2.4
Quality3.9
Difficulty15%
Would Retake90
Reviews15%
Would Retake
90
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
90 total ratings5
19
4
6
3
6
2
25
1
34
What Students Say
“Gearhart hates to be disagreed with”
ANTH275 - 2.0 rating“Professor Gearhart is an extremely hard professor to please”
ANT171 - 1.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
36%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
ALLANTHRO
5.0
(1)ANT101
5.0
(1)NUMEROUS
5.0
(1)ACOUPLE
5.0
(1)CANTCOUNT
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ALLANTHRO
5.0
CANTCOUNT
5.0
ANTH380
5.0
ANTH250
5.0
ANTHR275
5.0
Reviews (88)
No Comments
Okay, I know a lot of people dont like Rebecca, But i personally think shes awsome. The problem a lot of people have with her is that she actually expects people to work... But afterall, that is why we are at college...
No Comments
No Comments
she is a tough prof. but she really knows her stuff and she puts a lot of work into her classes... i have so much respect for her and i can only hope to be half of the person she is someday
She is a professor who gives you what you deserve. You want an A, you sweat for it, then you enjoy it more. :) Personally, she's a really nice person.
No Comments
Poor class. I wanted to cry every time I came to class. Boring, tedious, uninteresting and painful are four words that come to mind when I think of this class.
She had no clue what she was doing.
Horrible class...I took it cause I had taken it in highschool and thought it was very interesting but she killed it for me. It is a 100 level class and the amount of paper writing she has you do for a non writing intensive course is insane.
No Comments
Great teahcer, she loves what she does (East Africa), so that of course make the class good. Very helpful, will go out of her way for students and is very organized. You will have to work a little for an A though.
No Comments
She had no clue what she was doing
teaches you only her opinions
Easy class, but grades unfairly, she likes students who have the same opinions as herself. You can't grade people based on their opinions.
She tried really hard, but she was very unclear about her overall expectations and didn't know how to deal with the class very well.
Worst professor ever.
Didn't think her assignments through. A ton of reading. NEVER go camping with her - she has no concept of what "fun" is supposed to be. It was the most embarressing class ever. I got an A, but it wasn't worth it. Avoid her!!!
Horrible. That's the only word for my experience in that class...HORRIBLE!
Very unorganized. Doesn't seem to be aware of the world going on around her. Expectations really unclear. Takes points off for stupid things that really are a matter of opinion. You really can't grade someone based on a personal opinion or preference.
She is not a very good teacher and does not grade fair at all. She is very opinoinated, and quite honestly, sometimes scary!
No Comments
Dr. Gearhart spoonfeeds every class a huge dose of her research and does not deal well with criticism. I did very well, by simply memorizing everything, spitting it out on exams, and did projects that I knew she would like, regardless of my own opinions.
Good teacher, knowledgeable, and very clear. Makes you work really hard but it's worth it.
Dr. Gearhart is a caring and intense professor. She challenges her students and genuinely worries about their development and education. The skills you learn in her courses will come in handy not only other courses but in life as well.
very unorganized and not willing to help you out with anything!
She is absolutely insane.Avoid her at all costs.She grades your paper based on her opinions not based on the quality of your work.Also,she is very unfair.NEVER get her mad at you.She altered my grade because she didn't like me.Soley based on points,I had an A,she gave me a C,yet they won't fire her.
Very caring instructor and always helpful. Very knowledged about many world cultures and curring edge visual antro techniques. She is one of the few prof who takes interest in student's writing.
I HATED this class. It's a shame because the topic was actually interesting, but the professor ruined it. AVOID HER AT ALL COSTS!! She is the WORST professor I've ever had. I think she's completely insane with no grasp on reality. HORRIBLE!!
She's nice enough, but not a good teacher. She is incredibly unclear in her grading - it seems to be mostly her own opinion. This class helped me with my decision not to be an Anthro major.
Misleading and generalizing. The worst class I've taken in college.
Professor Gearhart should be in an asylum, not a university. Not only is her class completely unorganized and her expectations unclear, she uses it as a platform for her own research. AVOID HER!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! DONT DO IT!!!
