hard time communicating with students. Great at Math, horrible at teaching.
Nelson is a such good teacher but the grading is hard. He makes his extra credit into the test. There are only 4 tests in his class(including final)(No quizs at all). If you fail the test means you fail your Gpa. His handout and the stuff in wamap are useful. Just work hard don't worry too much(i got 4.0 in this class)
I think the main problem of his lectures is his communication with the class. Very hard to understand his points. Not recommended for students that are average or below in math.
Overall he is a good teacher, his tests are not hard and he would like to answer your questions if you ask. And you don't need the textbook because he will give you the handouts.
Unless naturally gifted at math, AVOID! Easy HW but nothing like what's on tests. Test reviews are from book & many aren't in answer key so you can't verify. Class avg was 54-64% (w 10pts extra credit). Apparently this is common. Finals not on a regular class day, will not work with scheduling issues & automatic no credit if you don't take it.
Nelson is a great teacher. His lectures are very helpful. He expects students to know the basics though. His tests aren't hard if you know the material, but he does expect you to memorize a lot. He can be hard to understand at times, but he is very willing to answer questions.
Nelson is very patient while helping students. Class can be a bit dry but the concepts are clear. His handouts contain both theories and examples. The handouts are very helpful to prepare for exams. Attendance is not required, but it is better to go to each class because he is going over the key examples in class and they might occur in the exams.
Most of his lectures were very unclear and not helpful unless you have a tutor or someone else who actually knows the material and can do a better job explaining it. The class was really boring and hard to follow because of the way that he teaches. If you want to pass get a tutor and make sure you're in class every day.
Nelson does not lecture on the material. He expects students to read the chapter before class, and to learn through watching videos from the Webassign website. He had a condescending attitude towards mistakes and student questions in class. When asked for help, he would provide "hints" without explanations. 30% of students dropped the class.
He is a nice person and he is always ready to help you. But it is not a easy class. You have to work on your way or get help from math center to understand everything. Because he does not teach and explain every example in class. Homework is a bit harder than the class lectures.
Nelson is a good teacher. He is so organized. I totally understand all the lectures. He makes it simple by offering useful handouts.
Cant understand anything he says. He talks to you like you know the material instead of actually teaching it. He doesnt care if you get the right answers on tests, if they are not written the way he wants, which is in a sentence, he wont give you credit for it. Unless you want to mess up your gpa STAY AWAY!
Nelson is a little tough to understand as you will see through the previous reviews. He does expect you to know algebra by the time you enter this class, and if you do you will be fine. Between the in class work, tutor sessions and some hard work at home I did fine. I feel that he is preparing us for life in mathematics . Thank you Nelson!
Hard and tricky exams need so much attention with extra credits.
Despite the negative reviews, I think Nelson is a solid choice. His lectures are clear as he goes over and solves the handouts with a projector. Classes are fast-paced and he expects you to know basic algebra. He is willing and helpful during and outside of class. Grades are on homework (very easy) and 3 tests. 10 extra credit every test.
He deserves a better rating. I felt comfortable asking him questions and he was helpful. He is a really happy guy in class, and he gives a great opportunity in his class to do well.
the homework's he gives are way harder than what he teaches at class if not for the videos on wamap i would have failed doing so many home works. i think he did not personally like me for some reason as well.
don't take his class it is the worst. I almost swear for his class. worst worst worst don't take it. his personality is really bad more than you think
Attendance is not mandatory, but if you skip class, it will be hard for you to pass. Do the homework displayed on Wamap, and prepare well for the test. You will be graded only on two/three tests and the homework.
His summer class is very tough. It's 8 weeks long. He does not have time to answer questions about hw in class because "he has so much material to cover". He stresses multiple times that if you don't study outside of class you will fail. The last two tests were one week apart. HW is 100 pts, each test is 100pts. Total of 400pts.
Thick accent, hard to understand. Difficult to communicate with. Not very understanding or flexible. Generally a good person and silly. But hard to understand. He has high expectations for his students.
Tough grader, makes many mistakes.
Works too quickly. Will ask "does everyone have it?" Someone will say no and he'll continue on and not wait a few more seconds. Hard to talk to. I feel very uncomfortable asking him for help.
You'll have to teach yourself for the most part. If you're good at that, take his class.
