2.5
Quality3.6
Difficulty29%
Would Retake215
Reviews29%
Would Retake
215
Reviews
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5
31
4
29
3
52
2
40
1
63
What Students Say
“Kirschvink is not that bad a professor”
MATH150 - 3.0 rating“SEEK HELP(I did all the time)”
MATH150 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
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77%
Textbook Required
20%
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Reviews (215)
poor instructor
nervous & shy, but nice. Hard to learn from, makes things harder than are
No Comments
Very quite, soft-spoken, very helpful
He makes everything harder than it is!
He's a teacher who's not really sure of what he's doing.
very helpful, easy, just confusing
very bad at explaining problems and his test do not test you on what he teaches
He pulls test problems out of his butt, nice man,teaching is not his strength
MTH 337
nice,shy guy, willing to help, but class is hard b/c he doesn't teach well
is this guy for real? You will regret it...
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Quiet man. Course is easy IF you pay attention and somehow teach yourself! He can't teach, he focuses on simple matters and QUICKLY runs through the difficult tasks. Constant confusion. His tests are anal and much harder than criteria learned in class.
Nice intelligent guy, weird sense of humor... brought Shamu to class one day, but confusing as all hell.
He is very smart and knows his stuff. Tests are very difficult. He curves the tests big time which is a help. Doesn't present material in a good way. Go to his office hours and class for better grade.Weird gave away a shamu stuffed animal one day in class
i got dumber after each class, not a good teacher
He knows his stuff well, but HE CANNOT TEACH. Tests and Quizzes are very hard,and totally different from what he teaches in class.
Mr. Kirschvink is a very smart teacher. Out of all the calc 150 teachers TAKE HIM. Just listen take notes amd don't be affraid to go to his office hours! Quiz every Friday. Three midterms and a final. Curves the class greatly which helps.
This guy sucks. There would be absolutely no response from the class when he lectured. Very uninteresting man and subject.
Super nice. Very confusing.
He's a really nice guy, he does a pretty good job of explaining compared to a lot of other professors and he gives a lot of handouts which helps out a lot. The class is just hard that's all
He is a good teacher - at least for this class he was - his tests are same stuff as he goes over in class. Insane curve makes it easy if you do some of the work.
Worst class I've taken so far. He doesn't explain things clearly and it's hard to follow exactly what he's doing.
Im sorry but this guy is a horible teacher, hard to follow, has no connection with his students, do everything you can not to take this guy. Take manchester.
His tests and quizes are the same stuff he goes over in class. There's not surprises. The actual homework from the book has harder problems than the ones on his tests.
Worst math teacher I've ever had. He is absolutely horrible! Avoid him at all costs. He doesn't explain things clearly and just plain can't teach. I got an F in his class and I'm a dean's list student. Definitely take Manchester instead. Manchester is a great guy and a much, much better teacher.
He was really nice. Things were unclear but he was really helpful. The GA Tam made the difference for this class with review sessions. He uses curves on all the exams, just go to class everyday and take notes, and study the weekly quizzes and you'll do fine; you don't have to do the homework
He said his tests are variations of the HW and quizzes, but they're actually HUGE variations! The average on all the tests were about 45-50. That's still a C, curved. Don't take him if you want to pass and not to ruin your GPA. He's not very clear when it comes to teaching.
He reminds me of Mr. Dewey from Saved By The Bell....cool guy who is completely different in office hours than in class....get to know the guy....he curves everything so you should be fine with some effort....plus you get to drop your lowest quiz...
very nice and very helpful, but perhaps not the best teacher. study hard, its still calculus, though perhaps the easiast one. got a B- after missing most quiz points. he DOES look like Mr. Dewey from saved by the bell. tells funny jokes to lighten the mood - laugh at them and go to his office hours!
I thought he was a very good teacher. His examples were very helpful adn he really wants you to do well. Just make sure you do all the work then you'll do fine. The only thing was that he would do 1 or 2 very hard ex. problems before the test and it would be too hard to put on it.
Calc III involves calculus in 3D. He failed to explain that properly to anyone. Everyone understood the basics, so that wasn't the problem. He grades on a curve. If you pass, you are poorly prepared for the higher level math classes. Don't take him or you'll repeat all your courses afterward.
annoying teacher but teaches pretty good
I'd recommend u to take his class, pretty chill professor. Doesn't take role, however, u do have weekly quizzes so make sure u know what's up before u don't go.curves all of his tests.Tests pretty easy,just have to study his quizzes.I got an A in class, no sweat. TAKE IT with a friend! you can chat all class time :]
Does not try to help students at all, if you have problems, don't go to him. He is lazy. Find a different professor.
Kirschvink is impossible to listen to as a lecturer. He's one of those math geniuses who totally understands thoroughly every concept that he teaches, but it all came to him easily, so he doesn't know how to slow down and teach the math to those of us who might not get it as easily.
He is very helpful in office hours and after class. His lectures are somewhat unclear. If he could introduce the material by providing some kind of connection to the previous works. Overall, he is an intelligent professor.
HE IS A MATH WIZE SO IT IS HARD FOR HIM TO SLOW DOWN AT TEACH IT. OVERALL CLASS WASN'T TOO BAD BUT MAKE SURE YOU DO THE ASSIGNED HOMEWORK & GO TO CLASS. HOMEWORK IS NOT COLLECTED BUT IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT. MAKE SURE YOU GO TO YOUR TA CLASS TOO THEY CAN HELP EXPLAIN THINGS EASIER. CLASS IS DIFFICULT & TESTS ARE HARD BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS
Avoid at all costs.
