Teaches from his own material - NO BOOK NEEDED - Motivating! exceptional profess

One of the few who really knows how to teach.

Idiosyncratic teaching style. Needs to break it down better. Rainbow man. Doesn't have enough patience.

Really enjoyed this class and his useful anecdotes. Seemed very easy to get in contact with if you had a problem. Did a good job of making us memorize the important stuff with the quizes.

If all instructors were as good, all the students would be brilliant. Great class structure. Very good at answering questions. Way too smart for this college. You will learn a lot no matter how much you know.

Excellent teacher. Makes class fun and interesting, even for a very tough course.

He is uber-nerd! But still cool. He teaches the subject very well and can be a pain in his grading but is always helpful to aid you in the subject. He's a good guy to know and learn from.

VERY LONG AND HARD TAKE HOME TESTS! Expect HOURS upon HOURS to complete them. Beware: he likes proofs (!!!!). Very logical teaching (he teaches logic too). Excellent lectures.

I learned nothing! Spent all of his time showing off the wall examples. He expects you to learn the subject from the book. If so why do I need him.

A fun teacher who thoroughly explains the material.

This class was juicy.

I have learned so much from Dr Smith's classes. As a matter of fact, because of his teachings and his inspirational ways of presenting his lessons, allowed me to start me own company. Kudos!!!

Makes learning a very difficuly subject easy and interesting. He's excitable and explains things thoroughly. Best math teacher i've ever had bar none..

HE KNOWS HIS STUFF. Very knowledgeable, and knows more than he should:)Pretty tough professor. but makes the class very interesting. tests and quizes are hard.He goes into interesting, math related, topics that even if you hate math you love those topics. even though you may find the subject boarding he makes it interesting. the class was "jucy"

Smith is the best prof. for linear algebra. Lectures were clear and interesting, often very funny. Exams were tuff but doable if you do hw. Take home exams (2) were a bit harder but kind of fun. He cares about the college experience thru teaching, and trys to improve things as much as he can. Definityly juicy. Did you just feel a rush?

Good Teacher. Clear, funny, tests are fair and on what he teaches. Not terribly difficult to get an A. Nice, and down to earth. Definitely nerdy, but funny as well. Homework not required. Experienced and knowledgable. Fun atmosphere in the classroom. Overall great teacher and fair grader.

go to class you will do well, he is very smart and his linear algebra class is fun.

great teacher. explained topics clearly and the added humor helped to invoke interest. Test material was gone over in the prior class meeting which was very helpful. over all great class and highly recommended teacher.

By far the best professor i have had in any subject. He made learning linear algebra very simple and a lot of fun. He just explained everything so clear. He let us know if there was going to be a quiz and goes over it right after. He gave sample tests which were similar to the real tests. Oh and hes hilarious!

Best Math Professor period! Not only does he know his stuff, he can explain it clearly, and make you understand it too! Test and quizzes are all on things you've seen, no suprises. Very cool, wants you to do well, and clearly enjoys what he does. If you want to do well in math, take Dr. Phil!

He's great.

Prof. Smith is way cool. He might come off as smug at first, but that's part of his sense of humor, which makes lectures awesome. highly recommended.

Mathematically advanced teacher who is simultaneously quite easy. He makes dry topics interesting and easy to be understood. He teaches very, very well. Pay attention, even if it seems repetitive and boring, and you will gain a solid fundamental understanding of the topics at hand.

Don't miss a class, you'll miss lots of neccessary infromation. Hands down, one of the best math teachers in the world. After all, he does have a phd in mathematics. Also, he keeps the class fun by occasional yet repetitive funny jokes! "drop out of school"

I loved prof.smith!!! Such a great teacher! As others have said "drop out of school" jokes are awesome :) or "don't let it hit you on the way home!"

He told us, he would remember all our names after the first day...He did! He's amazing, Dr.Smith!!

He is an amazing professor and person. Somehow, he makes his class fun. He is a modern person, and he will let you use your ti-89. Sometimes he goes off on tangents that are extremely interesting. The class is not hard, but its very hard to get an A if you mess up one time. He wont give extra credit to catch up. TAKE HIM...