As a very talented student at math, i got a 3.9. Although it's hard to understand words that came out of his mouth, but he's very willing to explain any questions you asked.
Nelson is what you want out of a teacher. He takes the time to make sure you understand the material and is available after class. He drops worst test score (awesome). He's a very happy and caring teacher. I would just make sure to practice or you'll have trouble, it is math...
This was a shock to me. I am your typical math whiz but I seriously have no idea what happened here. I am a total supporter of the abstraction of math (the reason why so many people hate it) but he actually explained everything (which is good for others) so I was lost. His accent may get in the way at times, but he has a very silly humor aha.
His tests were super difficult and he was unclear in his lectures. He was confused when he teached half the time so if there was a question he didn't know the answer to he just left us to figure it out on our own. He was by far the worst math teacher i ever had.
A really good professor
I think he is a good professor, he use the projector and calculate almost all the problems on the papers. His homework are not very easy but almost all of his homework include a video, so you can watch it for better understanding. Exams were easy, if you study everyday this class is awesome. He is from Hong-kong so his English is sometime thick.
He explains topics really well, and his homework is due once a week. But sometimes its hard to understand him, because of his accent.
Nelson is a great professor despite his accent. I find him to be very thorough when he teaches. He does frequent checks to make sure that students understand the topic. He also allows extra credit problems on tests which allow for higher grades. I would take his class again.
he gave me a lot of extra credit.
He is a great person and excellent instructor. Hope you guys can take the class with him
He is an great professor. He is also the best math teacher in GRC! He talks very clear and slow. I think he is perfect to teach international students
Wamap hw, due at 1159 pm. He only has two test which are at the testing center and one final that is in class. The exam and final are both weighted as same points. He also grades very hard on SIMPLYFING he requires it and you lose pts if you dont (0.1pts) He has an EE degree but loves teaching math hes good at giving advice to engineering students
I cant believe this class, he teaches really easy, hw easy, but on test its something else I wish I was prepared for how the test 1 was gonna look but I wasnt I am prepared now. He takes points away easily I lost 5 points on questions because I wrote a part wrong . Really? He also took 1 point away because I didnt simplify EnOuGh. The test is whack
perfect professor.
Nelson's a nice guy, but his teaching style doesn't work if you aren't already brilliant in math. The only learning he provides is one or two quick demonstrations of a problem, and then he moves on. I think he does this to try to save time, but every time I've taken his class he always runs behind schedule. I wish he would have us do more practice.
Nelson was such an amazing teacher! I am now in math142 and much prefer Nelson over the teacher I have now. He made sure to always clarify material and went over any questions in such a good way. He also gives up to 10% extra credit on tests and his class is very organized. I found that his accent wasn't hard to understand at all!
Nice teacher, he only gives online homework once a week, and you have unlimited attempts. Explains concepts pretty well in class, although sometimes he goes a little too fast (but you can just ask him questions in his office hours). He is picky about tests/written assignments, but as long as you copy the format of the handout you should be fine
Clearly understands math very well but does not know how to teach it. Assignments were difficult, as were the tests. Avoid taking math with this professor if possible.
great!!!
Nelson was such a good teacher. Very organized in lectures and a lot more caring and patient compared to other teachers. He took time to explain when people were confused. He grades fair despite what other reviews say. He offers a lot of extra credit. Don't underestimate him just because he has an accent, he explains concepts very well.
He gives 10 marks extra credit for every exam and I got easy 4.0 last quarter! And taking 151 with him for next quarter as well!!!
I love himmmm. perfect professor. every friends around me got4
Do not take this class if you actually want to pass. Goes way to fast, and does super basic problems but the tests and homework will be stuff you never went over. Whenever asked a question he will explain it to be even more complicated. I had no choice to take his class and I will hopefully pass with a C because of using the internet
this was the worst calc class i ever took, lecture and hw very easy, test is in testing center unlimted time but very hard, u barely get any points for attempting a problem, and if its not what exaclty he wants no points, I hated this class so much i thought i would ever be an engineer but i took calc 2 and passed with a 3.9, its not me its him >:(
The two comments below are absolutely correct! Easy but unrelated hw, too fast lecture, cannot understand lecture notes, no context for concepts, hard tests, zero points for even attempting a problem, and a condescending/mean attitude towards questions & mistakes! DO NOT recommend!
