3.5
Quality3.8
Difficulty100%
Would Retake99
Reviews100%
Would Retake
99
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
99 total ratings5
46
4
15
3
9
2
10
1
19
What Students Say
“BEST PROFESSOR I'VE EVER HAD”
ENGL345 - 5.0 rating“A little contradicting and elitist at times, but tackle ALL of the reading and you should survive”
ENG345 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
50%
Textbook Required
60%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+1.06 avg changeRatings by Course
ENG318N
5.0
(1)ENGL378
5.0
(1)MANY
5.0
(1)318N
5.0
(1)ENG
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
ENG378
5.0
PRACCRIT
5.0
SNOREFEST
5.0
AMERICANLIT
5.0
ENG216
5.0
Reviews (98)
I'm surprised that his head can fit into the classroom door because his ego is so huge. Face it buddy, your Marxist ideology makes no diffence in here.
Terrible teacher. He has no personality and couldn't teach literature if it was a coloring book.
Professor Scherman has been my biggest academic challenge, but the man has taught me how to write. These people obviously do not know him because he does NOT have a big head and his personality is very easy going. I should know, I have taken him 4 times.
No Comments
It's been two years since I took Scherman. In retrospect, I realize I learned a lot from his class. It's unfortunate that someone here is criticizing his character, rather than his ability to teach (that's not to say he has bad character-au contraire).
Excellent teacher -- one of the best I've ever had -- while he's a tough grader, he's fair. He has a strong rapport with his students, so anyone who can't get along with him or who thinks he has an ego problem, obviously has problems of their own.
This is the 2nd class I've had with him and I'm kicking myself. Why didn't I learn the 1st time. He's unhelpful and unbelievably egotistical. He also has some unrealistic expectations of students in his classes. He thinks students only have 1 class - His.
Scherman has taught me to be a better writer and is really nice if you need help. He does not have an ego at all, believe me, just start knocking on his colleague's doors, you'll see what a real ego is.
Although his classes are extremely difficult (in my opinion), he is willing to help you if you knock on his office door. He is funny and his lectures are enthralling!
He is impossible and arrogant!
This course can be as hard or as easy as you make it! If you read the material assigned in the course your grade will refect that! If you want to learn, Scherman is one of the best English professors Northeastern has to offer. Overall, Scherman is awsome!
If your up for a challenge, you'll do well in his class. If not, I'd pass. Also--he is very passionate about what he teaches, which makes the learning environment even more exciting.
He is a horrible teacher!!!! He has major ego issues and is an unfair grader.
He is the best prof. I have ever had. He is extremely intelligent and makes the lectures interesting to attend--even if the book sucks. I always look forward to taking him again.
This man is what a prof. is suppose to be like. I'll be the first to admit, he is challenging but don't you want to earn your grade? He amazes me with his intellect. He is not arrogant he is just knowledgable. A+
Who does this guy think he is? He is so arrogant and obnoxious. He acts like he is too important and busy to actually teach. He is combative in class and does not respect student's opinions. He acts like the students are beneath him.
He acts like he is superior over the students.
First--the course was a joke. It only seems difficult because Scherman probably studied some random fact immediatley before class. All of the positive comments on this page were probably written by Scherman himself. Caught ya, Timmy!
He is horrible and talks down to the students.
He is an awesome professor. He knows what he is talking about, comes to class prepared and is always professional and friendly. You will learn something in his class. He is open to everyone and let's class discussions range by students opinions. He is very dedicated. You will have a great experience
BEST TEACHER EVER!
No Comments
Very tough information, expects you to do your work, and if you do, you are rewarded fairly for it. He does not penalize for disagreements, so long as you show you're thinking about the material. Has lively, interesting lectures, and keeps students in mind. Though, be prepared to keep up the work.
He doesn't seem to care about whether or not his students are getting what he teaches. You get the impression that he just wants to hear himself speak.
He's arrogant, but fair grader and as long as you listen in class you dont have to read-pass, pass pass...
where does this guy get his test questions from? terrible
He's a good teacher. Can be a bit difficult, but I haven't had any problems. Just pay attention during the lectures, read the material, and you'll be fine.
He is a good taecher. he knows what he is talking about and his tests are not that hard if you pay attention to what he says then you will do well. His questions are hard because he forms them in ways that you have to think about the answer. He is a good prof and i would take him again.
A professor that loves conversing with "intellegent" students in class...does not appreciate those who work hard, come to class, and receives B's and C's, but would rather have students turn in late "brilliant" work and skip class.
Keeps the class interesting. As long as you pay attention and try and make an effort at reading you should do alright in the class.