No textbook needed, Isn't a big stickler with rules. Extremely open to questions/criticisms/etc. Makes it fun, very passionate about subject. In class he is funny and energetic, but if you go to his office hour he is almost a different person: apathetic, serious.

Hands down, one of the best math professors I have ever taken. Smith is extremely helpful, and doesn't mind explaining a problem students have trouble on. Repetitive jokes, but aside from that, his exams and quizzes are no curveballs. Even without a textbook, the class is very manageable. Don't be shy to ask a question; he's a very open individual.

Smith is an amazing teacher. I plan on taking linear with him next semester. I have recommended Smith's classes to all of my friends. By the end of the course, you will be saying that it was P.D.C. Hahaha

Take this guy, was an amazing professor that made Diff Eq make sense which isn't an easy thing to do. As long as you do the hw and study you will succeed in his class.

Dr. Phil is an amazing math professor! I have never had such an easy time in a math class until i took his class. Highly recommended. He is very clear and uses examples that allow students to connect what they are learning to real things.

He is a great teacher. Doesn't collect homework but he gives you a quiz mostly every class time based on homework. Goes over any homework, quiz or test questions you ask about. He makes math fun. If you do the work then its any easy A. And he gives you the textbook so you don't have to pay which is AMAZING

Great lecturer. He is willing to answer any question and does a great job explaining complex topics.

DE is a hard class but if you put in the time to study you will pass. There are random quizzes on material almost every class, if you do all of the homework you will be fine. If you are confused ask him, he is more than happy to help. Phil is a great teacher, I'd take him again.

Smith was by far my favorite math teacher I've ever had! The textbook we used was only for homework, but it was a free PDF that he updated as we found errors. Our class he tried not grading homework and having a very small quiz daily and it worked well, so he'll probably do something like that again. TAKE HIM! You learn and it's fun!

Smith is seriously the best math teacher I've ever had! He doesn't use a textbook and calculators are must-haves. He is hilarious and makes the class super fun. He knows linear algebra is not easy for everyone so he tries to be as clear and helpful as possible. I learned so much from his class and miss having him as my math teacher.

Great professor! If you want to take Trig or Precalculus I strongly suggest you to g With Phil Smith

Past his class with a B and failed both the Midterm and the Final. Very professional, takes his job serious, funny, outgoing, a ton of good quality s.

Smith is the smartest prof in the math department. his lectures are clear and insightful. Always giving new ideas and concepts a firm footing and understanding before attaching them to the more complex side of application. always willing to help and go into greater detail about topics. lectures in class are driven by students who come prepared.

You can easily pass his class even if you fail the tests and don't do any homework. Smith is the perfect Prof. if you don't want to learn but just want to get through the class.

He is by far one of the best and greatest math teachers I have come across. He wants all of his students to do well and goes the extra mile to help. He answers any and all questions with a smile. You have daily quizes that help show what you do know and what you don't. He is what all math teachers show aspire to!

Very helpful, homework is not due only used for practice. Grading system is awesome, anyone who says otherwise didn't other to pay attention or to practice their hw. He repeats his concepts on daily quizzes so you learn fast. Great humor so keeps you engaged. Free book provided by professor :)

Quizzes daily, but always have time to make up concept scores. Don't worry! The score you get on a quiz isn't permanent. Retake quizzes and review them and you will do well on exams. Wouldn't recommend missing class. Really good at answering questions you have. No graded hmwk but you should do it anyway. Really great professor. Would take again. :)

The best math teacher I ever had, I only want him as my math teacher for all my math classes. I love the concept gradings, and the way he teaches is very clear and easy to understand. After taking this class I actually feel like I learned something. Its only a hard class is you don't put in the effort.

Professor Smith is by far one of the best math professors at ARC. I would take him for all my math classes. His grading concept system is straightforward: quizzes everyday but you can retake them during office hours and a few tests. HW is optional. He's very helpful, funny, inspirational, and always greets his students with a smile! Take him!!!