He is really humble and down to earth. And if you ever get lost here and there, GO TO HIS OFFICE cause he would explain the topic till one understands without any hesitation. He gives these handouts in class and I promise you, if you practice those paper and the reviews; 4.0 it is.
Every test went okie except for the finals, idk what he did there. But hey, he is a great teacher!
Amazing!!! Very kind and caring! Speaking as a person who usually struggles with math, he explains concepts very clearly and provides ample opportunities to ask questions. I took advantage of office hours because he would spend as much time as necessary working with me and never made me feel like any of my questions were dumb (even if they were).
If you are not a Math person, Don't take his class. His lecture was so fast and confusing and he assumed that everyone understood. He was frustrated and seemed like having an attitude when I visited his office with a bunch of questions about the lecture even he was the one suggested me that I should come to the office if I have questions.
DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS!! I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE HIS CLASS
He will you make you hate calculus so much his tests are very difficult the final was the worst thing i have taken in my life. There was 2 pages on related rates which is the worst section and difficult part of Calculus 1. ppl in class told him no, but he I was supprised and couldn"t beleive my eyes. I cried but I passed with a low B. NEVER AGAIN
This class will you make u question your career especially if you are in STEM related or just taking this class for a prerequisite. I will never recover from the nightmare and ptsd I had in this class and how bad I was doing on the test and going to mlc everyday for understanding. I can say it gets easier dont let him get to u :'((( u'll hate
Nelson's style of teaching is learn by doing, which I greatly appreciate. He gives extra credit on every test and late passes for homework and assignments if you need some extra time. The material can be rigorous, but he presents it well and will help during office hours to make sure you understand it. Show up, put in some effort, get an A.
He is a very good teacher You don't need to go to class that often as all of his lectures are posted on wamap He has three tests and 1 final He is a difficult grader on certain things but he gives a bunch of extra credit on tests He had three late passes for my classes and for each test we were allowed to use a notecard, three for final Easy A
Honestly I think he was a good/mediocre teacher. His accent isnt that hard to understand. His whole class everyday is just lecturing but I think he teaches well but math is not my strong subject so I had a hard time a lot. He doesnt take attendance but I would suggest going to class to make sure you understand everything. Fair amount of homework.
Professor Phouphakone teaches in a way that makes the curriculum easy to understand and is very helpful when students have questions. I highly recommend spending an hour or two on his practice tests, though it isn't necessary to complete the whole thing. If you pay attention during lectures and ask questions, you'll be fine.
I took his Math&142 class and it was the worst class Ive ever taken at Green River. He has a very strong accent that makes it hard to understand, and it didnt help that his handwriting was horrible as well. He was not helpful whatsoever, I tried asking him questions and he would give me barely any feedback. I was so confused the entire quarter.
Just a disclaimer, I am an A student and always on top of my work. Last quarter of math I received an A and it was Pre-calc one, and this quarter I am doing much worse and I know it is not me. He doesn't answer questions fully and doesn't let you make up anything. Overall worst math teacher I've ever had, I would NOT recommend taking from him ever.
I took him as an online class, all of the stuff was on wamap, there was frequent homework but it was not very hard and he put videos attatched to each question on how to do it. I'm planning on taking his calculus class as well, a very nice person.
He is really good professor. He is really awesome and his explain was really easy to understand. I just recommend to take his class. He is really kind, and when I had some test problem, he tried to help me. Homework was not too much just enough. If you do not like math, you should take his class because he explained so good.
Unless you know how to do calculus on your own, the homework and tests are pretty difficult. This was my second time having him for the same course and he changed how he taught and it was difficult to catch onto.
Overall he is a good teacher. I really enjoyed being in his class. The only thing to keep in mind before choosing this professor is that he has a slight accent, making it hard to understand sometimes. Other than that, he is an amazing teacher.
He's the best math teacher in GRC. I know people complain about his accent but it's not a big deal. He's very nice, his packages are very important. The packages contain all the concepts, just fill it up and review it before the test. HWs on wamap are not heavy. If you do all the works, you can get at least 3.5.
He's just critic a little in showing works. However, overall, he's easy, and he will give you a chance to remake things.