He's a good guy but he doesn't slow down for those who don't get it as quickely as him. Luckily I had good background, so I did well on tests/quizzes which is all the class is based on. He explains theroms behind everything which are pointless and you never use them again. I recommend him as long as you have good background.
Good, knowledgable professor. Very organized with lecture and concepts. Took precalc and calculus in HS and this class was almost like a review and even clarified things better than my hs teacher. Goes over theorems (not important) but wants you to understand be4 teaching the shortcuts.
He was a very helpful professor if all you need is a review of calc. Definitely an easy A especially if you already took calc in high school. He goes overboard explaining at times, but for the most part, he clarifies the things you learned (if you did) in high school calc. PS, candy during halloween!
He is a nice guy but class is rough. Tests are a major deal. This class is comprised of 3 tests, a bunch of quizzes and a final. If ou are like me and hate tests, take someone else. The math itself isnt too bad, just read the books but be prepared to go above and beyond on most tests (the majority of it youll have never seen before)
Practice tests are similar to real tests. Teaches like you've had calc in high school. Good Luck.
He's a good professor. I liked him. If you write everything down during lecture and do the homework you'll be fine. The practice tests are very close to the actual tests... so do the practice tests. You have weekly quizzes in the breakout sessions so don't miss those, because you can't make those up.
worst math teacher ive ever had. does not explain clearly sometimes and will not slow down at all. many people asked questions and hed just kind of stray away and continue his work. tests were huge variations of the homework and this is deffinetely a busy class. do your work and you should be fine and study at all costs.
Class is probably hard if you've never seen Calculus. The tests are curved and he drops your lowest test at the end. The TA was a lot more help. He oversimplifies calculus.
The textbook shall be your friend... as will your TA, and the help room if you want to do well in this class. It would be best to have taken a calc class before going to his lectures, or having read a calc book so you know what he is talking about. I received a B, but not until after studying my ass off and going to the help room many times.
Hands down my toughest class this semester. He definitely knows his stuff and he means well but somewhere between the board and our heads, the concept is lost. Definitely better if you have already taken a calc. class prior to this. He curves every test though so study from the books and talk to your TA, that's what they're there for.
Very hard class, but he is a good teacher. You can understand the class, the hw's are hard but he will always help if you go to his office hours, quizes are not easy neither hard and he curves them, but the final was hard and also curves it. He always gives you study guide for quizes. Is not very fun class, but he explains very good. Take him.
If you have taken calculus before you will do fine. If you haven't you will need to work hard.
I can't stress enough how important it is for people who take this class to REALLY understand the concepts because if you won't, Math 151 will be brutal. That said, Kirshvink means well and tries to make it easy for people to pass, but his lectures were diffcult to follow and he curves too much. It made me think i was ready for Calc 2 but i wasn't.
has he ever taught discrete math before? because i dont see any comments regarding that subject D: if he has please rate him !
Extremely hard teacher, all his tests are comprehensive on entire class and previous class. I am an engineering student and I had a very hard time.
He's not a bad teacher at all. Math itself is boring, but Kirshvink does his best I think. I had him for 150, with a horrible TA, but for 151, the TA was awesome. Krirsvink has to teach concepts & theories, but the TA rocked & explained it with examples. Kirshvink is a nice guy, do the reading & homework, go to his office hours, & you'll do ok
horrible professor. at least he makes sense in a few things, but everything else was like speaking alien. i went to class everyday and and studied them and i still failed his weekly quizes. only passed a few. exams are ok, but as the course goes on, each exam gets harder including final (comprehensive).
Hard class, but it's not his fault. He's a lot easier to understand if you read the sections. At first, I didn't do the homework and was lost. So if your confused it's because you didn't do the homework. He's not bad at all if you apply yourself a little. Do the reading & homework, study and you'll be fine. And he grades on a curve.
This class is really difficult to teach since a lot of it is proofs. He did a fairly good job explaining everything and his tests were fair.
The worst teacher i've ever had(in my life, not just college.) If you happen to get stuck with him, you might want to go to another teacher's lectures. He spends the majority of time on simple stuff but doesn't get into how to do more difficult stuff.
recommend to do reading before class and do the homework!!!! nice teacher but if you don't do the reading might as well not show up because you will get lost. He curves the 3 exams and the final so as long as your pulling B and C on the tests most likely you'll get an A or a B in the class.
This professor is MUCH better than Gevechi... you are more likely to pay attention during class with this guy teaching you such difficult material.DO THE HOMEWORKS!!! And of course, do well on your tests. One is usually dropped at the end of the semester.
I like Kirschvink, but this class is just extremely difficult. If you're someone who is going to struggle with Calc regardless, I'd suggest taking his class because he curves generously and drops your lowest grade. Also, there is graded homework which is an easy way to bring your grade up. TAs are a great resource for this class.
This class is challenging, but doable. Kirshvink is a good professor and can teach the material but may be confusing cause he mainly teaches the theories behind the techinques. Class will be difficult if you had trouble in math 150. Also great thing is class is curved on top of dropping the lowest test.If you want to succeed, go to office hours.
Class isn't necessary useful; he teaches the proofs and theories behind all the magical fun formulas and whatnot, so unless you're going far into math, it's easier to just learn the materials from the book, and online homework. He drops the lowest grade AND curves every tests, so you'd practically have to try to fail the class.
