Last 2 weeks of the term are difficult (papers,tests,fieldtrips,projects)

Very knowledgeable. Had a baby when I took the class, not available for help.

Fun and interesting lectures, teacher has lots of knowledge. Timedemanding class, workload is demanding: it's 4 units but feels like 5.

they don't get any better than pennington:vast knowledge, intelligent, interesting. he'll expand your horizons, raise your consciousness, deepen your intellect.

Studying the night before the test for 3 hours is sufficient to get by and still get an A. The end-of-term paper is a big pain, and he grades it hard. The seminar project is graded easy (never under 20/30). Writes mediocre letters of rec.

I almost failed but i recovered and got B. hmmm he's good and nice, he has a nice accent, eye-popping knowledge. well, for me there are two options in his class: bring a pillow and go home with nothing or put up and get something ;)

Enjoyed his lectures, they were very knowledgable and interesting...I've expanded my horizons, and now have a better consciousness how art affects us. One of my favorite classes at foothill!

He is very passionate about what he does and that makes his lectures entertaining. His tests are easy to pass as long as you know your slides. Flash cards are very helpful. I had much more fun with this class than anticipated.

lovely accent

Simon is a fantastic lecturer! Paying attention is easy and notes flow. Dizzying intellect, very erudite, hip to culture and quite personable as well. Thorough exams, tough grader. Big, full classes means he's busy, but quite willing to help.

I love his accent. There is a lot of reading but his tests are generally easy if you scim through the textbook and attend his lectures. There are three tests and one writting assignment. He is a great teacher.

Simon is a great teacher, he is so passionate. Very knowledgable person, and very helpful. His classes are always interesting, I took two with him so far, and I'll take a third one for sure. I highly recommend him even if art is not your cup of tea!

Love Him! I would recommend his class to anybody who is interested in art. He incourages the students to try to see past the colors and understand what the artist was doing. Great teacher. Be prepared to work for a good grade.

Simon is adorable with his British accent! He keeps class alive with his vibrant lectures, and really helps you to appreciate art. I love this class! Helpful hint: study for the tests, ok?! They're not hard if you just read and listen in class. You'll be so glad you took this class;)

LOVE HIM! LOVE THE CLASS! I love Simon, his accent is so nice, and his class is great. He's so in-depth, and makes art really interesting, and great to learn about. Take notes, and listen and you should be just fine. I didn't buy the book and got an A, so take that for what it's worth.

If you have a chance to take his class dont pass it up! He is wonderfuly articulate and eloquently packs each lecture with his vast knowledge of social, political and historical context in which each piece of art has been produced. I took his art 1a class to fill a req. then ended up taking all 3!

Liked him before twenty minutes went by the first day.The next day I liked him more.He knows how to teach and does.Take this class!!!His accentmakehim that much more easy to listen to and enjoy.A real teacher.

Great teacher, very animated and British, loves pop culture and classical alike. Brisk and lucid, goes over material in interesting detail. Some memorization and group work & gives ideas for research papers, passionately wants to engage students in art.

A fine teacher, witty and well organized. Excellent lectures, never boring. Open minded, friendly and very fair!

WONDEFUL TEACHER! TAKE THIS CLASS WITH HIM! IT IS RARE TO FIND SUCH A GOOD TEACHER WHO LIKES HIS STUDENTS AND KNOWS HOW TO TEACH HIS SUBJECT IN AN ENCOURAGING,FUN,DETAILED WAY.YOU WILL ENJOY THIS CLASS.AND READ YOUR BOOK, IT'S SO LITTLE TO READ AND MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE ON THE EXAMS.RECOMMEND FLASHCARDS OR STUDYING.

His lecture is interesting. His test is relatively not hard as long as you study.

excellent teacher. Very conscise, very knowledgeable. Very good at imparting the lesson with interest and love for the subject. Would take him for every art class. Essays topics were very motvational in thinking about art as a historical tool though politics and trends of the world.