Mr. Phouphakone is a very nice, helpful, and informative teacher. I took his class online during COVID and I had no trouble learning all the material. The homework is on wamap and he gives extra credit on tests, and he has prerecorded lectures that you can pause and rewatch at any time. Overall amazing teacher and probably my favorite class!
in the class description we were supposed to have meetings every day but ended up only having four by the end of the quarter. Super hard test grader have to do every problem EXACTLY how he does it. Hes all right with communication and there is normally two homework assignments per week. He drops your lowest test grade. Only 4 tests witch final.
If you want to enjoy your time as a math student, DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR. This professor is by hard the worst I have ever taken. He uploads videos and expects us to understand it from them. His accent makes it harder to understand what hes saying. The tests are nothing like the practice, and through COVID he is very tough on students.
He explains the step-by-step solution of example questions clearly. You can choose either just learning from his handout or from his lecture video. HW is average, and so are the exams. One week 2-3 HW. Questions in the exam are similar to the HW. Extra credit in every exam could help you in the grade.
Id only recommend professor Phouphakone if you already have a strong background in math. During COVID were only given lectures to watch, which can be difficult. Luckily, homework isnt too bad as long as you dont procrastinate. Work the problems on the provided packages if you want to do well on the tests (theyre definitely hard).
When I first took his class, I was afraid because of the bad reviews but turns out he's an amazing teacher. There are only three exams and on every exam there is a bonus point which helps a lot. Usually there are 2-3 WAMAP hw that are due in a week and his tests are similar to the hw and lecture problems. Show some effort and you'll get an A!
Online class due to COVID. I work full time and spend 10-15 hours per week doing homework for this class alone. There are no lectures, no notes to digest and show a problem progression, or videos. Just tons of homework and self teaching via Youtube. 0 credit if you don't do the problem based on the vague standard he grades by.
I'm honestly going to say that this professor/class is the worst math class I have ever taken in my entire 20 years of living. Sorry not sorry, never seen such a tough grader. Lectures make no sense, I search Youtube most of the time for help. I just wanted this quarter to end ASAP!
This teacher is the worst, he grades in the most strict manner I have seen throughout my college life. If the answers are not exactly as he writes in his memo then you will get it wrong even if your solution makes sense. There is no study material except some short lectures he pre-recorded. I would not recommend that anyone take this guy.
Do homeworks ahead of time and try to complete the papers he gives to prepare for tests. An easy A+.
Worst professor i've ever had. Three homework assignments a week, and three exams. Tests are timed with 1 hr to do 8-12 problems. With that math, you are expected to spend 6-8 minutes on a problem when they can take at least 10. Most questions had subquestions in them. Exams aren't like HW either. I wouldn't recommend him if math isn't your forte.
Taken Summer 2021. Lots of homework per week, and three total tests. Tests are timed and never enough time to complete all the problems on the Test. Barely passed the course by studying 6+hours a day until the final exam
Terrible professor. The lectures are prerecorded from may of 2020 and he still uses them and have little to no connection to either the homework or exam questions and the time given to complete them is incredibly short compared for the work required. When emailed for help, Nelson is the single least helpful professor I've seen. DO. NOT. TAKE.
When i took him for online, his recorded lectures don't cover all the questions that relate to homework. So i really learned more from the wamap website than i did from him. His class is hard because of that. If you can learn independently then this class is right for you.
Calculus is already somewhat difficult, but taking the class online was a struggle. He has an accent which shouldn't be too much of a problem, but his explanations for math problems were difficult to understand. This class gave me my worst grade (B) and I was extremely bothered by his class setup, but at least he's friendly and willing to help you.
Awful. He handles very easy problems in the lecture. However, problems in WAMAP assignments and tests are so extremely difficult and not being related to the lecture. We have to think and find answers ourselves and It seems not even what I learned. Tests include only the hardest problem in the chapters. Also, he re-used the lecture of the last qtr
Harsh teacher. I emailed him asking for ways to help my grade in the class and to communicate that I was struggling in his class. He didn't reply. No help at all. You get assignments and youtube videos to help teach you, but they don't do much. Good luck if you take this class. But I recommend against it.
Im giving 2 stars instead of 1 because hes a nice person and thats it. His lectures ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND. Its not because of his accent, its how he explains/delivers the concepts. You have to Youtube search most of your homework (like 95% of them). Also an extremely tough grader. I wonder if anyone ever got an A in his class.
