Take notes to overcome boredom. He is somewhat intimidating so don't think you can ask stupid questions. Lectures are solid. Exams are ****es. Study hard and he buries the answers in his lectures.

Very helpful and knows the information. Class can be boring at times, but I learned a lot.

This was a fun class. I really enjoyed the material and learning about storms. Make sure to study the material and the class will be less confusing.

It was a hard class, but Paul was passionate and such a good speaker. He's also a great guy which made it easier to come to class!

Very difficult subject but Paul is a nice guy. The class is rough as well as the tests but the subject is really interesting.

Great teacher, helpful out of class. Can get into weather jarkin before you can understand it. Need to know calculas but can learn on the fly.

Paul is the king of all weather dorks! He makes us all feel good about ourselves, by slapping us around and saying motivational things like "Stop Crying and do your school work!" "You call yourself a Meteorology Major!?" He is AWESOME!!! We love our fearless leader!!!

STOP crying and do your work! If you want to learn, take the class..if you want to be LAZY..don't. Paul is a teacher that knows his *HIT and he will teach (that's why he's a teacher)you everything about the weather. Take notes, do homework, and STUDY..you will get a good grade..and learn something.

He is an AWSOME weather NERD. He knows everything about weather and has *ALLS to be a storm chaser. He is not one of those Lazy teachers that only knows things because they studied about the subject, he knows about storms because he is out there chasing them. Experience is a big plus in my book.

This was the best class I ever took at COD. Paul is amazing. He expects a lot and makes you work for your A but it is so worth it. 2 years later I can still tell you the 6 step process of wind speed :) Awesome, challenging and a whole lot of fun!!! (How many teachers do raps about water particles?)

be prepared to work, and to stand up and make weird gestures with your hands, and to spend a ton of money on paper, but he is very helpful, tests are very hard, he is funny and tells great stories

he's great, but tough..

great teacher...even though he's a cubs fan

Great teacher, tough work. Worth every second!!!

Great instructor, really challenges your thinking, and helps you acheive better than your best!

This man is amazing. Truly a genius on all accounts. He's literally, always right. A wonderful class taught by a wonderful instructor. The class is kinda tough, but if you can keep up, you'll be fine. Enjoy!

This professor is incredible. Perhaps one of my favorite teachers I've ever had. You have to be prepared to put in the time to get an A. But he "weights" his grading, so if you get a B, it shows up as an A on your GPA. He makes sure you understand everything, and the class is enjoyable because you are actively learning. He knows about everything!

Material isn't easy and you really have tp put in some time. Paul is a great teacher and truly wNts students to benefit from his classes

The class itself was very hard but Paul was amazing! He made the class so much fun and really helped us understand the hard to grasp ideas. He is by far one of the best professors I've had. He knows how to relate to and read in to his students and that is something so many teachers just don't have a clue on.

Paul is one of the best professors i have ever had his work is hard but its because he wants you to apply yourself. Has a repore with the students like no other tacher i have ever seen this is why students return to go on his storm chases year after year. not easy to get an A in his class because you really have to push yourself.

Paul is by far the best teacher i have ever had. Really cares for his stdnts and that you learn. This is the guy that showed up for a study sesn with his students at omega on EASTER! i have never cared for a class more or have tried as much. Guys like paul are few to none and you would be stupid to NOT take this course oh rock falls

This professor is one of my favorite ones at COD. Take him if you can, you won't regret it. His classes are fun, and if you want they can easily go off on unrelated tangents.

Paul is AMAZING!!! People used to think that he would be a scary teacher just because of all the T's and K's in his last name haha...the class was amazing, loved the people, he was very helpful, you have to ask questions, he joked around, made fun of you, but it was all out of good fun! Make fun of his bald spot, he likes that. MENTION THE BRM!!!!!

One of the hardest classes I have ever taken. Intermediate is definitely not for everyone, but Paul is the greatest teacher. He lets you know he believes in you and he pushes you to do what he knows you are capable of. He REALLY knows how to explain things. You will work your butt off, but it is definitely worth it. Thanks Paul!

Tough class, great teacher. He met up with students from 9-11 pm to help them study and understand the content better. He also came in early one morning. Very dedicated to his students. Pushes them to study and makes us ask questions. Interesting class.

If you take this class, you'll learn alot. If you're science-minded, this class will be moderately easy. But if you're not, this will probably be the hardest class you've taken. It requires alot of studying for the A. Paul is a great teacher who really cares about his students understanding the material and w/o Paul, this class would be boring.