No Comments
I have a bachelors degree as well as two masters degree, and this arrogant fool is the worst preofessor that I ever encountered. He is a tool; avoid him at all costs.
ugh, he's a tool bag! definitely seems like he doesn't care. his lectures are hard to follow and the test questions are off the wall. he's difficult to talk to as well... good luck!
I am currently in this man's class and he is not only the worst professor, but a pompous jerk. He assigns ridiculous things no longer in print, and changes material. Your best bet is to: STAY AWAY FROM HIM. I wish I did, but I am stuck with him...Also note, he is an advisor for the college of ed.
Total tool, and loves to hear himself speak. He gets defensive when you have an opinion against one of the many out of print books he requires you to read, and is really hard to follow. No personality, Cold as ice. Stay clear of this jerk.
No Comments
Students tend not to like him because he doesn't dummy down his lectures. If you're up for it and willing to put in the effort, this guy will teach you a lot. Learned more in his classes than most others.
Dont take him. Really boring and the tests are hard! BEWARE
Prof.Scherman is NOT A BABY SITTER. He'sa good teacher in every sense of the word. Seems unapproachable (and perhaps tries to be)among other things but if you get over yourself and squeeze as much as you can out of him and his class you will see that he is one of the best resources NEIU has to offer. Brilliant and lucid. Work hard and you won't
This guy knows his stuff. Can't believe he is at NEIU. Take advantage and you will learn a lot. Tough but fair. You will learn a lot.
a good professor but a very difficult class for a 200 level course
He is arrogant and unapproachable. I was an A student until I took his class and my major [WAS] English. Because of him, I changed it. Don't take him if you don't have to. He's full of himself and doesn't put a lot of effort into helping people if you don't get his lectures. There are much better professors in the English Department.
Effort is not looked upon in his class. He prefers students that are naturally intellegent; those students who try eh your overlooked. Remember Scherman good teachers care! Why teach at Northeastern Scherman when you can go teach at Harvard?
This guy really knows his stuff! If you actually go to school to learn, take as many classes w/ Dr. Scherman. Students looking for an easy passing grade, look the other way. Tests are difficult, but I think his grading is fair. Might seem unapproachable, but just get over yourself. He can be helpful.
Probably the best professor I have had yet, he does seem a little unapprochable and intimidating. People think he is difficult, but if you do your readings and utilize all of the resources he puts out there then there is no reason not to get an A in the class.
Clear and percise in his lecture but a tough grader when it comes to papers.
Great teacher - very intelligent and encourages class participation both online and in the classroom. Discussions were thought provoking. Seemed very understanding to me and gave me the benefit of the doubt without really knowing me. His class is the highlight of my day. If you do the readings and speak up in class, you'll be fine. A+ Prof.
Extremely intelligent professor who is absolutely in love with English. Fair, and sometimes humourous. Gets excited when your excited. Take as many classes as you can with him, just be prepared to work!
Scherman is a bright and insightful professor. He has a great sense of humor. He is evolving, becoming a better teacher with time. The class is interesting because of the way he conducts it. He is a fair grader, however much he challenges the student.
Intelligent, helpful and if you wan to learn anything, the guy to go to in English.
His class is interesting and he is precise in lectures. If you read , come to the lectures and TAKE NOTES, then you will be fine. You must come to class.
He makes literature relevant and interesting. At times it's like being in the theater; he takes you there. I recommend him to anyone who wants to discover another way of looking at our world.
Dr. Scherman is the most intelligent man I have ever met! He doesn't dummy down for anything. Can't imagine taking him for a survey class but Practical Crit. isamazing. Attendance is mandatory to understand new concepts introduced. I respect this man so much!! Sometimes I think he is too smart for his own good =)
Excellent teacher, interesting and very nice to look at!
Fantastic! Brilliant! A solid lecturer and hilarious person. Cynical, but there's nothing wrong with that. Loved his class.
I took him a few years ago. He's great. Brilliant and really into lit. Somewhat pompous but he has reason to be. What is he doing at NEIU?? I don't know but I'm glad I got to take him. He makes you work hard but he does too. Not an easy "A" but you'll learn a lot. Ask him to "sing" Frost's "Whose Woods These Are..."-- very funny and memorable.
He doesn't prepare the students adequately for the exams; can be unpredictable too. The class is stifling in that there isn't an adequate rapport.
Although Dr. Scherman takes second place behind Dr. Libretti for making theory fun and understandable, he is a great teacher and you will learn from him. Expects real graduate work. Runs class like a grad. class not all lecture. Values his students and their good work. A really nice and intelligent man. Very handsome.