If you decide to take this class with Kirschvink might as well expect a D or C unless you study really hard. Very confusing!!! He says he hasn't taught this class in over 5 years! Biggest regret of my life taking this class
He is impossible to understand and is incapable of explaining anything. He makes everything harder than it has to be. The class avg on the first test was a 43%. Thankfully he curved the class and I got a B but I strongly recommend not taking his class.
He's so funny. He just walks into the class room (don't even say hi, good morning or anything) and just does math problems on the board for an hour. And if he needs to tell us anything he just writes a message on the board. So funny.
I think he is a realy good teacher, he explains how to do the problems well IN DETAIL, he even takes the time to remind students about little algebra trick that we sometimes forgget. If you do the HW and go to class there is no way you will fail.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING
Kirschvink is a very clear and understandable professor compared to many other math profs I've had. His lectures are very helpful and directly related to test questions. Class is graded on a generous curve for quizes and tests. Wears a pink shirt on Fridays which is why i put hot :)
He's a professor who will "hold your hand" through the semester. Emails you every week updating you on homework/quizzes/tests being due. His exams are straight forward and follow his lectures. If you attend EVERY lecture you can get through the semester without buying the book.
Definitely one of my favorite math professors at state. His lectures are clear and he is extremely helpful. Also, the tests are fair and he gives out study guides.
ok so he's good at teaching upper division students....but he's too smart to teach lower division. he overcomplicates things and it gets confusing. He puts hard (complicated) questions on test. He thinks their easy. upper division: go for it. If you're lower DON'T
He takes the crown for WORST math teacher. Never explains anything, only explains in ways HE understands. Makes problems much harder than they should be.
while a nice guy, his teaching methods are hard to follow, he complicates everything, its not like in high school where the teachers were straightforward, he will go into detail, like spend an entire hour explaining how the derivative of e^x = e^x .. lol but if you want to know the theories behind it, take him :P
He is a nice guy, but does not go over or specify what is important to study. He goes over the reason math is the way it is, but does not go over what is important to solve math problems. I learned more from his TA then him.
He goes over a hard way of doing something before an easier way. Tests are somewhat hard but you just needs to study. Otherwise, he explains everything clearly and in detail. There are quizzes every week during sections. Tests are doable, but people seems to fail it. Lecture gets boring, sometimes, especially if you already took HS Calc.
Very soft spoken and awkward when lecturing. You can barely understand things he says at times. Hardly explains anything clearly and you learn so much more by yourself or in the small section classes. Exam questions.
great lecturer sit in front and listen! also helpful during office hours curves like crazy but if you do your homework and ask questions you should be fine and the curve should help you don't have to do all the homework problems but class would be easier if you read before class but if you're a math major its a piece of cake
very clear willing to help at office hours it is a great logic class everyone should take make sure you pay attention to logic section you'll need for upper division math if you're a math major take any class taught by him
Very awkward professor. He is introverted and quiet. He does problems on the board quickly and silently, with an obvious knowledge of the subject, but incapable of clearly and confidently explaining the process to the class. The Teachers Aide was infinitely more useful to me than Kirschvink, and I was able to learn more from youtube than in class.
Very nice guy, but not a good teacher at all. I stopped going to lecture entirely because it was so boring and I wasn't learning anything. I studied on my own and ended up getting B's on the exams before the curve. I would totally recommend him though, he gives really nice curves on exams, and is a very fair grader. Do the hw and you'll do well!
Pros: fair grader, knows what he is teaching, extremely helpful, curves the tests. Cons: focuses on the proves rather than examples, not good at dumming it down (if ur math background is not that strong u will struggle following him). Otherthoughts: he is a good teacher, u should always go to his office hours if u struggle.
Overall a great professor. There are weekly quizzes, assigned HWs (not collected), 3 exams (SECRET: drops lowest), and a cumulative final. Do the HW assignments and you'll ace the weekly quizzes with ease. He also provides some guides/references for each exam which are helpful... I didn't put much effort in this class and still squeezed out a B+.
Oh Professor Kirschvink.. He's super sweet and is there whenever you need help. I definitely recommend going to his office hours whenever you have a question. Weekly quizzes and tests are very straight forward. Do the homework, and you should be fine. He does tend to complicate things that should be easy, but he knows his stuff. Give him a chance.
One of the worst teachers I have every had. He proofs almost every problem, and goes of on tangents daily about unnecessary material. Although he is very nice, ultimately if you take this class you will be teaching yourself, because he confuses you beyond belief.
Very underrated professor. Learning from him is difficult but since when has calculus ever been easy? He is a very fair professor. He curves all of his tests off the class average and also drops your lowest test score. The people who complain about him on here don't show up to his lectures. You WILL fail this class if you do not go to lecture.
The material is not too difficult but the way he teaches makes it far more difficult then it really is.I went to every one of his lectures and it didnt help.He doesnt seem to know how to "dumb it down" and I am a mathlete.I found it much easier and more rewarding to learn everything from youtube sites and Khan Academy on each chapter of textbook.GL
Not an easy course but if you apply yourself then you'll do fine! I read the book prior to every class and got 8-10's on my quiz. If you have any questions you should definitely go to his office hours!
Certainly knows his stuff, but cannot TEACH it to you. Clearly displays a knowledge of the subject but if you wanna learn, you're better off learning on YouTube. Tests are structured stupidly where multiple choice is worth almost as much as free-response. No mandatory homework. If State knows what's best for the students, then the TA should teach.