Dr. Gearhart is great, I don't know what everyone else here is talking about. She cares about her students, and is very interesting. My one complaint is that she moves so fast, so it can be hard to keep up, but overall, she's a great professor. Great classes.
Her classes are very informative and interesting. I recommend taking papers to the writing center b/c she is extremely picky. She is not unclear about expectations. Just follow her directions meticulously.
She is one of those prof. that you look back and think, WOW, I am a better student now because of her. Her knowlegde is great, and she presents her lectures in a very comfortable manner. It's hard at first to understand what kind of reading responses she wants, but you can always rewrite them for a better grade. If you're looking for an easy A, this is not the prof. to do so with, but if you are looking to learn something from someone who cares about the topic, she is the prof.
her essay grading scale is outrageous and the material is as uninteresting as anything you could imagine. avoid her!
I can't explain how important it is that you AVOID Gearhart. She is by far the worst professor I have encountered. There are many reasons for this: she doesn't finish lectures, expects too much for a 100 level, plays favorites to a crazy level, talks about herself is completely unclear about everything and can't explain her grading. Stay away!!
Prof. Gearhart reads off her powerpoint lectures word for word. Her 'discussions' consist of her calling on people to answer questions from a handout. She has a vague grading policy, so if you don't agree with her, or aren't a huge feminist you will get marked down. Her exams are a test of your memorization and handwriting speed.
Horrible when coming to get help. Unclear. Stay away, requires lots of work.
The class was generally harder than it should have been, mostly due to the way it was taught.
Horrible. She will decide whether or not she likes you then base your grades on that decision, not your quality of work. She went out of her way to give me a grade that I did not deserve. She is probably one of the worst teachers on campus and should never be teaching. Even other professors agree on this. Watch out.
Worst prof I have ever had--most pointless class after she finished teaching it. She does not teach what is relevant to the class and what we need to know when we leave college, but rather about HER research and what SHE thinks we SHOULD be doing. Her grading is purely opinion with no objective methods. HORRIBLE PROF...AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!
No Comments
Oh my goodness. Where should I begin? I love the subject, but the professor was just awful. Mostly because of the giant essay at the end, where she pushes you into doing whatever it is that she wants you to do, even if you are totally against it. Be careful because she never tells you what she expects on anything!
The Research was challenging but worthwhile. There were so many interesting topics discussed in class. It opened my eyes into a whole new world. You should definately take this course.
While her lectures were at times very unresearched, off topic, and sometimes a bit offensive, the class was overall easy, and the readings were interesting. If you do the work, and the readings, and keep up with it all, then its pretty much verbatim on exams, basic stuff no effort required execept with the final paper.
She is a Great Prof. She makes you work hard- but it is definately worth it
I learnt so much about the world and its many cultures. Dr. Gearhart is a great instructor. She gives her students a chance to re-write your papers.
wow, this is the worst class i have ever taken. i thought antrhopology would be interesting, but she just killed it for me. there is way too much work, and she never finishes ANYTHING in the alloted class time, so you have to learn it on your own. she assigns rediculous amounts of homework and projects and is a subjective grader.
Gearhart is not a good professor and is an even worse person. If she disgrees with you on anything related to class or personally, forget it. She is the most immature professor I've ever come across. It's difficult to learn anything in her class because everyone is too preoccupied about doing something wrong.
i love prof gearhart. she knows so much about africa. id say youre safe if you stick with what she knows best: africa and expressive arts. shes really passionate about her work. if youre not worried about grades but want to learn a ton, take her classes.
Took this class as a gen ed because it sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, attendance is mandatory at 9am & she expects you to learn too much info when she doesn't even have enough time during her lectures to discuss it. Avoid this class at all costs. It was more work than some of my 300 level classes!
Prof. Gearhart is a subjective grader, a stickler when it comes to grading assignments, and gives out way too much work. To get an A, make sure to spend A LOT of time proofreading assignments (especially reading reviews and P.O.'s) and begin on the ethnographic research paper as soon as possible. A nice woman but a mediocre teacher.