Paul's main goals for any of his classes, is to challenge you to learn better, and be a better a student. As with many other fellow classmates, we expected this class to be easier than 1115. But it wasn't. Expect more homework than 1115 and more confusion in 2115 than 1115. If you have a heavy courseload, don't take this class.

This class was hard. It was the hardest i have ever worked for a C! However, Paul is AMAZING! he cared so much about everyone! He is one of those teachers I thank for pushing me that hard. It is the lowest grade on my transcript but its probably the hardest one i worked for. Paul really taught me how to study.He will be hard to forget!

If you want a challenge, this is the class for you. If you are science minded this is the class for you. If you don't meet the above two this will probably be the hardest class you have ever taken. He is very helpful with the students that ask for it however.

Paul is the best teacher I have ever had in my entire life. He puts in the time and effort to make everyone grasp all of the information he presents during class. He truly wants everyone to succeed and if your struggling he wants to meet with you to try and help you succeed. truly cares about his students. Tests are not bad if you go to class.

He was a great teacher who had a great sense of humor and worked hard to get us to understand the material. He was one of the best teachers I've ever had.

He is incredibly knowledgeable about weather. If you want to do well in this class, then you are going to have to go in for extra help. He really teaches you how to think, and how to learn. If you can do well in this class, then you can do well in any class.

He is the best teacher I have had coming hear for the last 3 semesters at 18 credit hours each. The material he teaches can be hard. This class is great for Met Majors. You need to know your acronyms and you have to study. This class is a time commitment, but is worth it. If you can do well in this class then you can do well in any class at COD.

wonderful teacher! great guy, easy to talk to, very willing to help. great classroom atmosphere. learn from other students, ask questions. very relaxed deadlines. great class even for those not the least bit interested in weather forecasting. lots of fun!!!

He gives a lot of information in class but he'll go over it as many times as it takes for his class to understand it. As long as you tell him when you don't understand something and ask questions it's not too hard. He's really funny too!

Paul is such a great teacher; and he knows weather inside & out. This class is challenging. You'll have to think in ways you aren't used to if you have no background in science. As long as you're studying and putting in your best effort, he will make sure you succeed. I got an A for the semester. Class is definitely worth taking.

Loved, loved, loved him. He's a great teacher. He's really passionate about what he does and it makes class that much more fun. By far my favorite class I've taken at COD. The class isn't easy, but if you're willing to work hard then he is more than willing to work with you.

Paul was my FAVORITE teacher at COD so far! He is extremely helpful and I have never learned so much in a class before. He makes it fun and interesting and bring out the inner nerd you never knew you had! SO happy I took his class! :) I even miss going to it every morning!

Awesome teacher!! Funny and very passionate about what he does and Great with helping outside of class!

He is a good instructor no doubt. Knows his stuff and is passonate. But, he does like to call people out. Which can be kind of embarrassing. A lot of work in this class so be ready. If you don't mind this sort of thing then this class is for you. I dropped this class because this wasn't my thing.

great teacher. Lots of reading, so be prepared.

Paul is by far the BEST teacher I have ever had. If you pay attention and ask questions then you will do great. That being said effort needs to be put forth to succeed in his classes! I have learned more from his teaching, than I have at my 4year university. AMAZING TEACHER, TRUELY WANTS YOU TO SUCCEED, VERY FUNNY+ENTERTAINING! VERY SCIENCE BASED.

Hard class. Awesome teacher though. He's such a neat person. But difficult class. You have to study a LOT and the tests are killer.

Paul Sirvatka is the best professor you will ever have! I took this class in 1989. I have 5 degrees. I finished my education with an MBA from U of I U.C. I have read the other reviews and agree with those that emphasize how challenging and passionate Paul is with his class. He has my vote for life time award for teaching. Take this class!

Paul is BY FAR the best teacher I have ever had. His class is very difficult but he will do anything in his power to help you. I'm sure that if I had taken someone else instead of Paul, I would not be doing so well. He's funny and truly cares about everyone. To him, his students are like his children. I highly recommend him.

Paul is by far the best teacher! he truely wants to make sure his students understand the topic I am very glad i got to take this class!

Passionate, but sometime unclear in what his question is but he is open to criticism. Definitely go for it. Not that hard. 84% is an A for most of his classes.

He is an amazing guy. He makes his classroom such a comfortable environment and he really cares about his students and strives to help them pass the class. Yes the class is very hard, especially if you aren't interested in weather. But if you are, this class is worth the time. It is complex stuff but he will make sure you understand it.

