4.8
Quality2.0
Difficulty93%
Would Retake88
Reviews93%
Would Retake
88
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
76
4
7
3
3
2
1
1
1
What Students Say
“SHE WAS THERE TO TEACH THE STUDENTS AND TO HELP YOU BE ALL THAT YOU COULD BE AND MORE”
2041 - 5.0 rating“She provides an excellent model of how I wish all of my classes were conducted”
POS2041 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
87%
Textbook Required
15%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.09 avg changeRatings by Course
707
5.0
(1)2041
5.0
(3)2201
5.0
(1)ETHICREQ
5.0
(1)PHI1600
5.0
(3)Difficulty by Course
ETHICREQ
3.0
HIST101
3.0
AMERNATLGOVT
2.3
POS2041
2.0
707
2.0
Reviews (88)
Great teacher, really cares and listens to feedback!
She is an amazing teacher. she cares about all of her students and does everything she can to have everyone pass. she is super clear on everything and always willing to help. Definately take her if you have to take ethics she's amazing
Nicest teacher ever.
Smart and funny professor. She really wants her student's to do well in class. A+
A complete professor.
One of the BEST teachers I've ever had. Without a doubt. Not only was she MORE THAN willing to work with EVERY student, but she's very knowledgable and inspiring. Go to class, participate, and talk to her...she loves ALL of her students. Role model professor, profession, and person!! She's great! Tests are take home or teachback, no quizzes! :)
One of the best instructors I've had at any college. She emphasizes and exemplifies the use of the Socratic Method. She'll make you think and make you care about a subject most folks find boring. Highly, highly recommend Ms. Newsom.
By far one of the best professors I've ever had in college. Funny as all get out! You will have fun while you learn how to become a a political scientist. She is very knowledgable & helpful to all students. Easy A....as long as you do your work. Thank you Senora Newsom.
Wonderful class... I highly recommend this professor.
Professor Newsom is amazing! She is very passionate about what she is teaching, which makes it that much more enjoyable. She gets people involved in the process of american government. There are no tests, only papers to write, which she gives ample time to complete. Final is a teach back , which was a breeze.
I just finished with Mrs. Newsom for American Government. Probably one of the best teachers I've had there. If you're not passing her class it's because you're not showing up and/or doing your work. Excellent, engaging educator.
Prof Tara is a sweetheart she knows her job. Willing to help when needed, very outgoing. I really liked Prof Tara easy class. 3 papers, midterm and a final teachback. I received a B.
Prof. Newsom is Extremely Helpful. She's always prepared and very interactive in her class. TUMBS UP for doing such great job!!!
Professor Newsom is outstanding! I take most online classes and looked forward to her class. I found the topic relative and the assignment clear and concise. Had a wonderful time in class interaction.
Prof. Newsom was amazing! She is really insightful, having experience working in government first-hand, and extremely helpful. Personally, I try to steer clear of RMP, but I felt the need to share how wonderful the experience in this class was via RMP (because that's what students use). PLEASE, if you're looking into taking her, do take!
Very high energy instructor with a passion for the U.S. Constitution and teaching. Prof. makes herself available to help students if you need it. She uses the text book, power point presentations, and visual and print media in her lectures. You can earn an ‘A’ if you do the assignments on time and participate. Not a cake class but very doable.
I just took American Government class recently, and I have to say Professor Newsom is the best professor in teaching political science. I got an A+ because she is caring, supportive, and encouraging. Those who says she's not a good professor must have been a F student in their life.
Professor Newsom is by far the most passionate professor I have ever had at SPC. This is a professor who genuinely cares about student success and whether or not they are a voice in their own community. Mrs. Newsom does project her voice so trying to sleep in her class will not work for you. We need more professors like Tara Newsom. HIGHLY suggest.
Awesome class, very engaging! This professor has got it going on in every aspect. If you have any problems with school this is the person to see because she really does care!!
I absolutely loved this teacher she was amazing at engaging the class and she really cares about her students she will do everything in her power to make sure you pass her class all you have to do is talk to her and she gives lots of extra credit
Prof Newsom is the benchmark ALL educators should strive to achieve She brings real world accomplishments to bear She provides every opportunity to get an A Only frustrating how she cares more than some about their own success One must actually make a conscience & concerted effort to EARN less than a B! WARNING Her enthusiasm is utterly contagious!