Professor Scherman is an excellent teacher. He seems unapproachable, but he is actually really helpful and understanding. He is passionate about literature. If you aren't already, chances are you will be after taking his class. Take him for literary criticism if you plan to go on to teach English. Save your notes!!! Someday you will need them.
He is arrogant, and if anyone was teaching the same thing for fifteen years, they would appear to be brilliant too.
Were we in the same class? I had a short, balding professor. Anyway, it was a good class, even if he might not measure up to our Libretti.
A great professor, very intelligent & has very unique perspectives. He actually made American Lit interesting for me. I took him for practical criticism too, and if you have to take that class, take it with him--he explains everything really well and keeps it interesting. And i agree that he is a handsome devil <3
Those who create possess original thoughts; those who criticize lack the capacity to create original thoughts; so how can they legitimately criticize what they are devoid of?
"Those who can, do,and those who can't, teach"
I took a post-modern class with Scherman, who said, "This is an experimental class, since I've never taught it before." Great. He likes to use four-syllable words a lot but doesn't really get his point across. First time I ever walked out of a class, thinking it a waste of time after listening to him spew for an hour about nothing...
COMING FROM THE AVG STUDENT= Intelligent interesting professor. Very comical and exciting; however, heavy reading and must be willing to learn and hustle in your studies. cannot be a slacker AT ALL. BEST TEACHER EVER IF you like to WORK for your A
Yes, this is true! He loves listening to himself "talk" and he never gets a point across! Can you imagine a professor telling you, "Good! You read the book...now forget about what you learned!" On top of it all...he likes to think his views are more important than someone else's book! He just rambles on and on and on...USELESS LECTURES.
Possibly the worst teacher I've had. Ever. Period. Lectures are incoherent. Actually will turn his back and head towards the door if you approach him after class with a question about am incoherent lecture. Hands a syllabus out, then changes it everyday, online, so it becomes tough to plan ahead. Awful. Just plain awful.
Intelligent, insightful, unfortunately very full of himself. You will hear him talking about his Ivy League education and scholarly projects often. Aside from that, he sparked interesting discussions and was reasonably helpful when I had questions about assignments. For our term paper, he gave us topics to choose from, which I found constraining.
He gets off on failing people or seeing how many students he can get to drop. If he was half as good of a teacher as he believes, he'd be amazing. Unfortunately, he isn't. It's a shame any NEIU English major will be forced to take Scherman at some point, because professors like him are one of NEIU's biggest problems. I got my A...few others will.
LOTS of reading expected, but very little of it from the textbook--plan to print out pages & pages of source material. Hard grader, but gives useful feedback on papers. He doesn't go out of his was to be approachable. Eight weeks into the semester, I felt like I was floundering, and then it all came together in the last six weeks.
LOTS of reading expected, but very little of it from the textbook--plan to print out pages & pages of source material. Hard grader, but gives useful feedback on papers. He doesn't go out of his way to be approachable. Eight weeks into the semester, I felt like I was floundering, and then it all came together in the last six weeks.
Prof. S. is so intelligent and so interesting that, while I found the subject itself boring, I was still able to listen and learn. Only when he explained the important points of our readings did I fully have an understanding of the material. He's pretty cool too, played Paul Simon for us and referenced The Simpsons, and he is very funny.
One of the best professors I've ever had. Smart, funny, engaging, challenging. He initially seems intimidating, but will bend over backwards to help you out, especially if he respects your work ethic. I love listening to this guy talk, and it's true- he's definitely not bad to look at.
Dr. Scherman is by no means an easy professor and can be somewhat intimidating but that is simply because he does not tolerate slacking. He pushes you with the material and does incorporate class discussion. Tough class but a great instructor. I feel like I have become a better writer because of him.
Take his class, pay attention, read the material, and do the work. He's not an easy teacher but he knows what he's talking about. You'll definitely get something out of the experience if you apply yourself. He's arguably one of the three best teachers in the English dept at NEIU.
I read these reviews before taking his class but realized people just like to complain b/c he requires a bit of hard work. The bad reviews are unfair. Hes a really good teacher! Learned more in his class than any other. Attend class, take notes, & pay attention b/c exams come from lectures. Buy the book, you'll use it A LOT!
I have completed many classes with him and he is one of the best in the dept. He chooses to teach here because he cares. He is highly knowledagble, fair, and doesn't like slackers.
His classes are not easy, so if you want an easy A, don't take him. He doesn't really tell you what will be the the tests, so you have to know everything. I didn't find him arrogant; just really smart. Good sense of humor. Attendance not mandatory. Bottom line: he's hard, but fair. You'll have to work HARD for an A, but you'll learn a ton.