As a professor, Paul is great. He is willing to help people who ask for it. He cares about his students, and genuinely wants you to pass. This class is difficult. If you miss a day, you miss a lot. You have to work REALLY hard. Don't take this class if you won't put the work in. Just don't.

Best teacher I've ever had. This is a difficult class, but if you are willing to work, it is definitely worth the effort. Paul is incredibly passionate about weather and learning in general. He will go out of his way to help if you make the effort to ask for it. I will miss going to his class next semester.

I have yet to have a teacher who is so involved in the material as he is. If you don't get something, ASK! Can't stress that enough; he is always willing to stop and explain. Study hard for tests on top of that and you'll surely pass. He is very kind and so funny, you won't be bored often. Make sure you stay awake!

Paul is a great teacher, but you need to do your assignments and study! He is very passionate about this course, so you have to actually care about this class. It was very difficult and it took a lot of time and studying, but I got a B! If you are interested in weather and actually reading and doing quizzes at home.

Paul is a great teacher. He really cares about his students and wants everyone to be successful. Don't miss class, make sure to study, and you will do fine. There are some opportunities for extra credit in his class. Story time is the best time!

Paul is an amazing person and teacher. That said, severe and unusual weather is a HARD class. Believe me, its not "Look at that cloud, its going to rain!". Its physics and math and a lot of abstract material. I do believe intro to meteorology should be a prereq for this class as it was really hard at first to just get thrown into the material.

Paul is such an awesome professor and person in general! He is very personable and willing to help anyone. His specialty is figuring out how to find different ways to teach a topic when people don't understand. He's hilarious and goes off on tangents, but you still learn more from this class than probably any other class. Tough class, but worth it!

Paul is a highly knowledgeable, well rounded teacher. He teaches on many different levels, too reach all participants, strengthening learning skills, and preparedness in life lessons, a bonus. His lectures are extremely interesting, interactive, and creative. He inspires you to learn more about his subject than you thought was your interest.

Paul is a great guy. He wants you to succeed. I took Intro to Meteorology and loved it. Paul thinks everyone has potential. This is good and bad. He overestimates just how good you really are, as evidenced by this brutal class. I was the one of two people with a strong calculus background and even I struggled bigtime. Be ready to work for it.

Paul is a great teacher. His lectures are challenging because he really wants to prepare you to be successful in the future. He will make you work hard but if you like meteorology it won't seem so bad.

Paul is a well respected teacher by many students. Intermediate Meteorology is a very tough class. If you miss any classes, you need to get the material that night or the following day or you will be left behind and it's very hard to catch up. If you have an issue, Paul will help you when he's available.

Paul knows a lot about meteorology. His classes are challenging but he will always work with you if you need it. He also encourages us to work together in the weather lab and he'll come and help out sometimes.

Paul is such a great teacher. Severe & unusual weather is a hard class and if you want to do well, you will have to work for it. But the content is very useful and interesting and Paul makes classes so enjoyable. He really wants to see everyone succeed, so if he sees you putting in hard work, he will do all he can to make sure you pass the class.

Took 1119 since it doesnt require math. First unit is difficult but it gets better as the semester goes on. Textbook is really reading from a website which can get a little unorganized. Overall I learned alot.

Mr. Sirvatka expects more than the average teacher, but he works to ensure everyone understands the material. Be prepared to put in a lot of work but get a lot in return. I think I learned as much about life as I did about severe weather. Easily the most caring and hardworking professor I've had so far. Such a great guy!

OKAY.. So He is a great teacher.. I mean really love him as a person, he's hilarious and definitely gives the vibe of "I'm not one of those regular teachers... Im a cool Teacher" and I think he's great! but..... His class.. HARD, if you don't do the homework or study.. YOU WILL FAIL.. He's also very unorthradox in his way of teaching..

*Not a blow-off class**I suggest taking physics before or during this class* He is a great teacher, very passionate, and keeps things interesting. Tests are difficult but offers plenty of EC on tests and for random things. Organization and participation are key, but overall an interesting class. Show up and study and you will do fine.

Probably my fav class I've taken & it's not even over yet. This class forces you to work hard & make friends and Paul's always there if you need help. As long as you come to class regularly & take notes you're guaranteed at least a C. Never been so motivated to do well, Paul is hilarious and makes every class fun and enjoyable.