Wow! Professor Newsom is absolutely amazing. All professors should take a lesson from her book about compassion for the job. She truly loves helping students and is very passionate about politics. *This class is not easy* - It has an easy to follow format, but you definitely have you put work in. 3 majors papers, lots of note taking, take her!!!!!!
you will not find a better professor at SPC
Prof. Newsom is BEYOND AMAZING! I hate government and she made it so fun and easy. the class and assignments are not hard, but time consuming. As long as she sees you are actually putting in effort and care about learning you will get a good grade.I did not know what I was talking about in most of my papers, but I tried my hardest and got an A!!!
FANTASTIC teacher! the world would be a much better place if all teachers cared as much as she did! I cannot say enough about her. I never liked government or politics.. and I have developed a passion for it after taking her class. the assignments can be hard. as long as she sees you really tried hard to learn you're good.
Prof. Newsom is one of the best SPC professors I've had. She is very clear, energetic and is always there for help! (American National Gov't)
THE best professor ever. You would be hard pressed to find a professor better than Ms. Newsom. If you show interest and try to do your work, AND talk to her. She makes herself available.
Prof. Newsom is the best teacher for this course. Her passion will blow you away. Pay attention, take notes and read the book. She will drag you out of your apathy. Very vocal! Hands down the best professor i've come across. She will teach you so many things about the government but you must participate. So very helpful and gorgeous as well.
Professor Newsom is the best professor ever!!! She loves her students and she's also full of personality. She's very knowledgeable about what she teaches and is always there to help her students. She makes you earn your grade but makes sure you understand before she moves on. I love her and I'm glad I took her class. A+ for professor Newsom!!!
Prof Newsom is one of the best professors I have ever had. She is very well educated in the material that she teaches, and is very passionate about her work. She makes sure that everyone is at a comfortable place before moving on. Also, goes out of her way to help students out.
amazing teacher. definition of a great professor. she cares about the students and is connected.
She is a really great professor. She is passionate about helping others understand our government so they can make informed decisions. Great professor. Do the work and participate and you can make the A.
Professor Newsom is an amazing person. I loved her class, her lectures and her personality. She wants everyone in that class to succeed and she goes above and beyond to make sure you can. If you care enough to go to class and put in the effort, you can't go wrong. I wish I could take more classes with her. She's amazing. Thank you Professor!
SLOWEST GRADER EVER FOR ONLINE COURSES!!! She says she'll get your grades to you, and then you do not hear from her for weeks... Easy A or B, but when the questions ask you to tell your opinion she says to answer questions from someone one else's perspective? Odd.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE CLASS I CAME NOT WANTING TO BE THERE, WAS NOT INTERESTED IN GOVERNMENT AT ALL. PROF NEWSOM MADE THE CLASS FUN, VERY HELPFUL, AND ENGAGING STUDENTS TO LEARN AND SHARE IDEAS AND OPINIONS. SHE WAS THERE TO TEACH THE STUDENTS AND TO HELP YOU BE ALL THAT YOU COULD BE AND MORE.
I would definitely recommend Ms. Newsome she is there for you, she helps you with what ever you need. All you have to do is show up and participate.
Ms. Newsom is a great teacher. She's easy to understand and doesn't give a lot of work. She also gives extra credit which helps you in the long run..
Ms. Newsom is not only a great teacher but a great person who is extremely helpful and understanding when it comes to life getting in the way of academics. She goes beyond the call of teaching and allows you to actually learn. I would without a doubt take her class again.
Made very boring material easier to understand. Came out of this class with a much better understanding of government and politics. She is super hyper and talks A LOT, so if you take her 8 am class, make sure you dose up on caffeine
She is a fantastic professor, I would defiantly recommend her.
WOW. I absolutely hate history and in turn, I thought I would absolutely hate American Government. I was WRONG! Tara is such an amazing teacher who cares about her students, is passionate about what she teaches, doesn't read word for word from the textbook and engages us in awesome lectures that leave me thinking. She has heart. TAKE HER CLASS!!!!
I loved Dr. Newsom! She was one of the best professors I've ever had. She genuinely wants to help her students pass & willing to do anything to help students get an A. Few tests and few essays but fairly easy. If you show up & listen there's no way you should get less than a B. Literally! She made American Govt. easy. I thought it would be hard.
Professor Newsom loves active discussion. She' s one of those person who wants to see everyone become someone in life.
She was amazing. She was my first class in the morning, she woke us up, and kept us interested. I actually learned in this course and enjoyed it, her lectures were great. She gives very little homework, no test, no quizzes, couple of essays but she's very clear and helpful.