Ive NEVER struggled this much in math. His lectures are only for giving you a heads up for whats coming at you. Online resources are your best friend. His class isnt the worse but theres definitely more enjoyable classes out there so do yourself a favor.
Guys chill out on the negative reviews. Even though he is a bit tough on grading BUT hes amazing. If youre struggling, go to his office hours and ask for help. He will explain until you understand completely. Hes a genuine and caring person and will help you to succeed in his class if you seek for help. I have no regrets taking his class.
75% of your grades rely on 3 tests which he will definitely mark you for things that he doesn't like. 25% is homework which is semi-easy but not really because his lectures are youtube videos that are hard to understand and barely teach you at all. This is basically self-taught calculus except for the fact that his exams want you to do it HIS way.
I truly hated his class. His tests were a much higher difficulty than the hw he would have assigned. you have like 3 big tests that cost a huge amount of your grade. Not enough time to complete them either. You are basically teaching yourself if you're working and can't come in during his free hours, and using youtube.
I had a 2 year gap between school and this was my first online class. I had trouble on my first test getting an awful score because I didn't understand the format the answers needed to be in. tests are 2 hours but need time taken to print and submit. tests have extra credit, but I've never been able to answer all the question.
He is a good person, but apart from that, his class was really difficult because of the exams. His lectures don't help you learn or do your homework. Your grade mostly relies on 3 tests. I don't advise others to take his class, but if you decide to, then good luck!
He's alright.
Just don't take him. You will NOT pass at all. He made my grade go down so much by nitpicking things on tests and he doesn't even explain things properly in his lectures. He only goes over the easy questions and never the hard ones, he reuses lectures from 2020, and his tests are WAY different from the lectures and practices.
If math is your weak subject DO NOT take him! It's so hard to learn in his class and he is a tough grader on tests. Unless you're willing to pay someone who's good at math to do your work DO NOT take him. You won't learn anything. The only plus is that he gives out 1-2 assignments per week and that is it.
You should not take this professor. Calculus is a hard subject and its difficult to learn just from videos. If you work, its even harder to maintain this class as you cant attend office hours. He is particular about the way you do things on tests but assignments have unlimited tries on WAMAP. Would not recommend this class to anyone who wants an A.
I'm going to be straight up with you. If you are average at math do not take his class. This teacher is a tough grader and doesn't teach you properly, rather, you will learn primarily through youtube videos.
Overall wayyyy too test heavy. Does offer extra credit on tests. But if you think you can do well in the class despite the bad reviews, good luck. Impossible to please him. Used outside resources on tests and still couldnt do as well as I wanted.
He's a kind person but a horrible teacher. It doesn't matter if you do well on your homework assignments, your grade depends entirely on how well you do on your tests. His lectures are unhelpful and unclear, his test is all just one big pdf where you can barely read the problems, and the questions on the test are never the same as the homework.
i took him during winter quarter and do. not. take. him. i shouldve dropped his course and listened to my friends but i didnt so dont do the same mistake as me. especially if math isnt ur strongest subject, id definitely don't recommend u taking him. only took his class bcs it was the only one thts avail, homeworks are easy but tests r hard 2 pass
I don't understand all of these bad ratings for him. He's a nice professor even though his test it's hard, but as long as you study, you can get a good grade. He offers extra credit for each of the exams. Lastly, he is a considerate person. So please be wise when giving a rating because it scared me at first, and it turns out he's not that bad.
DO NOT take him as your math teacher. I am normally a straight A student, yet my grade was so bad I had to take pass/no credit so it wouldn't hurt my GPA. Only graded on three test and homeworks. Teaching is super confusing during lectures and his bad handwriting and accent are difficult to understand. Worst teacher I've ever had.
I hated this teacher so much. I cannot begin with you. He taught things that weren't in the homework, nor on the tests. Please, do not ever take his class at all, it is terrible. I took all the notes I could and to be honest I did not learn anything. It was a waste of time. Please listen to these reviews and do not take his classes ever.
This professor is very strict (don't expect exceptions if your tech equipment goes wrong) and extremely tough on grading (he deducted a point because I wrote 3=x in a timed test instead of x=3). His lecture basically goes through the worksheets instead of teaching, you would have to read the textbook and jot notes on your own. I DO NOT RECOMMEND.