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He has a lot of material in his class. He uses blue books for test. I used to make my self a help sheet and put it n book, just remember to take it out before turning it in. All that material is hard to remember, but he does give review.

Wonderful teacher. Witty, never boring, extremely fair and clear. Always available and willing to help. And as long as you listen to the lecture, class will be easy. He tells you his exact expectations from the start so there aren't any suprises. He also mentions a lot of assignments ahead of time if you want to get a head start :)

This is the guy you come to Foothill to take classes from. He is an amazing lecturer and clearly covers not just the art, but the why of the art. If you dont think cave paintings are interesting, you should spend 15 minutes hearing him talk about them. Very easy to get an A if you study hard. If you don't want to read & study, don't take this class

I was NOT intersted in taking this class - but I'm so glad I did! He is an awesome teacher, and he's so enthusiastic about art that the enthusiasm gets to be very contagious. :) His tests are not difficult if you do the reading and learn the vocabulary he gives you in the forst few weeks.

He is a fantastic lecturer. He brings such a wide perspective to the lectures that you will learn FAR more than just Art. I was intimidated by him at first, but he is actually quite nice and helpful, so don't avoid his office hours if you need anything. Trust me! Foothill has some amazing instructors, and he is definitely one of the best.

He is an amazing teacher! He really gets you excited about the class and about the meaning of art work, and he has a fabulous british accent!!! what a hottie! i strongly suggest this class and this teacher.

Pennington is an excellent teacher. Clear, interested and interesting, helpful, and makes you learn/work. He's what got me into Art History, and I'm now considering becoming a Medieval Art Historian!

if you study, you'll be totally fine. i really enjoyed being in his class. the lecture was quite hard tho. he is so helpful and nice. do the extra credit.

Pennington is an amazing professor who knows quite a great deal about the world. He's very straight-forward about tests, assignment dates, etc., and is always willing to help. You MUST study/memorize the slides in order to do well on the tests. His lectures are dynamic, thorough, and overall, very insightful. I wish I could take him again. ;)

Good teacher. It is a bit hard to take him serious sometimes. He is very British. His class can get very interesting. Just come to lectures and you should do fine.

He is helpful has office hours and is 90% of the time available. His clarity could improve only by defining more terms.

Simon is VERY interested in what he teaches. I learned a lot from this class and it promted me to see some of the art and architecture we studied when I went to Europe. He keeps class interesting by showing slides and the way he talks about art.

His class is an eye-opening one. Wish I could take further classes of his.

best ever!!

great teacher, very entertaining, he plays music before class starts. gets you interested in the subject. he also looks like chandler from friends, but maybe thats just me. I highly recommend taking him, you wont regret it!

Art carried no meaning to me until I took my first Art History class with Simon Pennington last Spring. The class work and homework load is not heavy at all. But the introductions of artistic movements are deep with context, which are often complex. He is a passionate and energetic instructor, you won't regret taking his class.

Wonderful, energetic, passionate, and intellectual instructor. He knows how to engage students in art, and draw a deeper understanding of the art world. Its taking philosophy, religion, english, and political science all in one course. I highly recommend this instructor. Not to mention, he is incredibly adorable with that British accent!

A fun teacher with a wonderful accent making it even easier to listen to him. He's very british in his sense of humor which I loved but not all do.

Pennington is a great teacher! funny jokes, really easy going, and always willing to help you do well in the class. The midterms and final was easy. The only hard assingment in the class is probably the 8 page essay that he makes us write. Besides that, great teacher! I'm taking him again for art 2C!

Both classes I have taken with him, Art History 2A and 2B, are lecture hall classes, but Pennington manages to create a great environment. While he does require more work than others, he is well worth it. You will finish with a greater appreciation for art and history with a teacher that makes himself readily available. Recomended highly.

Excellent teacher very knowledgeable would retake another one of his class any day

He has a captivating persona, perhaps it's because he is smart, attractive & British. If you listen to lectures, you will know what to study for tests. I recommend reading the chapter before class. The final paper i found hard to grapple, but he is easily approachable and is willing to look it over before you turn it in.