Professor Smith is the best math teacher that I have ever had. He is not easy and expects a lot out of you but explains everything so clearly. Don't take him if you want an easy A but if you want to really know the subject

Professor Smith has a unique grading system, which is based on 25+ concepts. Your grades can fluctuate up and down, depending on how well you do on them. He's very organize, funny, responsible, and has this very clever way to make you study hard for his class despite the no HW policy. Allows retakes at office hr, so schedule your classes wisely.

Great professor, very respectful and humble, will explain the material until you get it, will dance, sing, illustrate the concepts with examples until you understand everything. Expect quizzes every class - they are to improve your grades and knowledge, don't worry about the grades you can always take a quiz again and again. Amazing class

Smith is not bad. He makes the class entertaining and you don't have to work hard to get a good grade. If you are just trying to get through requirements and don't want to waste your time learning a lot of math he is the perfect teacher.

Phil Smith is easily one of the best professors I've ever had. His grading style is unique, but at the end of the semester, you"ll probably wonder why more professors don't adopt his method. He explains the concepts perfectly, and genuinely cares for his students. Take him, you won't regret it! My favorite professor BY FAR!!

Great Professor. 10/10 recommend. Tries really hard to make sure everyone understands. Daily quizzes. Exams are just like quizzes. A very doable class.

I really enjoyed taking this class through Professor Smith. He gives you every opportunity possible to pass his class. If you work with him, he will work with you! Doing the assigned homework is not necessary to pass, but it is recommended for good practice. He is very clear when he explains concepts. I would gladly take him again!!!

I love the this teacher! He make the class so fun and easy that it is very easy to do well without studying too much. Even if you make a mistake there will always be another chance.

He is amazing all I have to say, not a regular professor doesn't care about grades like others as long as you show you have an understanding of the material and gives large amounts if opportunity for you to retake everything in order to raise your grade although not the test. Hw in not mandatory at all but without it you won't pass. Approachable

You NEED to be there every class session. Unless you email him a reason, then you will fail a quiz. He gives out quizzes everyday but his grading makes it very easy to pass this class with at least a B

Phil Smith is the best. Good luck getting into one of his classes.

"The Great Phil Smith," playing in a math class near you. Yes, his lectures are worthy of a title. Dr. Phil luvz teaching, and its evident from day one. You'll never be bored in class. Gives you every chance to pass. All quizzes can be retaken till you like your grade. No homework. Test same difficulty as quizzes. Negatives? Good luck getting in!

What mad everyone this class so much better was that it was taught by Phil. He is so nice and friendly that it makes class feel welcome and you want to show up every day. Some of the topics in class were very difficult and I still don't know how to do some of them so make sure you ask for help.

Professor Smith is the best math teacher out there! His grading policy is very unique, there are quizzes every day and you get graded by concepts so your grades can always change. Anyways, it will make more sense when you take the course, an A is very doable and you learn a lot with his style of teaching. Would take Smith for all my math classes!

Probably the best math teacher and maybe even the best teacher I've had. Looked forward to going to class. Learned a lot, stayed engaged and entertained at the same time. Unique grading system, but getting an A is doable with reasonable effort.

Smith is a very good professor. I took math 330 with him and so far he has been the best math professor that I have taken at American River College. Highly recommended.

best professor I've ever had, gives daily quizzes which I found very helpful, I love his grading system, he does concepts, and you could retake concepts as many times as you want throughout the semester to change your score. fast and super fair grader. highly recommend taking him. plus he's hilarious.

Dr. Phil is an absolutely amazing professor. He has a skill in braking down complex math into something anyone can understand. There is a quiz everyday, but your scores are not final( can retake all quizzes). Homework is optional (but highly useful). His lectures are a joy to be a part of. Man will do anything to get the class involved. Must Take

Dr. Phil is one of the greats at ARC take him if you can find space, he's the real deal. Free open source textbook, homework optional but realistically math is about getting reps in so do at least some of it. Lectures really give a good grasp of topics and is very accessible outside of class. The guy cracks me up and makes a tedious subject fun.