Dr. Newsom is very engaging and truly cares about her students. One of the best teachers I have ever had, and is passionate about the subject and very comfortable in discussions about the real world.
TAKE THIS CLASS! Dr. Newsom is extremely passionate about her students and her subject. She provides an excellent model of how I wish all of my classes were conducted. Thought provoking and engaging, this class has it all! She expands the class to the real world and truly aims at making a well-rounded citizen with valuable knowledge to succeed.
She is an absolutely phenomenal professor! If you have no political interest going into it, you will walk out with a yearning to become more civically engaged and with an expanded mind as to what's going on in our government (locally and nationally). Plus, there is hardly any homework/test/quizzes. GREAT COURSE!
Very great teacher. Easy assignments, great lectures, very funny. She actually gets you interested into American Government.
I met Ms. Newsom this year (2016) for the first time and she is awesome. She does so much to make sure that you succeed. She's very honest and shows a lot of passion for her work. She actually cares if her students fails or not. You won't regret this class, easy A!
If you do the work you will pass. She gives specific outlines of all the assignments. Also, professor Newsom is so understanding and will work with you if you ask for help. She puts a lot of effort and thought behind her lessons so students are able to comprehend and relate. Wish she taught other subjects. Would definitely take her again.
Few assignments all semester and she makes class interesting. Not a fan of government but she gets you involved and makes the class fun! No tests, so if you just focus on the few assignments you won't have a problem with the class.
Wonderful person who knows her stuff. Finish the assignments on time and be respectful and you will pass.
I took Professor Newsom this semester and I feel like I have taught myself the whole course. Since Hurricane Irma, Professor Newsom has only communicated with the class 3 times. She takes a month to grade anything. I would not recommend that you take this class if you don't have the time to teach yourself.
Professor Newsom is an amazing teacher that has a lot of knowledge to share with the class. I will recommend her to anyone needing to taking gov. As long as you show up and do the few assignments that are given and show some effort you'll get an A.
Professor Newsom is very passionate about government and gives great lectures. There are many discussions in class about the Amendments and other laws so bring your opinions! It is a safe space for everyone to say how they feel about topics and bring up current events. Bring a current event to class to discuss. You are also graded on participation.
very nice knowlegable and energetic take her you won't regret bit.
Great feed back, gives extra credit, responds in timely manner, very helpful
Took her for summer, so the papers were not spread out, but there are plenty of papers. She knows what she is talking about!! Come to class, do the work, participate and you will pass. She does offer extra credit. If you are a good student and just do the work, you will pass. Also, volunteering hours are required. Much respected. Powerful lady.
She's so fun!! I definitely recommend her for visual learners. She's an easy grader and gives great feedback! Basically just do the homework and you'll pass. If not, she gives extra credit so that's great too!
I'm sure her lectures are great, however her online class leaves a lot to be desired. I've written more for this class than Comp I and II combined. I wish I could say it was an easy A but I have no idea what my grade is because she has only graded four assignments and there are only three weeks left of the semester.
Great Professor , but if your looking for a teacher to grade your work quickly this is NOT the teacher for you. Had to remind her multiple times to put my grade in.
Professor Newsom genuinely wants her students to succeed. Class participation goes a long way with her and certainly makes class much more interesting. I would take her again for a PSC class if I could. There are not a lot of graded items, but theres a ton of extra credit opportunity. Youll look forward to going to class with her!
Talks fast and gets off topic often
Take this professor! She is really passionate about politics and has a prior career in the field. Making it a very interesting class! She truly cares about seeing her students do well in the world and helping them achieve goals. You will do well and get a good grade if you go to class and do the assignments. Tune in!
Newsom is by far my favorite professor that I've ever had. I was initially dreading doing a government course, but she made it incredibly interesting. She applies what we learn to current events, which really helps in learning a subject like this. She's dedicated to helping her students pass, and she will help you in whatever way she can.
I took this course during the gubernatorial election and it was the best thing to ever happen to my understanding of politics. such a passionate teacher. great lectures and very understanding. Too easy to pass and understand. SPC should reconsider her pay she deserves the max.
I normally hate Government but Prof. Newsom made it so intriguing and she is so passionate about what she does, she's also an easy grader and also gives lots of extra credit opportunities in case you miss something. She is so sweet and will help you if you need it, I would take her if you're looking for a good Gov. class.
Professor Newsom, She is so incredibly knowledgeable, answers all her student emails in a timely manner. Fair grader, gives good feedback that you learn from to become a better writer. She should run for office, would make it a great candidate. Powerful lady, well respected with her LLM and JD degree. Would recommend her without any doubt. Terrific
Take her if you can!! Just pay attention in class and do all your work and it's an easy A!