Great teacher! Lectures are fascinating and entertaining. The material is not difficult, if you actually study and attend class.

The best teacher I ever had!

It's Mr.P! What more is there to say? I'll be taking more Art classes in future. He really cares about his students, and wants them to ENJOY the class. The tests are mild-easy.

Take his classes! I've taken 5 classes with Simon, and they have all been excellent. His lectures are engaging and he is willing to help with anything. There isn't much work, and you don't even have to read (or buy) the book if you show up and take good notes. You will learn so much more than art history in this class! Best professor on campus!

excellent teacher

--BEST TEACHER EVER.-- He turned my life around and I can't wait to get to his class every day. HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend him.

One word AMAZING

Wonderful! Before taking his class I had little to no knowledge of art history but after one of his lecture I was totally into it. He's super nice, fair, helpful and understanding. His class is so interesting, I'm definitely taking more!

simon is one of the best teachers ive ever had. his lectures are interesting and his tests are easy as long as you pay attention in class.

Mr. Pennington is an incredible teacher and extremely easy on the eyes and ears (English accent...you'll love the way he says 'utterly'). Take the class, he gives you everything that is on the tests. Great lecturer, offers fun extra credit, term paper is nothing to fear. Don't be intimidated by the British swagger, he is very approachable.

He is GREAT! He's the best teacher I ever had. I learned a lot about art and world history.

It was a pretty good class and even with my critical viewpoint on modern art he was very receptive towards it and my eccentric preferences. He definitely made the class interesting.

his lectures are great, and interesting! though the exams are not that easy, but if you have concentrated in listening in lectures, and prepared for exams you will be fine, beyond that, the extra credit is easy to get full mark!

Awesome teacher! he is so passionate about his students, and really does a good job teaching his subject and getting you involved. I took it as my first honors class and found that if you studied for his midterms and exams ( which are very straightforward) then you can get an A.

An inspirational and extremely friendly professor. His lectures brought me into a world of ancient arts and history. He is extremely passionate about his work and i enjoy his lectures alot! Easy class if you come to his lectures as exam questions are all covered in class!

He's my favorite teacher period! He makes art history fun and I always come to his lectures because of how interesting they were!! And his class is easy. I got an A for his class by acing his tests and follow his instructions for research paper. Gonna take his art history class again and please take his class if you can :)

Mr. Pennington is one of the best professors I've had, certainly the best in a community college setting. I am planning on majoring in art history because of him. Elegantly presented lectures, clear slides, extremely helpful, reasonable workload. Highly recommended.

Simon is overqualified for his job and teaches here because he likes the area and so that he can put his kids through a good public school system. Despite his qualifications, he is EXTREMELY approachable. He is genuinely excited by every student who has a question or sees him in office hours for more details on any given subject. Truly a gem.

I love him!! He is quite literally the best teacher everrrrr!

ART100TV, College of San Mateo, currently a student. I wish every teacher were like Prof. Pennington. I have never had much interest in art or history, now I am fascinated with both - largely because of his enthusiasm, expertise, and humor. Take his classes whether they meet your course requirements or not.

Pennington is a great lecturer though I do get tired in that class because the lights are dim and the seats are comfortable. If you attend every class, you will get an A. We get review sheets and if you know the material on that sheet you are guaranteed an A on all the tests. This is definitely on of the easier Honors classes.

he is a great teacher. the points for extra credits is enough for you to get an A overall even if you C-ed the writing! i learn a lot and really want to take it again

I had no interest in Art History prior to this class, but Pennington's love for art is totally contagious! This class is one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken. He's SO knowledgeable (& funny). Class is always interesting. Easy grader (memorize everything on the midterm review sheet). Put a fair amount of effort & you'll def get an A!

If you?ve never taken an Art History class, this is definitely the place to begin your artistic voyage. His teaching style is commendable and easily understandable. He not only commented on art in the past but also how it integrates with us in our present day. It was definitely an enlightening and entertaining experience.