I don't know why is everyone saying he is awful. I think he is a good teacher. During quizzes, he let us use notes (a small piece of cardboard). And also after quizzes, he asks us how hard was the test, and if it needs to be easier. The only bad thing about him is that sometimes he goes too fast when he wants to teach lectures.
He is a very nice person but as a teacher he is nothing that good
His lectures are really boring. The exams make up the most points, and you have to prepare a lot before taking the exam because his problems are quite difficult. He does give extra credits though, and he's also willing to help you solve the problem during his office hours.
He explains concepts and examples logically and has unlimited time to try questions in his WAMAP homework. He also gives lecture notes. It's convenient to check something that you aren't sure about. I was kind of worried about my grade when I had to choose his class, seeing his rating is not so good. But it's surprising how good of a teacher he is.
The best way to describe this teacher is OK. He wasn't the best but nowhere near the worst. I took Calculus 1 while working 40 hours a week during the summer, and he was very much willing to work with me when I couldn't complete assignments on time. He isn't the best at explaining things. But his lectures, although long, were helpful.
Please don't take his class. I screwed up. There are three test in a quarter but each test has huge percentage. The tests are 100 point each so if you screw one test than your whole grade will be down do D- . I was straight A+ student before I met him. Think well guys.
Although a tough grader and sometimes hard to understand, he is a very good teacher. Nelson explains things very well and presents it in a way that is understandable. He answers any questions you have and also can help during the office hours. The homework is also very helpful because you have examples and videos to help you with the problems.
Best math teacher.
Was always willing to work with you. Would definitely recommend him.
His Math151 class I took this winter quarter was wonderful, both the lectures and the way he delivered them.He always goes around class whenever we do exercises to check wether we understand them or not. Also, the test won't be difficult if you take a look at things to know for the test he posted. I highly recommend choosing him for Math 151 class.
Nelson is one of my favorite teachers here at the college. His lectures are always very helpful, and he introduces the material in a way that makes sense, and gives great examples of how to do problems in class. He is very kind and makes sure to answer any questions you may have, and does so effectively.
I like his teaching style. He is good at explaining when students patiently listen to. He even gives extra credits once and you can ask assignments' problems in the class. He explains those problems before the lecturer starts. As long as you follow his instruction carefully, you can pass the exam with good grades. He is kind by the way.
This teacher is absolutely amazing. He was caring and he explains things well. He moves rather quickly so make sure to not miss any lectures. His office hours are always packed but very helpful he lets you just sit there and do homework. His test practice problems are exactly like what is on the test.
Mr. P is a very nice guy. He teaches pretty well but his class is set up with very few assignments and is mostly test based. Other math classes include participation assignments or quizzes. It is hard to keep your grade up sometimes when 75% of your grade is based on three tests. Overall, he is pretty accessible and clear in his lectures.
He is such a great teacher I took him a couple quarters and I'm taking him for math 142 and he's still amazing. Super fun lectures will explain anything no matter how dumb and he will Work with you for anything!
I'm taking Nelson for Math1 42 for the second time because his class is super great I'm retaking the class just to get a better grade but he's still great and fun and cares alot about you and how well you understand the class. He is super nice and no question is to stupid, helps with homework and his lectures are easy to understand
He is nice and cares a lot about student. Homework is difficult, and his class is test heavy though, so you should take great effort preparing a lot for exams, but he gives extra credits for every exam, and he is always willing to help you if you don't understand something about the lectures.
I would do anything to never have Nelson again. I've had him for two classes now (both online). Both times he reused video lectures from 2020 and assigned 2-3 homework assignments per week with an inconsistent amount of problems (it's either 18 problems or 9, no middle ground). He also answers emailed questions with a question that doesn't help.
bunch of extra credit
Not very good at writing exams; the exam questions did not reflect homework questions. 3 exams are 75% of ur grade. my class's exam averages were ~70%. Lectures were difficult to understand. HW wasn't bad (10x2 questions per week). Gave out non-graded worksheet+answer sheet which was helpful and was kind enough to give our class lots of late passes
He's a nice and fun instructor. His lectures were very clear and always helps with the homeworks every day. But the grades rely a lot on tests so just practice the assignments and the problems he provided.