STAY AWAY FROM HIM! He cannot teach to save his life. The man is a mathamatical genious, but he cannot teach it to his students. His TA needs to replace him as the professor. Go to his office hours, it will save you in this class.
Calc 2 is a hard subject for anyone to teach. He is very nice and if you follow the lecture, you will understand. If you don't understand, then ask questions and he will answer. Not saying he is the best teacher, but people aren't giving him enough credit just because the material is hard.
He's a bit confusing, but the class is super easy. I never studied and got an A. Which is surprising considering I had an 85%, he curves his tests a lot. The weekly quizzes are a joke at best, don't use them to study
I took had him as my professor for math 150 and 151. He's very helpful if you go to him for help during his office hours or immediately after class. A little quiet but definitely knows his stuff so make sure to ask any questions
I had him as my professor for math 150 and 151. He's very helpful if you go to him for help during his office hours or immediately after class. A little quiet but definitely knows his stuff so make sure to ask any questions
This professor is awkward to the point where I sometimes laugh out loud due to his demeanor. He is a very nice guy and is willing to help during office hours. Extremely easy class, drops lowest test and curves grade. Easiest A I earned this semester.
This guy is the worst math teacher I have ever had. I would not recommend taking his class at all. His TA is really good and I have no idea why he doesn't teach the lecture. His class was beyond confusing and almost seemed pointless to go to because I didn't learn anything there at all.
His lectures do not go over sample problems and consist mostly of profs that are very confusing. He his good at office hours though. I had to sped allot of time and effort to get a good grade so be prepared to work outside of class.
Doesn't clearly give you what you need sometimes. Can spend a great amount of the lecture time on proofs that aren't exact significant to what you need to know for tests and quizzes. Also speaks without confidence sometimes. I don't know about his office hours but I had to youtube and go to the tutor center almost all the time
One of the worst math teachers I've ever had. Doesn't teach AT ALL. I pretty much learned everything from youtube. If you haven't taken calc before do NOT take him. Glad I was able to pass his class. He curves his tests a lot because the average scores are usually around the C/D range.
He doesn't explain concepts well at all. His exams rarely reflect the homework or quizzes. Bad management of time, he rarely finishes a problem before class ends. Shrugs his shoulders and tells us we can do the rest, I eventually stopped attending, less stress and less confusing. Just stick to YouTube (e.g. Patrick JMT) and Khan Academy. God speed
This class was terrible. He seems like a nice guy but he is so awkward and hard to understand that it is almost painful to watch. My TA didn't help much either. I stopped going to class because I couldn't understand what he was trying to teach and I couldn't stay awake for longer than 5 minutes. Tests are difficult but graded fairly.
I personally never followed him. He was unclear, focused too much on proofs, and did not show many examples. Learn on your own. Tests are not too hard, there's a bit of a curve on the tests and the class. Good luck
The midterms were easy for his class, just as long as you do his study guides. He's very soft spoken and mumbles and rambles a lot, which is evident by how his notes are scrawled all over the place. Quizzes were harder than midterms, but not hard. The final test proved that whatever he's been trying to teach didn't help any of his students at all.
Terrible professor. Doesn't teach you what you need to know, and instead spends all class proving why a number times 0 equals 0. Midterms aren't impossible, but they're far from easy. The homework is optional and not graded.
I got high test scores in the first half of this class because AP Calc AB covered most of the material, but once we started learning new material, I started to go down hill. His lectures are so confusing and unorganized. I realized his lectures were pointless and I stopped going for the last month. YouTube is MUCH better, integralCALC & patricJMT.
As a math major, I would consider myself very good at math but am somehow failing this class. He is unorganized and rambles (as others have posted). In addition to this, he spends a majority of the class going into complex proofs that a majority of the class doesn't understand. The homework isn't too hard but theres no point in attending lecture.
So glad I had an amazing Calc 1 teacher in high school because I could not stand this guy. I seriously learned nothing from him during lecture; all he does is proofs. I eventually just stopped going and read the book. Quizzes and tests weren't bad but the final was extremely hard. The only positive part was that he curved the tests and class a lot.
Took him for Calc 2, taking him again for Calc 3. His lectures can be confusing, so be prepared to find other resources for help, like patrickJMT and integralCALC on YouTube. The tests are difficult, so you should do extra problems out of the book or visit his office hours. If you put the time in, you can definitely make it through his class.
Smart guy. Pay attention to examples in lecture, do online homework, go to class, look at textbook homework for practice. Has a very good curve. He's really nice in person, so I recommend talking to him in office hours. He may not seem like a good lecturer, but is definitely good and seems more comfortable helping one on one.
Lectures were all over the place. He spends a lot of time doing proofs and doesn't really take the time to explain big topics and ideas which are vital to a lesson. I had to learn almost everything on my own using the textbook and online resources. Tests are alright and curved a lot since people don't too well on them.
He isnt the best lecturer &I often left class more confused than not. Do all the hw because it really helps with mastering the material. But he is such a nice guy & is willing to work with you if you need help. Go to his & his TAs office hours, they are helpful! He curves the class a lot, so don't freak if you get Cs or even a D on the midterms!
He's not the worst thing in the world, but there is better. If you go to him, he is helpful and his TA was super helpful. You need to teach yourself. The Curve is great though and it really helps you out. Tests aren't impossible, you just need to study. Homework is the key to your learning.
Not too many teachers. Compared with others. I assume he is better and helpful. In person, the test and quiz is very easy. And If you study by yourself and listen to TA is good ideal!