I took Simon in the Summer 2010 quarter and got an A. Key points for this class: 1) Go to class everyday 2) Do the readings 3) Know all terms on review sheets 4) Watch the films 5) Go to library visit 6) Do extra credit 7) Don't slack on paper 8) Talk him if you have problems...If you do all these then you will get an A. Very knowledgeable

he's awesome. never seen a professor so dedicated and passionate about what he teaches. genuinely wants to help his students, and if you dont feel comfortable doing things (eg seminar) he has other assignments available for you. He's a pretty easy grader, as long as you attend class, read your review sheets, you should be fine. take him!

His enthusiasm for the history of art is enough to engage anyone into the subject. If you weren't interested in art before, you will be after you take his class. He is always offering help to his students to help them improve. I highly recommend taking one of his classes. Great teacher.

I LOVED ART HISTORY WITH HIM!!! IT WAS TOTALLY OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! PROFESSOR PENNINGTON IS A REALLY SMART MAN AND HIS CLASS IS ALSO EASY A, but you do have to study and work! Truly a pleasure for any college student to have as a professor!! Do take Art History 2A for your GE!!!!!!!! It will help!!!

Simon is a cool British man who tests exactly on what he lectures in class. 1st exam=ID art photos as well as multi choice. 2nd exam is much easier. First exam has many terms (contrast, hue etc.) but very easy still. Museum paper and extra credit on Rodin sculpture garden. Ended up with 30 more points than I needed for an A. Book has all answers.

What an amazing human being. One of the best teachers I have ever encountered. You will not regret taking any of his classes. His enthusiasm on the subject and to help his students is just amazing.

Oh My! I'm currently in his class right now and I love it! He's so kind, and really LOVES teaching. It's his passion, so it literally shines through! He tests EXACTLY on the material, he practically gives you the test as a review sheet, he explains clearly! Oh and his British Accent, adds to the FUN of the class, it's awesome! You won't regret it!

Simon is the best professor I have ever had! He is so informed about a number of different subjects and keeps his material fresh. He is also really kind and approachable to students. Its not hard to get an A in this class if you pay attention and do the work. He is also really funny and interesting, AMAZING PROFESSOR! TAKE THIS CLASS!!!!

Took his modern art class and it was a wonderful experience. He is very good at lecturing and is crystal clear in what he is teaching. The midterm and final will be easy if you study enough and although I would recommend this class, people without time probably should not take this class as it has a lot of labs, etc.

this class rocks, surely you have to work hard, but you are ensured an A (that 20 point extra credits by just visiting an art gallery turned my C-ed paper into an A+)...just easy:)

I failed the midterm and ended up with an A- in the class. This evidences the fact that there are so many opportunities for extra credit. The amount of points involved in this class is so massive that it's impossible to fail. He provides a study guide for the midterm and final which coorrelate directly with his lecture, no surprises!

I took the online class and it was pretty easy. Just do the homework and post twice in the weekly discussions and you should be fine! Professor Pennington is really helpful if you need the help, but overall, it should be a straightforward, easy online class.

AWESOME TEACHER. He tries really hard to make the boring material interesting and he succeeds. Very approachable and super duper helpful. Has a very upbeat view on life and he is just a super down to earth guy. Tests are not bad, just make sure you listen up and do that extra credit assignment to get that A. Very funny in his British way also!

We're still in session right now, but I have to say - never has a teacher taught a subject I already enjoyed and made me enjoy it more like Simon has! He has an uncanny ability to hold my ADD-addled attention - even on a Saturday morning. I've learned so much in just a few weeks - and ahh, he definitely is easy on the eyes ;D

His honors class is pretty easy I think...if you can memorize and be able to do the extra credits. Great professor! His first day of class is the most memorable to me.

Simon is the best teacher is the world. I took 3 art history classes with him. His lectures are so interesting and clear that you do not have to study at home. I got an A without opening the book. We had a very easy 2 midterms, each week we had to write 4 sentences about what we learned on etudes, a paper (7pages) and a group presentation.