As a person, I find her manipulative and incredibly passive aggressive. When she gets flustered, she acts semi-irrationally. In general though, the class seems like a lot of work, but it really isn't that bad once you get down to it. Of course it has a lot of busy work. It's a 100 level class.
I'm an anthropology major despite this woman. Gearhart hates to be disagreed with. She never lets you study what you want when you are supposed to pick a topic, but forces you into something because she wants someone to study it. She's interpersonally awkward and judgmental. As a teacher, she's alright, not great, but as a person, shes just terrib
Gearhart is THE WORST PROFESSOR I have EVER had in my entire life...Do yourself a favor and read this before you register for classes. DO NOT TAKE HER CLASSES! She is incredibly unclear, extremely passive aggressive, not knowledgable whatsoever on anything besides Africa, and spends class talking about herself. She is in no way qualified to teach.
This Professor was my adviser. She completely ****ed me over. Told me to take all the wrong classes. Her advise was retarded. She is retarded. i hate her.
Gearhart is a terrible professor who grades on opinion and whether or not you went to the writing center, regardless of the quality of your paper. She is unhelpful and unclear; even beyond the professor level, she is a rude and manipulative. She is obsessed with herself and will tell you your opinion is wrong if it isn't the same as her own.
I hate this woman. She is the most unreasonable, self-involved woman I have ever met. She puts questions about her personal research on her tests. She tries to cover so much material that she can't even fit it all in her lectures, so then she skips over it, and then tests on what she didn't cover. I will never take a class with her ever again.
Professor Gearhart was a very knowledgable professor. She is very understanding and cares about her students. The work she assigns is reasonable and provides real ethnographic research experience. She definately expects her students to work hard and do not expect an easy grade in her classes!
Very enthuiastic professor who shows a genuine interest in Anthropology. I heard a lot of complaints, but I didn't think they were legitimate. A bit uptight and can be rambling in her lectures, but the class is actually pretty interesting!
Warning: This lady is a B! Do not take her class. She smiles in your face and gives you a F later. She is very unclear and plays favorites. (If you haven't taken her class before, you will not be her fav.)
Professor Gearhart is incredulously disrespectful of students' opinions and extremely biased in evaluating students' work. I was shocked when she rolled her eyes at a student who proposed an answer (albeit incorrect) to a question she posed. She is far below the standard set by other IWU profs. I earned a good grade but will avoid her from now on.
If you love anthropology and learning about other cultures, Gearhart is awesome. It's college, so it's hard, and she will challenge your existing beliefs. I learned so much from her, though, and if you are interested in knowledge about other countries and willing to work, her classes are so rewarding!
Dr. Gearhart has unclear expectations and condescends your opinions in class. She has extensive knowledge about Africa but comes off as ditzy most of the time. I've had to do more writing/work for this class than my two current 300-level classes combined. Lots of busy work and reading that will never be covered in class. FRUSTRATING PROFESSOR.
Absolutely horrendous. Avoid at all costs. She will give long reading assignments with worksheets that are purely busy work. Even with these worksheets, her expectations are unclear and there's a high chance that she will lose your assignment. Don't even get me started on the research paper, which is simply a harder worksheet. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
Extremely unclear expectations, not helpful outside of class and condescends you in class. I felt like my opinion was not appreciated and my work was always subpar because I was never told what I had to do. She tries very hard, but I did not enjoy her class at all.
horrible, she gives too much work and expects you to fit it into your schedule. The work is irrelevant, and the research paper will be too much if you only took 1 class! AVOID!!!
This class about drove me nuts at times. It was nice to be exposed to different cultures and perspectives, but she was highly unorganized most of the time and expected way too much work in only a few days. I know it's college, but I have never had a class as stressful as this.
Just don't. Save yourself the trouble and NEVER sign up for this class. Course load is RIDICULOUS for a 100 level. She is incredibly condescending and useless in her office hours. I've never been more stressed out in a class before, and I've taken some hardcore classes. Avoid this class and this woman AT ALL COSTS.