Professor Newsom is Awesome! Her class is easy to follow and enjoyed learning more about our American Government. She offers extra credit and you have 3 attempts on quizzes and the final exams. Take her class!
Funny and very intelligent. Can convey information in a way that is easy to understand
Took the live online option. Clear grading instructions, easy grader. Very nice and understanding.
Professor Newsom is an expert in political science/law and really knows her stuff! There's quite a lot to write for class but it's very manageable. Forever thankful that Newsom used the OpenStax textbook--it's free and you don't have to pay! Kind decision for her students. She's super nice and overall a wonderful person, definitely take her class!
Professor Newsom may be one of the most straightforward, caring individuals I've even had the gift of speaking to. She truly cares about her students and is promt in grading and responding. I'm sad that the semester is over. I'll miss her
Professor Newsom, is one of the best professor I had she is well caring and cares for her students she will give you extra credit if you really need it the quizzes and the discussion post are the easiest, She will give you all the help that you need.
Prof. Newsom is a great teacher who cares about her students and her class culture. There's quite a handful of quizzes and papers but if you attend class and pay attention to the content, they're relatively doable. With that, her lectures are in depth and provide a lot of information, and she's always welcoming for any questions. Take her class!!
Great professor very understanding and the grading criteria is clear. Would definitely take again. It was one of the first classes I took right when I started college and it was a nice introduction. Easy A I couldve done better. Definitely recommend shes also very nice caring and allows discussions
Absolute sweetheart. Would take again
Prof Newsome was very clear on how the class would be graded and her online course was very organized and easy to follow. She provided ample power points, lecture videos, and PDFs along with the textbook to learn the chapter. Each section required a test and a paper due, usually weekly. For each written assignment, she had personal feedback.
Dr. Newsom was certainly the best professor you could have for POS2041. Her midterm and final exams were easy and the module quizzes are easy as well. However, this is a writing-intensive course due to the Gordon Rule, so be prepared to write a lot. There were four discussion board posts, four writing assignments, and a research paper.
Professor Newsom provides the textbook online for free. I took the 8-week session and the assignments are fairly simple if you've read the chapters: a quiz and writing assignment or discussion post after each module. The midterm and final are open notes (not proctored) and easy if you've done the class work.
Professor Newsome is easily one of the best professors I think I'll ever encounter in college. Her grading criteria and assignments are straight-forward and easy to understand. She makes her work as simple and A-worthy as possible. Very flexible with missed assignments and cares so much about her students. Would highly recommend her for government!
Dr. Newsom wants you to pass and help you get there. Her lectures are good, and she makes sure the stuff she teaches sticks and provides clear grading criteria for homework. If you miss an assignment, talk to her. No final exam; instead, you'll teach back a particular topic to the class. Gives extra credit for being active in the community.
Professor Newsom is the best by far. Not only are her lectures amazing, but she is always there for you on and off the clock. The assignments were meaningful and helped me develop a greater grasp on what it means to be a citizen and understanding your rights as one. Overall, amazing professor and individual. 10/10 would take again.
Ms. Newsom is hands down THE best teacher/professor I have EVER had! She is incredibly passionate about government, as well as life in general. She truly opened my eyes to a whole new world and I would absolutely recommend her to anybody interested in politics, policy, government, or anything related!
Professor Newsom outlined very clear expectations in the modules. Each module is a chapter, quiz, and a (300-word but very simple) discussion. Every three or four assignments are written assignments, but they were quite easy. There is a Civic Engagement project, which is quite easy. No proctored/honorlock exams. There is a midterm as well. Easy A.
I consider her the best teacher I've ever had. Thanks to her, I developed a genuine interest in politics, and I learned more in her class than I ever thought possible.
One of the most amazing professors I've ever had. Dr. Newsom genuinely cares for her students and wants everybody to succeed and reach their fullest potential. Not a lot of assignments, plenty of extra credit opportunities, and the most inspiring, informative, brilliant lectures! She's very passionate and intense, but it's because she cares!
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
87%
Textbook Required
15%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.09 avg changeRatings by Course
707
5.0
(1)2041
5.0
(3)2201
5.0
(1)ETHICREQ
5.0
(1)PHI1600
5.0
(3)Difficulty by Course
ETHICREQ
3.0
HIST101
3.0
AMERNATLGOVT
2.3
POS2041
2.0
707
2.0