I do highly reccomend him for people who can self learn. Notes from lecture seemed confusing when taking them, but looking at the notes with the book really helped reveal the lesson. Curves are gracious and tests are challenging. All I can say is this is not a class for the person not willing to put in extra effort.
Kirschvink is an excellent professor for those good at math, but is a bit too much for people who need more instruction, like myself. He is a nice guy though.
Easy A if you do the homework and youtube concepts. He's not the best teacher, but that is because he is a genius and can't dumb things down enough. Awkwardly funny.
His lectures consist of conceptualizing something unnecessary. Curves all tests. Gives partial points on tests. Weekly quizzes in break-off section. Provides practice tests. Required textbook with access code to online hw. Must apply yourself in order to understand and seek other resources bc you really won't learn much from him.
I had Kirschvink for Math 150 and honestly hated him like many other students, but once you understand how he works he's actually a decent teacher. He drops many hints on what is going to be on the exam. When he lectures about proofs they are awful, but when he goes over examples he is really good. I want to take him in Calc III
Extremely unclear in lectures, I would write everything down that he wrote on the board but couldn't even understand my own notes. Everything I learned was on my own through the textbook or videos. The average on every test (3 tests and a final) was about 49 out of 100... I would not take him again if I had to.
He's a good teacher for the material he has to teach. As much as people hate proofs, the whole reason we use these techniques is because they're proven to work and mathematically sound. Nice guy and gives overly generous curves. This class separates those who know math and understand math from those who can memorize solutions.
Worst teacher I ever had. Seems to be lost during lectures. He explains things that are not important while skips what is important. Exams are really really hard. Would not recommend him and would definitely not take him again.
I had him for Math 151 also and let me say he is a much better 252 teacher. He is much more in his element and likes to do lots of examples in class. The class isn't too hard because he curves everything a lot. Homework is optional but it helps a lot to solidify the concepts
He wan't bad, I was expecting worse from reading his reviews. He used clickers for the first time this semester, so go to class, it's an easy 15% of your grade. His TA's grade the quizzesexams and it can be inconsistent. If you feel like you deserved more points, talk to him, he is understandable. Exams are similar to hw problems.
I've taken him for 2 semesters now and have come to love him. While I did sometimes leave his lectures confused, doing the hw and going to the TA small section really helps clarify the concepts. While his class is hard, he will work with you to help you understand. He also sets a helpful curve which is a life saver! Loved him and loved his class!
Go to class! This professor is the best calc III professor at state. He gives a lot of opportunities for points and is very helpful at office hours.
Had him for both Calc 2 and Calc 3. Honestly, he's a great guy but a horrible lecturer. I feel more confused every time I leave his class. I recommend not going to lecture and teaching yourself unless he does clicker questions again. I also recommend studying in groups for tests. More helpful in office hours and a really understanding guy overall.
Thought this class was easier than calc 2. Lectures were good, copy every problem he does on the board. Homework was optional and every test was curved.
Had Prof. Kirschvink for both Calc 2 and 3 at State. He knew his expertise and his studies and was a quirky, awkward little man. He does problems on the board, though his teaching is often confusing. But tests are curved, so that helps a lot.
Confusing lectures, extremely hard tests
Do not take if you already do not have experience in calculus. He is often vague and skips steps while expecting you to understand, but you could only understand if you were already exceptional at math. He mostly goes over proofs and theorems in class. He teaches, but is boring and quite confusing to most people. The TAs to his class are better.
Kirschvink's lectures were very hard to understand, he doesnt go over the material very well. He likes to make topics more complicated by explaining proofs and complicated ways to prove why it works versus showing us how to use what we are learning. The test are hard, and he curves each test. Not a good teacher if Calculus is new to you.
Very confusing professor especially if you have no previous experience with learning calculus. He does a poor job to prepare you for homework and the tests. Lectures are hard to understand and most of the time not worth going because I would learn pretty much everything in the activity/discussion sections. Nice guy tho.
He always clears the main points, which helps me to understand the points coherently. Also, he provides good examples for the ideas.
Prof K is a good guy if you talk to him after class but his teaching can be very confusing.
I've been in his class for a week. The topics he teaches in his mandatory lecture don't quite make sense and it doesn't really help me with the hw. I end up searching the web for a clearer understanding. His notes are legible but not very structure. This semester (spring16) we're using course key to take attendance.
KIRSCHVINK is a very timid teacher that is not very structured. very few of the topics that he covers actually make sense when he teaches and i end up spending all of my extra time with TA's and tutors trying to learn the material.
He teaches more so how and why concepts work and not so much what you need to know to pass. He zooms passed very important point and talks about them like they don't mean anything and it's very confusing. The lectures made me more confused and I primarily learned from homework explanations. Terrible class
If you have no background in Calculus, this class will be quite difficult. Prof. K goes over the proofs and theorems for nearly everything, which is often quite hard to follow. The small section will be a lot more helpful than the large lecture.
Test averages tend to be around or lower than 50%. Students will write collaborative emails to the math department complaining about test, but nothing will change.
While Kirschvink is a really nice guy, his teaching really doesn't help, and often confuses students. I'd feel like I know less after going to his lectures; self-study and outside help is the only way to survive with him. His exams are just harder than necessary and it's almost impossible to be truly prepared for what to expect.
Wouldn't recommend him if you don't know anything about calculus. He goes over the proof of every single theorem, and he doesn't give many examples to practice.
Kirshvink is no doubt a very intelligent man; however, I do not think he was a very good professor in regards to students needs. Generally I felt as if he was teaching the class to people who understood Calculus well, and not to beginners. After a while, I stopped listening to his lectures but I still had to go because of the attendance points.