Great professor at ARC. take the class if you get space. all the best.

best prof.

He is the best! His grading system is so fair and he makes sure that you understand the concepts. He is a very funny guy,and it was the first math class that was not boring at all. The every day quizzes help you a lot for exams, and you can retake them in his office hours. The exams are also not difficult and you have lots of chance of getting A

The very best professor I've had to date. He explains things well and gives you a chance to retake quizzes. This helped me a lot especially with driving the important concepts home.

Best math professor ever, hands down. No homework unless you need it to practice on your own. He makes math so painless, simple, and easy to understand. I'm very bad at math, and he made Calc II so easy - he's just that good. I can't say enough positive things about Dr. Smith. I wish every professor would teach exactly like he does.

Phil Smith is a great professor. Makes learning fun and interesting. Loves math and loves teaching. His grading policy is little foreign. Homework is optional. 60% of the grade is based on concepts and 40% is based on test accuracy. Which there are 4 (including final). Practice exams are extremely difficult, study past quizzes for exams.

I love Prof. Smith! He is very clear in expectations, offers tons of help to students in and outside of class, never makes a student feel stupid for asking a question, uses a free textbook, and "homework" is a study tool (not mandatory). His study guides are exact format of exams. Has a unique grading criteria that I wish every professor used!

One of the best math professors out there because he cares about his students' success. He grades based on concepts and your understanding of them on a 1-5 scale. There's daily quizzes but you can always go to his office hours and retake a concept. Homework exists but isn't mandatory, honestly redoing quizzes at home is a better study tool.

Ill just say that I loved going to this class everyday. The other comments do him justice so I wont add much more, but definitely take a class with him if you get a chance. Understand?? .... Just say yes...

NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED. Daily quizzes but that's a good thing (can retake during office hours). The exams resemble the quizzes, so there is zero surprise. Concept-based grading system but don't worry about it. Humorous lectures . A bit too zoomed in on computations rather than the big picture, making the course rather straightforward

He is the best! His class is so fun and the grading system he uses makes things so much easier and fair. Go to his office hours to retake the concept quizzes as much as you can to guarantee an A!

Professor Phil Smith is an amazing person. At first, I was considering dropping his class because he's grading system seemed tough. However, I took the challenge and passed his class with 95%. I was surprised by my score. What really helped me was the retake quizzes option; which helped a lot to change a 56% to a 92%. Big difference.

He cares. You'll see it in how meticulously, thoughtfully, and fairly he designed his class: concept-based system (one concept is one chapter section); you can retake them up until the last day of class definitely encourages improvement and guarantees that your success/failure depends only on you. Warm classroom climate; interesting teacher.

He is the best professor I ever had. He makes math fun and easy. He caring and offers help in and outside of class. He uses a free textbook and hw is optional. You can retake quizzes and everything on study guide is what is on the test. Take him if you can get space.

He is great. Work hard do the assignments you will be fine. Your grade is dynamic in his class. Lots of opportunity to improve. His teaching style is amazing. Daily quizzes attendance is a MUST.

He's a great professor. I like the idea of the quizzes because it gives you many chances to learn rather than normal exams. It does make your grade kind of volatile which can be good or bad. The book isn't required but I found it very helpful to fill in the blanks I might have missed otherwise. His lectures are usually pretty entertaining.

He is a GREAT! professor. if you understand what he say, you will get A. you can take retake on all quizzes.

The outline of the class is great. You watch the lecture on your own time & take a quiz each class. If you prove that you fully understand each concept(around 29 of them), then you will never have to take quizzes on it again. At the end, I only had to do 6/29 concepts. He is helpful, respectful, & responds quickly. Highly recommend to everyone!

I wish I could take him for Calc 2. He got best lectures among all math professors I ever had in ARC. He takes quizzes everyday 4 chances per concept. He has a concept grading system where you have opportunity to improve score. If you get two 5.0 you do not have to attempt same question in test or final.