Prof Phouphakone really knows Calculus. He's not the best teacher but also by far not the worst. He explains it fairly well in his videos. The grading criteria is clear and fair. He definitely expects you to put the work in, and you will need to learn calculus! There is no way around it. There's no faking it here, he will see right through you.
While Professor P is very nice, he is an extremely tough grader and his class is very test heavy. His lectures were also often times unclear and he tended to assume we just knew things that we were going over.
Professor P's MATH151 class is challenging, but if you put in the effort and utilize study resources like Unstuck AI, you can succeed. Attend lectures, review the material, and you'll learn a lot.
A lot of people on this said that he wasn't that great of a professor and I'm going to have to disagree with that. Mr. P is super chill and really doesn't have that much that he asks of you. Finish your homework and do the packets he gives out in class and its a pretty easy to understand class. He also gave us candy on Halloween. love this guy
I'm almost at the end of Nelson's Math151 class and it's turning out to be alright. I was extremely doubtful in the beginning and I didn't understand lectures. But once I decided to put in extra work studying concepts, it became very easy. He is good. You need to know the concepts before he talks about them to understand in-class. Please study.
I have read the reviews and it seems that he is a great professor for in-person classes. I took an online class, I did amazing on the homework and practice questions but got less than a C on every test.The exam questions did not at all reflect the practice or homework questions. If your taking an online math class DO NOT choose this professor.
Professor P tries to create a relaxing atmosphere in the classroom. I learned he is kind and very chill after knowing him a bit more. If you face difficulties on certain topics, always ask him any questions until you understand. Test and exam questions are easy if you practice questions in the textbook and his notes.
Math is my worst subject but Nelson was very merciful to me. He'll give me at least some points on the exam on questions I didn't do well on. He was always ready to help and he's very kind. He has good lectures in person and I personally didn't have any problems with his accent! There are very few exams in this class, so try ur best not to screw up
Calculus was always going to be hard no matter the professor. Nelson's lectures are a tad unclear and he moves extremely fast. He always answers questions about homework. He grades with partial points and goes in depth when you have questions. You can use notecard on the tests. I won't take him again because I'm lecture-dependent, but he's not bad.
Nelson is great if you put effort into class and practice math problems. You would actually learn calculus from him. He provides extra credit in his tests which is nice. He is a nice guy, so don't hesitate to ask him questions. He would answer your questions even if they might be long.
I took Math151,152 with Instructor Nelson. I love him, he's truly my fav instructor. His teaching style is clear, starting from simple to complex concepts. He is dedicated, friendly, and always supports students. He offers extra credit opportunities, but you still need to put in the effort. If I had to choose again, I'd pick him without hesitation.
I have Professor Phouphakone for online pre-calc. I thought even though it was an online class there would at least be recorded lessons or such, not just assignments. And our exams do not reflect the assignments, many times I'd get questions that never even showed up once on an assignment, and it brought my grade down by a lot..
Professor P is passionate about the subject. However, several challenges made this class difficult. The professor provides examples in class, but its easier than problems on the exams. Lectures move very quickly, and he assumption students already know the material. Grading is exam heavy, there are no opportunities for extra credit work.
Nelson was a very good professor. He gave many opportunities to get 100% in homework, gave multiple extra credit options, and gave many resources to practice for tests. Yes, there were many things he wasn't able to teach us, and he only showed easier questions, but there was so much that he needed to teach and was already behind most of the time.
He was very good at explaining things. He has a thick accent, but once you get used to it, the explanations are good enough to teach a five year old.
Nelson is a really nice professor, and I found his class extremely easy for such an infamously difficult subject; however, you must teach yourself the material! Although he is nice, and not a very tough grader, I got nothing out of his lectures. Plan to read and take notes on the book yourself and you'll do just fine.
His lectures can be kind of confusing because he can jump around between a lot of things. But his tests are relatively easy to what we were learning in class and the homework. The final was really easy compared to the other tests and what we had learned throughout the quarter.
He's a good guy but frankly dont take this class w him. He does a very poor job of explaining things. I genuinely think I was lost the entire time. I stopped looking both ways when crossing the street omw to this class in hopes to get hit by a car. I dont know how I passed. He has a accent but not too bad, and he lets u use notcards on tests.
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35%
Textbook Required
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