Its the usual calc lass, but he can't teach. We had people who went to Manchester's lectures. Kirschvink uses that horrible coursekey thing too instead of clickers now. If you can take someone else, do that, otherwise, good luck.
He's smart but he just doesn't know how to teach. He does not include the "why" things happen or "why" they work, he just says they work. His explanations are not clear and he is very confusing. I recommend taking another professor if possible.
Kirschvink obviously knows what he's talking about in lectures however he seems to have hard time communicating his thoughts clearly when asked a question. It's very hard to follow some of his explanations at times. He's a really nice guy but his teaching style does not help me.
He means well but the guy just isn't the best at actually teaching. He's a very smart guy judging by the way he does calc problems and the way he writes out the lecture notes is nice (he uses different colored pens throughout the notes, he also posts those notes) but I always have trouble trying to understandwhat he is trying to convey to the class
He spends time looking over theories, explaining how and why certain theorems work--a fantastic thing! Those who were confused/couldn't follow along stayed in the dark because they wouldn't ask questions. I stopped him multiple times during class for clarification and the man was always eager to further clarify. Bummed he isn't teaching Calc 2.
Horrible lectures and professor can not teach! Iv taken calculus before in high school and I had to do some more learning and studying because his lectures confuses you more! Be friends with your ta mine was awesome and helpful! Tests are tough study everything.
DO NOT take if don't have significantly good pre-calculus skills. He goes over intutive proofs and deep understanding of concepts(which is hard), so don't take if you just want to know how to do stuff with shortcuts without understanding what you are doing. SEEK HELP(I did all the time). This class requires lots of time and effort!
His teaching style is definitions and proofs so you have to pay attention during lecture to understand him. Lectures are often confusing until the end when you actually apply the proofs to examples. He is eager to help his students and clarifies anything if you ask. In order to do well you need to put in effort and be an active participant.
His lectures are pretty boring, and he lacks charisma. I do kind of like his approach of starting with a problem, and explaining the topic through the solution of the problem. Most of the time though, you're better off asking your small section instructor or going on khan academy if you don't get it.
Calculus sucks no matter who you take it with. Manchester teaches well and doesn't curve. Kirschvink isn't a very good teacher, but the curve is fat. I would register for this class and go to Manchester lectures if you need to be taught the material. Otherwise, just learn it all on Khan academy and just go to breakout lectures (no mand. attendance)
The class is very easy if you already know calculus but if you don't then it's nearly impossible. The way he explains things in lectures do not connect. He doesn't explain why you do things a certain way so you never really learn calculus just how to be a formula monkey. Don't take this guy if your math is not strong.
This was class was difficult, but not impossible and very rewarding. It's very homework intensive. Tests are fair and concise. Study for those and you're fine. Final was incredibly difficult. Prof. Kidrschvink explains things conceptually and really explores the fundamentals behind calculus. I would definitely take his class again if he taught 151.
I wasn't doing well in the class. After the first two tests, I didn't miss a class and I went to his office hours every single time he had office hours. I then got way above the averages and passed the class. He is super helpful when you ask him questions and clarifies your questions to make sure you understand. Wish I could take him for Calc 2!
He tries to use analogies to explain formulas and problems, except unfortunately they make no sense 1/2 of the time, which makes it difficult to keep up. I hope he changes the explanations he uses next semesters. If you ask questions though, he explains very well.
Kirschvink is not that bad a professor. What really needs to be worried about is the antics of the Math Department and unclear grading criteria on the tests.
Kirschvink is obviously very very smart but he has a hard time dumbing down the material for Calc 1 students. Tests were very hard but there was a generous curve at the end which bumped a lot of people up. Go to lecture (and Manchesters if possible) and SI, both are helpful. Kirschvink wants to help so reach out and go to office hours if you need
His lectures are so confusing and hard to follow. However I would recommend you take him and go to Manchesters lectures because Kirschvink has a fat curve and Manchesters is little to none. Also I highly recommend going to SI sessions because when I started doing that half way through semester I started to do a lot better.
Kirschvink is a smart guy, but a bad professor. He can't teach, plain and simple. You get lost in his lectures, and he does a lot of pointless proofs. The tests are very hard, you think you know your stuff and then he throws a curve ball on the exams. Quizzes almost every week is a way to boost your grade, but grading in this class is pretty dumb.
Had him for spring and passed with a solid B without finishing most of the Webassigns. He has clicker points for attendance and his lectures can be boring at times, but he's completely understanding. When I had to leave SD early, he worked with me to plan for a time and day when I could take the final early.
If you want any chance at passing the class, take someone else
He does not explain things very well. He focuses too much on proofs of mathematical concepts rather than just explaining them, so it makes things very confusing.
I took Prof. K spring semester and my experience with this professor is pretty much the same as everyone else's on here. I do not recommend taking calculus with him. He lacks charisma and he tries to get his point across but he just falls too short. The tests are brutal to say the least (at least it was for me). If you decide to take him, good luck
currently taking calc with him; the practice tests are almost useless. like you know what youre doing and then the real test comes around and its 3x more complicated. the TAs are also inconsistent with grading. it sucks because methods i learned in hs are "not valid" if we have to show work. retaking next semester? probably.
Probably the worst professor i've had at state, i'm already pretty bad at math & he makes no effort to explain things in ways that actually make sense. I teach myself everything & go to A+ reviews but when i take the tests half the answers are marked wrong simply because I didn't do the problem the exact way that they see in the textbook.