This was my second class with Professor Phil Smith, and it was as amazing as always. This man has PHD in math so he turns math into an art. His videos are so beautifully explained and he uses visualization in his teaching method, which is extremely helpful to me as a visual learner and math struggler. His concept grading system is honestly gold. A+

Professor Smith is hands down the best math professor Ive ever had. His love for mathematics and teaching truly comes through during lectures. While originally intimidated by the weekly lectures, I found that they really helped me understand the material. Hard work will pay off!

Amazing professor! He made everything make so much sense and took the time to make sure everyone understood what he was teaching. He really cares about student feedback and wants to make learning easier for you. Definitely recommend!

I took Math410 with Dr. Smith in the Fall 2020. I transferred to UC Berkeley fall 2022 majoring in EECS. You will know how he prepared you for the hardest classes in EE (all Math410 concepts) after you transfer. such an excellent lecturer. He has a real doctoral. Know his value while U are at ARC. His tough grading may upsetU but it isforU tosucced

He is really great about explaining things if they don't make sense. Easy to come to with questions.

He's a very caring and funny professor. We're graded on concepts instead of work, so once we have full points on a concept, we don't need to do it on quizzes until the exam. If we do worse on the final, he averages the concept grade. Homework and textbooks are optional, but recommended, so grades are from daily quizzes, exams, and the final.

Dr. Smith uses research based methods to instruct. One method that he will explain on day one is standard based grading. This method allowed me to get prompt feedback on my work. This course changed my whole outlook at how to master concepts in a math course. I wish I could have taken this professor for pre-calc and trig.

Phil Smith will undoubtedly be your favorite math professor. His lectures are not normal boring math lectures, he includes stories and really explains why you are doing something rather than just reading paragraphs from the book. He has a unique grading system in which you get 5 attempts to pass each topic!

This is the best math experience I've had. He answers all questions thoroughly until everyone understands. The way he teaches is easy to understand and pay attention to, I have learned a lot from him. His lectures are fun and engaging, he has really good math tricks and stories. He doesn't leave people behind if they're clearly confused. GOAT

Cool concept-based grading system with no required hw or notes. You just do what you need to do to achieve the grade you want.

Dr. Smith is my all-time favorite math professor, bar none. I've never had the material sink in so completely for me as I have with his classes. There are daily quizzes instead of HW, and you get 5 chances to maximize your grade for a topic. You can tell he really loves math, which makes his lectures a lot of fun. I can't recommend him enough!

Without a doubt one of the best math professors I've had. Took him for Linear and came away having learned a ton. I vastly prefer his concept based grading system, you get multiple chances to demonstrate your understanding. Lectures are clear, concise, and he is extremely helpful. Do the work and you'll get an A easy even on abstract concepts.

Highly recommend. No required homework. All the quizzes are posted on canvas so you can practice. Quiz everyday. Four chances for each concept. You can skip as long as you get a good grade on the last chance as grades are replaced. Lectures are very clear. Final consists of 10 concepts he tells you beforehand. Best teacher in college so far.

No homework, daily quizzes on Canvas for practice with four chances per concept. Best college teacher by far! Highly recommend!

Professor Smith is the best in my college journey. Highly recommend, if you want to learn math.

Great teacher! He's hilarious and explains each concept very well. There's a quiz in each class, but don't be intimidated—it actually helps you learn! The exams are clear and cover the same concepts you've learned before. Just make sure not to miss any classes!

He is a great professor as he has great lectures, has his own textbook you don't pay for, answers questions clearly and makes sure you understand, gives plenty of makeup opportunities, and is hilarious. I will say that he is quite heavy on quizzes, as they are what make up a majority of your grade, but you get multiple opportunities to fix them.

Excellent professor! Took him for Math 410 this semester, and it was easy to excel. His grading criteria may be confusing at first, but once you have taken the first couple of quizzes, you will start to understand his criteria. 4 attempts on each concept, plus the Test and Final (6 attempts in total, really). Quizzes every day.