He is one of my favorite teachers! He makes the class very interesting and fun. Thanks to him, i think of art in a very different way now :)

HE'S AWESOME !! I love this guy he's so passionate and loves what he's doing. he has 2 easy papers and an easy midterm. I learned a lot in his class and enjoy every moment of it . TOTALLY RECOMMENDED

Awesome guy, awesome teacher. He teaches with great passion. Very helpful teacher. The weekly online lab assignments are easy. I would definetly love to take his class again. Just do your work, show up to lectures, and take the exams and you are good. Great teacher! Definitely would recommend him to others.

I took his online Art 2B class and it was a very interesting class because it gives me a very flexible schedule in doing the assignments and learning a lot about Renaissance art at the same time. Very easy class, make sure do all the weekly assignment, post twice in the discussion, submit the short paper and do the extra credit to get an A.

I'm pretty sure everyone likes Simon. He listens really well and makes thoughtful comments. You can tell he really believes in his students and makes an effort so that they succeed. It's not boring dusty old art- he makes it super relevant and interesting. Also his accent somehow makes it way easier to pay attention in lectures.

Mr. Pennington is an awesome teacher! I took him for Art History a few years ago. Some of his lectures were a little boring, but for the most part it was an interesting class. If you take good notes and study well, it should be an easy A.

Easy enough. Only tests on what he talks about in class. Gives review sheets that tell you the few slides and keywords that you should know. Use the book or use google to learn those. Just listening to the lectures will take care of the rest. Gives free points via discussion posts on etudes, library visit, and a Legion of Honor visit. One paper.

I took Prof Pennington's online class and I am so glad I did. Professor Pennington is so encouraging and helpful, he made me really enjoy this class. I learned a lot and his lectures and assigned readings were super interesting. I HIGHLY recommend this class. Guaranteed A if you keep up with the readings and put effort in all the assignments.

If you have an interest in the arts then chances are you'll probably do well in this class. Lectures are like "story time." If you attend class and pay attention then you'll probably get an A. Test questions are based off of lectures and textbook. He makes lectures interesting and is passionate about what he teaches.

I thoroughly enjoyed class with Simon. He always brings great enthusiasm and passion for art history. He is a very intelligent man and makes the course interesting. An easy class if you attend lectures. I would definitely recommend him and would love to take him again!

HE IS THE BEST TEACHER EVER :) He is very passionate and he just made art history become an interesting subject. One thing to be careful, he usually shut the light off to teach and this may leads to sleepiness. But aside from it, he is MY FAVORITE TEACHER! :) LOVE HIM! SUPER RECOMMENDED! EASY AND FUN!

I've known Simon for a couple years now and I can say that he is the best teacher I've ever had. He is very open-minded and caring towards his students. Even if you have no interest in Art History, you'll love his class as he makes every aspect enjoyable. I highly recommend taking at least one of his classes; trust me it will be a great experience.

Prof. Pennington is one of the best lecturer's I have ever had. I took his class to fulfill a GE requirement but his excitement for the subject is contagious. His class contains little busy work, and he clearly explains what he expects from you on papers and exams. If you are willing to show up, listen, and put in the effort you will succeed.

Professor Pennington is very thorough when it comes to his expectations. You want to take detailed notes during his lectures, especially when discussing a painting or artist. He keeps the class pretty entertaining (I love his accent, and sense of humor). I never studied off the book, I stuck with my notes and got a B+

BEST TEACHER EVER. I got a C because I missed an assignment, but that has nothing to do with his teaching style. If you leave Foothill without getting lectured by Simon, you definitely missed out big time.

Best Professor I have ever had. His lectures really pull you in. Plus, he is just an all around interesting/cool person. Seriously, take a class from him, you won't regret it!

I have a new appreciation for art/history thanks to Prof. Pennington. His class was fun and engaging. He was very clear about expectations and gave sheets with terms on them for you to take notes during class or on your own while you read the text. Everything on the tests comes straight from his lectures (also in the book if you miss lecture).