Professor Kirschvink is the GOAT and his class is dummy easy . If you cant pass then you should just drop out of college .
If you have any mathematical talent, it's doable, but still not easy. If you have little to none, I would heavily recommend you don't take his class. You DEFINITELY need to be willing to put in effort outside of class to learn the material or you'll have a bad time. Took this class 2 years after precalc, my grade was still a high 80 all semester.
Stephen J. Kirschvink is easily the best professor I've ever had. He communicates his points clearly and effectively. He makes sure to do plenty of especially helpful examples. He proves everything! It's so nice to understand the roots of the problem, and that's really what he gets down to. His voice is commanding and easy to hear! Awesome guy!
Mr. Kirschvink is a very intelligent person, but he does not do a good job on explaining the material. He has a hard time dumbing down the material he is trying to explain. It's hard to learn a new topic when he is explaining it like everybody already knows exactly what he is talking about. The 3 exams and the final are pretty brutal too
Listen, I had already taken AP CALC in high school and passed with a 3, but this guy is a mess. Half of the time hes explaining proofs that are pretty much irrelevant. All his lectures are done on a piece of paper under the doc cam. Very unorganized and hard to understand his weak strained voice. HARD PASS on this one boys find another math 150
Take this class if you wanna boost ur gpa!! Kirschvink is super DOPE. This class was so easy. I literally played Minecraft on my iPad during the lectures and got a 100 on my final.
Lectures are boring and he usually only goes over concepts and not too many actual examples of problems. I learned more in the labs than in his class. Tests are hard.
take this class if you want to boost your GPA. It is very easy and you will not have any problem passing. Just make sure to attend lectures and do the homework. study hard and use your number sense.
This is the worst professor I have ever had in my life. No one pays attention to his lecture because he has the worst examples on topics. His voice is cringley and sounds like he's been a chronic smoker for years. His quizzes are the only easy thing about the class. The tests are impossible but we got saved by his 25% curve because everyone failed.
this dude cannot teach for his life. he starts talking about one topic and then starts trying to show us something else. he is really good on going off on tangents and not even being able to explain the problem to the class. SDSU needs to get another calc 1 teacher because everyone is failing.
Hard class. Fast paced and Kirschvink doesn't explain things very well, he mostly goes over proofs in class not stuff that is really related to the homework, halfway through the semester I realized that listening to him made me more confused. If you are terrible at math you can still pass only if you are willing to put in a lot of time and effort
Honest review for the avg joe: I first switched from CJ to CS when I took this class so it was challenging for not having taken any hard math for a couple years. Classes like these teach you study habits you WILL need. If lecture confuses u try to retain the concepts & on ur free time youtube the subject, I learned it best like that. Take manchstr
HORRIBLE TEACHER! DO NOT TAKE FOR CALC I! Hardest class ever. He sucks at teaching and only teaches based off example. And he handwrites all the notes on the screen you can barley read... AVOID AT ALL COSTS. We just took exam 3 and 60% of students failed with a D or lower... if that doesn't say something idk what will.
Avoid this class however way you can! This is by far one of the worst professors I have had at SDSU. More than half of my class failed the final so he had to curve it. The tests are difficult and his lectures are pointless. Don't make the mistake of taking Kirschvink because you will regret it, seriously take my word and the word of 181+ students!
I'm taking his class next semester(fall 2019). I am very excited to prove all the negative reviews wrong and pass the class with an A. Calculus is a hard subject, that's why you have to spend hours outside of class practicing what is taught. If you don't understand, there is help like the MLC and office hours.
Wow never have I had such a bad professor/teacher. I don't think I learned a single thing from him, and he's extremely boring/monotone and unhelpful. You're going to have to youtube everything, and I promise that you won't get anything out of the lectures. I saw the reviews beforehand on here, and yes he is that bad.
Is not a very good teacher. You will learn more in the small section workshops than lecture. His only saving grace is the sheer vertical curve.
The class is heavily curved. As long as you pay attention and do all the work you can easily get an A.
Students who havent taken this class, beware. Its always good to have a positive mindset going in but Kirschvink is something else. My tips would be study the homework before quizzes and use the math learning center for extra help. He makes the class & exams very difficult. I spent most of my week studying for his class to get a good grade.
THE WORST thing that has happened to me freshman year. I did upto calc 2 in highschool (outside US) and this class was still a pain. He's an awful lecturer, but has clicker points. His midterms arent that bad but his final was THE HARDEST he's given in the past 4 semesters. Most of your grade is 4 exams and 8 quizzes. Just praying for a fat curve:(
By far the worst professor I have taken at state. All he does in lecture are the proofs of mathematical concepts instead of actually teaching you how to solve the problems or use the formulas. This semester I had to teach myself how to do calculus, because I could not understand a thing he said. Do yourself a favor, take someone else if you can.
Unfortunately for you people taking Math 150 at SDSU theres only one option available for the class, and its Kirschvink, this is how lecture goes, he teaches concepts which is a bunch of fancy math that you actually dont know need to know for the tests and quizzes. What you actually need to know is the equations that he proves at the very end.
This is a tough class. Please don't take it if you don't have time for it. My advice for you is trying to come to the SI or the math learning center, or meet TAs, etc. Again this class requires specific time to get enough practice
The lectures can be very boring and you have to be lucky to get a good T.A
The test are really tough, he always throws curveballs that stump you. DO NOT procrastinate on the homework, there is way too much and impossible to be completed all at once. The lectures are torture and knock you out. Kirschvink will crush your dreams of ever wanting to be an engineer. PRIORITIZE this class
Dont take his class if you have other choices. Go to SI section, do all the homework, practice all 3 of the previous exams before tests, you will survive. Again, dont take his class if you have choice.