Paul is really passionate about what he teaches. However, he expects you to attend EVERY class. Even if you are getting a 99% in the class he will NOT pass you if your attendance is bad. When you do attend class, ask questions and act interested and he will love you. Theres a lot of reading involved so be prepared to take good notes.

Man. What can I say. He's an expert, he loves what he teaches. Hes had 30+ of teaching and storm chasing. He really knows his stuff and really knows how students learn and adapts to it well. THAT BEING SAID. This course was one of the hardest i have ever taken. Lots of work to be done, and a lot to understand. You get the grade you work forGoodGuy

After going to his class he was a very good professor in the sense of getting the fundamentals understanding down. He had been a little tough on the grading and wasnt the nicest of times. But overall if you wont a professor that works with you at the top program in the nation Id pick him again even though he is a hard professor.

Paul is an amazing professor. He really cares about his students and is always willing to talk about anything going on, even if it isn't school related. Show up, do all of your assignments and actually take the time to study and participate in class and you are going to do well. I would highly recommend any of his classes!

I took this class because I had to, and although the material was difficult and you truly had to put the work in (but you have to do that I college) I thoroughly enjoyed going to Paul's class when I had it. Be sure to take good notes during class because that's where he gets his test questions.

One of the best classes this year. All you have to do is show up, do your outline and participate in class. So fun to learn how people forecast and it is great to know what is going on in terms of large scale weather patterns. There were no tests but you are expected to participate in class.

Paul is a professor that wants to see you succeed. He is always available to coach you when you are struggling. Attendance is very important because his lectures are the key to success. If you pay attention in class, take good notes, and outline the chapters thoroughly, you will succeed. He offers extra credit if you go to the monthly AMS meetings.

Love Paul. Great Professor! The Class is tough as balls so don't take it. He's hot so i'd smash i guess

Paul is a teacher that truly wants you to succeed and teach you how to truly learn material in class, whether its in his class or future class. His class is one of the tougher classes if you are not good at science. However, he is always willing to help and stresses each student to ask questions and work with their peers to find a solution.

Im going to keep it real with you. If you put in the effort and participate in class, he will throw you a bone when he can. If you stay after and ask him a Q, he will be happy to help you. If your idea of studying is rereading notes, you will fail. If you cry easily, you wont like Paul. If youre taking this as a blowoff class, good luck!

The course was hard, and I wouldnt recommend it unless its your major, however Prof. Sirvatka is an excellent teacher, and if he werent so enthusiastic about what he teaches, I likely would have failed this class. But he is incredibly patient and doesnt get flustered when students dont get the material, and he makes each class enjoyable.

Paul is an amazing professor. He is very passionate about what he does and teaches and does a great job of getting the students to care about the class. I didn't expect to care about "weather and impact preparedness" but i found it fun. Every assignment is due every monday by the beginning of class. Tests? just study. lots of note taking online

Weather Impacts 8wk summer. Very knowledgeable, enthusiastic guy who tells it like it is. I wasn't bored in his 3hr class. Material is very complex and he wants you to get it but often flies over your head. YOU MUST do the homework/modules AND take thorough notes to pass. Cares immensely about his students but man, this is not a blow off class.

Hands down my favorite professor ever! He keeps the class engaged and has an amazing sense of humor. I wish he taught all my classes.

Paul's class is hard. Super hard. But, he is a great prof, he wants you to learn and understand. So he can be harsh, but he will work with you to help you. There are a lot of concepts to learn, but get a study group (so worth it!). If you are willing to put in work you'll get a B or higher. It taught me a lot about work ethic & class participation.

Great teacher, hard class. He wants you to understand it so he's receptive to questions and encourages questions. Comes off strong but, he's great. A lot of reading and effort. The class is hard, but interesting and worth the work. If you're looking for an easy class this is NOT it, look elsewhere. If you are willing to work and read, this is it.

This class has lots and lots of material you have to memorize. In beginning it's going to be very hard. I sudgest to take lots and lots of notes. Daily HW every class period. Take notes of your hw!! 3 test and then the BIG final. One group project. FEMA TEST also. He is overall a great proffesor and is always there for his students.

Sirvatka is an amazing teacher who really cares about his classes. Here is advice on his class, DO THE HOME WORK, DO THE MET ED (Look up quizlets), and ask questions! The most damage is the tests, so make sure you got good notes and good recordings of the class! This was a cool non math required science, just make sure you put in effort!!