He's open to new ideas, especially after to grasp the basics. He's definitely not easy, but it's mostly because he wants you to feel the accomplishment of earning what you got. That on its own makes the exhaustion and occasional aggravation completely worth taking a class with Scherman.
Everyone moans about taking this course, but since it is a requirement you may as well take it with a professor who knows criticism inside and out. A little contradicting and elitist at times, but tackle ALL of the reading and you should survive
I'm fine with having difficult courses, but the delivery that he uses is simply not conducive to learning. He laughs continually at his own jokes, which are far from humorous, and he is incredibly arrogant-With his Duke degree and all...I'd suggest finding another instructor for this course.
What makes his class challenging is that his lectures feel unorganized. Like he isn't sure which quotes he wanted to explain (lots of page flipping to find quotes). Do the reading. Attend class. Try to grasp the connections between different authors! VERY smart and clearly loves this subject. Responds fast to email. Allows revision!
I've had Dr. Scherman for two classes, Practical Criticism and American Literary Renaissance and he is by far the best professor I've had at NEIU. He is infinitely interesting and does his best to bring to life what can be dry material and make it appealing, and better yet, relevant. He explains things thoroughly and expectations are clear.
Very knowledgeable and enthusistic about his job. There was a lot of material to cover and endless blackboard activities required but these writing assignments turned out to be rewarding in the end. Afterall practice makes perfect. Though he is demanding, and he constantly pushes you further, it is only because he wants you to achieve success.
When I first saw Dr. Scherman, he appeared to be an enforcer. As the semester rolled on, however, I found him to be extremely helpful and very generous with granting time extensions on assignments. His comments on rough drafts are very helpful, and they were crucial in helping me to craft my improved final drafts. I would take him again.
BEST PROFESSOR I'VE EVER HAD. I've now taken four different classes with him an he's made me feel more confident with my switch to English English as my major. Love love love Dr. Scherman!
He's a very knowledgeable teacher who cares a lot about what he teaches. He's also really encouraging to the students in class. You can see him trying to put a positive spin on even the most off-the-mark comments made in class. Easy? No. But you will learn a lot in his classes.
Scherman is a great professor. He is easy to approach if you need extra help and offers a lot of great advice for new English majors.
Scherman is the best! His lectures or discussions on the assigned readings are always insightful, leaving you excited about literature. He is the best at what he does. I have enjoyed 3 rewarding courses with him. The class won't be easy, but will be well worth you time and money.
Will always take time to helpclarify assignments. Very knowledgeable. Considers all opinions. Tells it like it is... "It is hard to get an A in my class." Read the material, be original and honest with your writing and share what you think in class and you should do fine. Scherman is brilliant and humble. Has a calm, thoughtful demeanor.
One of the best professors I've ever had. Extremely smart, straight shooter - his classes are tough but he will almost always give you a chance to improve your grade if you show him that you're willing to work for it. Attendance not specifically mandatory, but you will struggle if you don't make it to class regularly.
Excellent professor! He is great at explaining everything and there is a passion that he carries himself with while teaching that really makes the material interesting. He is very smart and offers great insights while explaining subject matter. I have taken many classes with this professor, by far my favorite professor in the English department.
Scherman is one of the few professors that engages with his students, and teaches with passion. In any of his classes, you have to TRY. He cares about what your takeaways are in his class, and pushes you to achieve your greatest work. If you wish to earn your degree with pure knowledge, take his class. If you're going to slack off, don't bother.
Dr. Scherman really helped me learn about important authors. This class is a lot of reading, studying, and memorizing.. but trust me, it's so worth it because as an English major you HAVE to know some of these important figures! Looking back now, I know why he taught the way he did. He cares so much & pushes you to do your best.
The big project at the end was TOUGH. There's not a lot of work due to the huge project at the end. But he cares for participation so read the books and join the discussion in class. A couple short papers, no final, and midterm on the books we read 1st half. He cares mostly for effort on the project, so put it in. My favorite professor at NEIU!
He is a really good lecturer. Outside the classroom very helpful and inspirational. Encourages group discussions. Very polite and understanding.
Caring, passionate, laid-back but full of learning, exploring. An excellent professor and course.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
50%
Textbook Required
60%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
A-
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Improving
+1.06 avg changeRatings by Course
ENG318N
5.0
(1)ENGL378
5.0
(1)MANY
5.0
(1)318N
5.0
(1)ENG
5.0
(2)Difficulty by Course
ENG378
5.0
PRACCRIT
5.0
SNOREFEST
5.0
AMERICANLIT
5.0
ENG216
5.0