The worst communicator within the SDSU faculty. Very hard to understand. Homework and study guides are nothing like what your going to be tested on. Look for and focus on the problems in the material that were never touched on and you might pass. Find another instructor - the worst.
Hopefully you get lucky and get a Good TA - otherwise you won't pass.
He's honestly the worst professor at SDSU and teaches such an important subject too, please take the class at CC if you want to learn.
DO NOT TAKE HIM!!! I have never struggled so hard in a class before. I went to an SI session once a week and still failed all of the tests except one. Don't wait til the last night to do the homework because there is a lot and it is hard. In lectures he beats around the bush and focuses on the theories rather than plain and simple how to do it.
Absolutely the worst professor i've ever had. Calc is already a tough subject, then you add a professor who doesn't teach anything except theories & basically you're out of luck.
Kirschvink on a nutshell: "arbitrarily" "infinitesimally", theories, number lines, and "number sense". It was too much work to teach myself calculus while still attending all of his vague and unhelpful lectures for participation points. I recommend that you take a different professor.
If you're going to take Math150 don't take him. His lectures are not helpful at all. But need to be there for clicker points. Failed most of my exams.
If you took AP Calc AB in high school you should be fine. I'm a sophomore bio major and got a 90% and 87% on the first two midterms so far. His proofs and examples can be a bit arbitrary but honestly if you go to small section (many people skip) and go to the MLC to get help with the online homework this class is fine. There is also a huge curve!!
Kirschvink is one of the worst professors at SDSU. He does not explain the material very well at all, so if you never took calculus in high school then you are pretty much screwed. I had already taken it before but I can tell that if I had not, I would have no clue what was going on. Very boring in lectures but necessary to come for clicker points!
I do not think Kirshvink is as bad as others make him out to be. Is he really good? No, but there is really no reason that a person should fail this class. Kirshvink spends 75% of the lecture on the proof, and the other 25% doing a practical problem. The T.A.'s are there to help you, the MLC will help you, and SI sessions will teach you even more
Not that bad; you're given many resources (SI, MLC, office hrs, etc.) to pass. Take the ALEKS module seriously if you want a firm grasp on pre-calc. I suggest taking notes of both the lecture AND the textbook. The homework is super useful so don't procrastinate! The practice exams are invaluable. Take time to study your resources & you'll be fine!
I got an A solely because of my high school calc class/teacher. Kirschvink is not good at teaching this material, he knows calculus, but teaches all theory and not how to do the problems which isnt helpful. If you HAVE to take kirschvink, do the sample tests, learn from TA'S, and take notes on anything. If you arent good at math, you will struggle.
BE CAREFUL! This class is designed for you to fail if you have never taken Calc. You will waste 3 hrs/week in lecture. I suggest using that time for HW or learning Calc online. Do the HW diligently, on pace. You will have to teach yourself all of Calc at a high level. This is a huge task to juggle, so be prepared. Kirsch makes SDSU look like a joke
THIS PROFESSOR DID SO MANY UNNECESSARY PROOFS BUT TAKE NOTES ON THE EXAMPLE PROBLEMS HE DID. HE IS THE BEST PROFESSOR AND HE CURVES THE CLASS SO THAT AN 80% IS AN A . HE IS VERY NICE!! ATTENDANCE MATTERS ON RANDOM "CHECK" DAYS.
I went into this thinking that "oh this guy can't be that bad" and now I wish I never ignored the ratings on this page. I shouldn't even be going to SDSU in my opinion. The school in general just sucks. But back to the topic, yeah this teacher sucks. He goes through problems and says "You need this skill" yet doesn't exactly explain how to get it.
Not as bad as people say he is. He does a lot of proofs you won't use, but when he does practical problems pay attention. Also, he posts practice tests with answers online which are invaluable study tools. Take notes, do practice tests and don't procrastinate on homework and you'll probably get an A cause he also curved the final.
not a good lecturer, hope u get a good TA. utilize practice tests online and study and you will be fine, everything, including final, is curved pretty heavily. i went into the end of the sem thinking i had a B- but then when grades were posted i ended up with an A.
Honestly, Prof. K seems like a really smart dude, but he's not really the best in teaching and communicating what he's trying to tell us. Like others said, a lot of proofs and theories, but not a lot of practicals. GO TO SI!! I feel like SI taught me more and Prof. K's lectures were supplemental to it. Please brush up on pre-calc if u can
Do not take him as a professor! He refused to lecture to our Calc 1 class after classes went online. He also wasted in-person lecture time when we had it. He uses half of the class talking about theory and proving a theory, only to show that the theory he just spent 30 minutes proving to be true is actually incorrect. I only learned from the TA.
These ratings are from people who clearly skip class. He does example problems (great for visual learners) and explains concepts thoroughly. You literally just have to go to class and take good notes to do well in this class. Exams are based on theories - know them, he likes to put questions that'll trip you up if you don't. He is a wonderful man
Hes not as bad as many people make him out to be. His lectures are boring, and he does a lot of proofs, but he shows many example problems during lecture. Attendance is mandatory, he has clicker questions, you can skip 3 times without losing credit. Learn how to do the practice exams he uploads from previous years and you should do fine on exams.
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