I loved this professor, but he is a very very hard teachers. The hardest teacher I have ever had. He cares about your grade, but he does make you work hard for it. I filled about a notebook and a half or more in notes because there is so much that you have to know. Really cares about what he teaches and the class is better when people participate.

Professor Sirvatka was AWESOME! I took meteorology with no background in anything weather related, just for fun. Professor Sirvatka is an amazing teacher, but uses his own style of teaching, which happened to be perfect for the way i learn. He cares so much about his students and is in my top 3 fav teachers. I would take this class all over again!

Professor Sirvatka is an amazing instructor and reading these harsh reviews I am disappointed how little of you appreciate the extra challenge. It is college after all! One piece of advice: ask questions if you have them, and judging by the comments, the majority of you do. Thinking and knowing are not the same things. You can't use Chegg to pass

Listen, I like to do the least work to get the best grade. Who doesn't? That's not how Paul's class works, you actually learn and he makes it fun! If you have the chance to take an in person science class do it with Sirvatka. He makes you work for it, however he helps every step of the way and encourages classmates to help each other learn.

I loved this class. It was difficult, sure, but I expected that with a science class. He gives the grade based on what he thinks you deserve, not necessarily based on how you do on tests. He grades on a curve as well, and as long as you do all the work, you have a guaranteed C. If you have the chance to take a science class, take it with him.

One of the best science teachers I've had. This is not a particularly easy class because he expects to actually learn and know the material, but the grading scale is set up that you're almost guaranteed to pass if you put in effort. Tests are harder, do not cram for them. I really recommend taking him, he's a great guy and professor.

Paul cares about his students, he's brilliant and loves to teach. Lots of homework and really hard tests but if you put in the effort he will recognize it.

Paul is very passionate about teaching and cares about the success of his students.

Make sure to rewrite your notes, have group study sessions with fellow students, and ask questions when you are confused in class. Try not to miss any class, attendance is very important for knowing the material. Paul is very approachable and really cares about his students.

Paul is a great guy! He really cares about his relationships with his students and wants us to succeed. I took this class because I needed the credit, but was ready to learn/understand. Yes, the material is heavy, but there are plenty of resources and opportunities to ask for help during/outside of class. Study groups are very beneficial as well.

I took his course about a year ago, honestly one of the best professors I've ever had! He was one of the only professors that I know if he see's you struggling he'll pull you aside and ask what's going on and how he can help. Honestly he's given me such confidence in the field that I'm studying and I wouldn't be where I am today without it.

I took Earth-1119 over the summer (8 week course). I would recommend taking it in class. Paul is great, very knowledgeable and very accessible. He will try to explain things in different ways if you are not understanding the material. This is one of his easier classes. If you put in the work, you will grow as a student and excel in his class.

he is a great teacher himself is funny and actually helps you class itself has so much work and i mean so much with atleast 3-4 things due every monday its not a hard class just super time consuming with tons of homework other than that id recommend going to class because the lectures actually help you prepare for the tests which have like 80 quest

He is the only professor I've had who convinced the entire class to be willing to say the wrong answer in front of everyone and not be embarrassed. To me, that's a hard thing for a professor to do. The class overall is hard, big challenging concepts, but if you show Paul your giving it your best shot you will not fail; no matter your test scores.

Professor Sirvatka was great professor overall, he was very helpful when you needed more help and would respond to emails quickly. Class was hard, and he would tell you that. As long as you study and write down extra notes, you'll be good.

great class, always a fun atmosphere, and full of support his classes are the only classes in college in which I learned something.

Professor Sirvatka's class is challenging but manageable if you stay on top of the work. The lectures are helpful, and materials like unstuck ai can aid study prep. Just be ready for his detailed note-taking requirements.

Took Sirvatka for Weather Forecasting and Analysis I. I had not yet taken Intro to Meterology, so I was definitely behind some of the other students. But Sirvatka's approach to teaching was so interactive that I never truly felt lost. Highly recommend.

Very chill guy. If you take his In-Person class then he does care about attendance and actively makes us discuss and stand around the room with peers. There's about 3-6 assignments per week and everything is due at the end of the week rather than having due dates. He gives a week grace period for missing work. Only 3 tests all with open notes.

Did not expect that I would have this amazing professor in my first semester in college!! I recommend to take any of his classes!

Professor Sirvatka is a good professor. He is caring and wants his students to succeed. He has an open-door policy. I asked him for help and he didn't let me give up when I was going through a really rough time in my life and suggested a classmate peer tutor. Thank you Professor Sirvatka! PS: Please use more inspiring words in the classroom.