She's not as bad as all these other comments make her out to be. Yes, she's tough. But it's an entry-level class and she wants you to know YOU'RE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL ANYMORE. That means actually reading the syllabus and coming prepared to class, and maybe *gasp* doing some work outside of class!
Cultural Anthropology. I WOULD NOT WISH THIS CLASS ON MY WORST ENEMY. Professor Gearhart is ridiculously demanding for a 100 level class and very useless as a teacher. Stressful as heck and ... ugh... just. dont.
She focuses only on African and Native American anthropological studies (because that's her work concentration)so don't take it if you like other cultures. She has a VERY specific way you need to write your papers and it's a very stupid and tedious way. You write a lot in this class as well. Stay on track and don't fall behind.
This class has to be treated as a main priority or it is not passable. Teacher has little patience or understanding for outside commitments.
I liked Professor Gearhart, but she could be very difficult to deal with. She seems to be very controlling and doesn't open her classes up to actual debate- she wants you to think the way she does. I had to work hard in her class, and I did learn a lot, but at times it was very frustrating.
Not just one of the worst professors I have had to learn under, Dr. Gearhart is easily one of the worst teachers I have ever had. While I did find most of the information we learned in class interesting, her way of teaching was terrible. Dr. Gearhart comes is someone who expects you to work your butt off, but does not ever respect that you have.
Professor Gearhart is the worse professor that I have ever had. She pretends to care about your concerns; however, she blows you off and tells you to deal with it. She is not willing to cooperate nor accept when she has done something wrong. You are not allowed to have another opinion other than your own or else you will be graded poorly.
Professor Gearhart is an extremely hard professor to please. She rambles about irrelevant information, but expects you to remember certain points that she barely touched on. She has unintentionally insulted and disrespected students in her class multiple times when they ask a honest question or ask for an accommodation. She's very controlling.
So Tough. Taking her class was a terrible decision.
One of the worst classes I've ever taken. Her grading was subjective and she is unpleasant to work with. When I recommend classes for people to take, I make sure to tell everyone to avoid her class. The stress is NOT worth the two gen eds that are covered.
Don't take the Protest USA gateway. It is not truly a gateway class, as she grades papers extremely critically and expects us to be senior thesis levels writers as freshmen. She is pretty problematic, and seems to have a white savior complex. She also grades papers extremely critically and seems to try to find as many possible things to criticize.
Yeah never take a class with this professor if you can avoid it. This class ruined my semester. The work is way too much for a genEd level 100 course. She has really high expectations and doesnt always give clear feedback. You have to be a certain type of person to make it through this class unbothered. Never met anyone who liked her classes.
I've never considered writing a bad review for a teacher, but this class was so bad that I feel the need to. This class was more work than all of my other classes combined, and the amount of stress it caused was not worth it at all. I was recommended to drop the class from the start and I decided not to, and I regret not listening. Don't take her.
She's a hard prof, but she knows how to teach and if you put in the effort, you will learn more than you thought possible from her. Pay attention, prioritize her class, and you'll learn a lot and do well. Also she gives you chances for revisions and really wants you to do things her way and once you learn to do it, you're golden.
This wonderful woman has a unique talent for draining all of the joy, life and love out of a room the second she walks in. You're going to slam your head through more irrelevant stories than a 9/11 victim in this class and the only thing she does better than incomprehensible lecturing is wasting your time with weekend field trips and presentations.
Dr. Gearhart-Mafazy is an excellent professor who is very passionate about anthropology and investigating other cultures. Her class greatly broadened my worldview and helped me understand and appreciate other countries and societies. However, her classes are a lot of work, and participation is a must. Would not recommend with a heavy course load.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
36%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.15 avg changeRatings by Course
ALLANTHRO
5.0
(1)ANT101
5.0
(1)NUMEROUS
5.0
(1)ACOUPLE
5.0
(1)CANTCOUNT
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ALLANTHRO
5.0
CANTCOUNT
5.0
ANTH380
5.0
ANTH250
5.0
ANTHR275
5.0