Excellent teacher, one of the best lecturers I've ever had. Textbook is not necessary if you attend all classes and pay attention. Gives you everything that will be on exams ahead of time. Extra credit opportunities for those with <3 absences. Very easy class as long as you put in the effort.

A True Legend. I am not an art student. I am a science major. I have never took an art class before in almost 5 years. He was my first foothill professor. He revived my passion for art. He is my inspiration for striving for success. People who are rating him poorly took the online class. DO NOT TAKE ONLINE CLASSES AT FOOTHILL. Take it in person.

Simon is the MAN! I didn't take any notes, just came and listened to him speak every class. 1 point away from an A+. He is super flexible and really wants to help you. And he has a British accent, so its entertaining just listening for a few weeks.

Simon is just great! Funny, knowledgeable and willing to help. The textbook is the most boring though, thankfully it is not necessary-necessary if you make notes on lectures and go through the review sheets Simon sends every week.

Pannington is a hilarious man and his lectures are never boring. He makes the students watch a movie in the class and discuss the art that he shows and whoever wants can participate. I really enjoyed his class and his humor. One can get an A somewhat easily by listening the class, but reading is required too. I recommend Pennington.

Took art 2B online for winter 2015. My friend who had taken it previously said it was really hard. I didn't find it really hard but it did require some work and a lot of effort. The online class is all essay format with textbook use and assigned videos required. He wants "thoughtful" responses so make sure the paragraphs are detailed.

It is a very easy and very interesting class!

Simon is a Amazing teacher. Go to every class and write down what he has on the whiteboard and listen carefully to what he says and write down when he talked about what he has up on the board. He is super helpful and funny. He will help you with your museum paper so you could get a better grade. Exams are basically what he talks about in class.

He's a very helpful teacher if you take the time to email him. I am very disappointed in the way he spaces out the reading assignments (and they're necessary to do to get an A). They get progressively longer as the term goes on. Last week is three chapters of reading (more than 100 pages) as well as three movies and three modules.

He seems like a nice teacher and takes the time to give you feedback on assignments. I found his class very difficult. If you struggle with writing, I would recommend finding another teacher. Each week you have to write mini essays and the midtermfinal is essay based. You also have to write a "short paper" which is 4 to 5 pages long.

What I really like about Professor Pennington is that he provides audio feedback to his online students. I feel like I'm learning a lot as well, since his lectures are clear and not too long. What I don't like is that it takes a long time for him to grade assignments. He's constantly saying he will have them to us tomorrow, but they never come. (

The material itself is not overly difficult. Its the AMOUNT of homework assigned. At least 2, 1 hour videos , 2 discussion posts, 1 'Short' essay, and vocabulary questions per WEEK. There is one 5 page paper due. One midterm and 1 final (each include 5-6 SHORT ESSAYS). He always responds to emails in a few days. Grading takes him a long time.

He's just the best art teacher I have ever had! Clear as it is possible to be, very knowledgeable, he always gives inspiring lectures and his lab projects are entertaining too.

Lectures are interesting and engaging. Tests and assignments are easy if you keep up with the reading. Interesting material and overall a fun class.

I took Art 001 Online and it was an overall do-able class. There are weekly class discussions worth 6 points; 3 points for posting a response to prompt and 3 more to respond to a student. There's a total of 11 class discussions & you have do all 11 of to be able to do the EC. Overall, there's weekly discussions, museum paper, midterm, final.

His lectures are very interesting and he makes art history very relevant. He is really nice and approachable outside of class. Not a lot of reading and tests are easy but, you have to show up to be eligible for extra credit.

One of the best professors I've taken at Foothill. He gives clear grading criteria, lectures were fun and he's a very intelligent guy. He cares about his students a lot and tells you what you need to study on for the tests! Take his class and you'll love it!

Put in work and effort, there's not a big margin for missing assignments. I did well on writing assignments but flopped at remembering to do discussion posts and some 16 point assignments, building up to me losing out on 80 points. Don't take him if you know youre not at your best academic being.