tough, dont take if your not prepared

This is definitely a difficult class, but teegaren knows his stuff. Hard work pays off.

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He is a great teacher, he is clear and very organized. You will learn a lot. Class takes effort but if you listen and take notes you will survive.

Teaches Trig [104], Calc I [150], Calc III [252] and Diff Eq [255]. Very serious teacher. He will kick your math ass into shape. As usual, if you survive, you will know things others don't. Gives exquisite lechures and Herculean tests.

The Jedi Grandmaster math prof. Yoda does calculus. Not afraid? You will be...you WILL be!

Teegarden works you hard. He puts out very logical and clear notes and does "hard problems" as examples...which is good, because he'll ask hard questions on the homework and tests. When you are done in his class, you will know Calculus

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This man knows his stuff. Very good teacher, one of the best at mesa. If you are majoring in any science take him, you will be on the same level or a step ahead when you transfer.

He is a really good math teacher. Tests are challenging but not too tough. Lectures on same type of problems that are on the homework and tests. He is very kind and helpful. He provides a handout with what type of questions will be on each test.

If Mr. Teegarden is going to wear those Tevas then he needs to get a pedicure, now!!! He has the grossest feet ever. Besides that, he is hardworking, grades tests quickly, and gives his all during class lectures. He does get crabby sometimes though.

the best teacher i've ever had. PERIOD!!!!!

Knows his stuff. Covers all of the material so be prepared. If you do your studying, he is more than willing to work with you. Expects you to remember old material without reteaching it.

VERY HARD, but explains VERY WELL!! if you pay attention in class, and do all the homeworks, you would understand VERY WELL!! but he does grade pretty tough, plus a homework due ever class, hha

Amazing teacher, very very hard, but you learn so much more then a normal class. He is very helpfull if you don't interupt class time. His grading is tough, but it is possible to get an A if you actually work for it. It won't be handed out.

I took his class a couple of semesters ago. He is a very technical teacher and you will get a lot out of his classroom teaching style. However, his test are not very fair. Stop by his window and look. The quizes give a false sense of security towards a test. If your a technical learner, he may be for you. Helpful though.

A clear teacher but a clearly difficult class.

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Knows the subj matter. Will help if you are willing to work. Expects you to remember things learned in past math classes so if you don't have a sound background, do not take him. You will definitely learn in his class. His quizzes (take home) are difficult and so are the tests but you have seen everything in class. Gives good study material.

If you want to be competitive, you have to have rigorous coursework in the fundamentals. Teegarden's is the class. Best professor I've had. Well organized; knows what he'll be talking about two weeks from now at 10:22 am, wastes no class time. You learn in class and from your notes, not from a book that, I think, is harder to understand.

This guy is hard, but not if you study and understand what he is teaching. Well thoughtout lecutres, this guy knows EVERYTHING about math. You will always learn something new in this class. One of, if not THE best teachers I've had in my whole college career. Definetly not a Junior College level class, this guy will get you ready for UC level.

RIGOROUS, FASTPACED coursework. his lectures are so precise and informative. listen to everything he has to say; his notes are great. quizes due pretty much every meeting are hard.

He is definitely a teacher that expects alot. If you are serious about math then he is perfect. He does expect you to remember all your math skills from Trig to now.

Be able to differentiate + integrate many things, know many trig identities. Must be flexible on his tests. Expect to hear this alot "Clearly we know that..." lol. Very very organized and on schedule. Eventually you will gain alot of respect for him despise the fact that he is perhaps the toughest-demanding teacher in the SDCCD.

Excellent instruction. Briefly reviews trig and algebra skills required for the course. Has own style which differs from text-take great notes, you will need them. Very good about covering all material you will need. Homeworks are where you perfect your techniques. Time constrtaints limit ability to review old material

I had Teegarden for Math 151 and Math 252. He is hard! Instead of memorizing formulas, you learn concepts. He expects a lot of you. There is a take home quiz for every lecture. The tests are really hard. He expects you to study in groups. It is basically impossible to pass his class working alone. I've had A's in every math class except for his.

Man this guy is rough. Tests are hard and he's a picky grader. learned a lot though. tough, but good.

wow- what a GREAT professor. wish I had taken him for calc 1 and calc 2. expect to be worked hard-- but the return on your investment is complete confidence and concrete overall knowledge of the material. this is vital for us science major types. take him- you won't regret it!

hardest teacher i have ever had. i really enjoyed the subject matter of calculus, but the class itself was really hard. i learned a lot and had to work very hard, difficult quizzes/tests.

hardest teacher ever! You learn so much though. Comming out of this class with a B is probably the same as coming out of any other class with an A. Tests are extremely hard. He is always in his office available to help. He wont ease you into the subject either. First day of class he starts the first chapter. He does not waste class time!

Most difficult professor at Mesa, but also the most detailed. Hard test grader, quizzes due every class. I have gotten A's in all of my math classes except for his! Don't take more than one other class if you work, because you will spend hours on the homework! Excellent professor.

I highly suggest you take this class. You learn a lot. Ignore the other lame reviews about. You do not even use the book. He gives you the methods to solve his quizes in the examples he goes over in class. His tests and final are basically the quiz and class notes combined. The only obstacle keeping you from getting an A or A+ is yourself.

Excellent professor. I had him for Math 150, 151, 252 and 255. As said in other posts, one take home quiz is due every class session, they are basically the homework. Do not miss class or you will fall behind. He gives a study guide that includes past quiz problems for each exam & final. The guide shows exact type of problems that will be on exam.

If you are a UCSD student who has not had linear algebra or vector calculus (20E and F). Do not take this class. It is not a replacement for 20D as Teegarden expects you to know all of your skills frrom linear algebra and vector calculus. Otherwise a very good teacher, knows his stuff, a little hard, but mainly expects a lot.

Brilliant prof. Prepare to write 10+ pages of notes per class. His exams are very demanding but they are also based very closely to his take-home quizzes (due every day). do well on the quizzes and you will do well on tests. Many of his problems on take-home tests can be found in the txtbook. recommend him if you want to walk away with GREAT skills

He's a great professor: dedicated, organized, punctual, etc.. His classes were awesome: Calculus 150, 151, 252, 255. He's the best at Mesa College. If you're serious about success; he's your mentor.

Miss one class section and you're screw. Just attend the class daily, do the hand out quizes, and you will be just fine. He expected you to know lots of stuff xD This probably the easiest class I took because the test is right there in your take home quizzes. I spent more hours doing quizzes than studying for test, go figure!

Super hard teacher but WORTH IT! I flew threw Calculus 2 and 3 because of what he taught us in Calculus 1. You just have to be tough and realize he wants you to learn the most difficult problems because it will prepare you later on! Tough to get an A you will work harder in his class then other teachers but I am telling you it PAYS OFF!

Hands down, the best math teacher in San Diego!

Decent Professor, teaches well beyond the basics. Answer each of the test questions SPECIFICALLY how he wants, he cares not if you get the gist, you must be succinct and thorough. Tons of homework!! I wouldn't recommend his class if you work. Great instructor if you are really good at math, or are a math major.

I still think he's got a grudge against his students with the two take-home tests he issues, but otherwise be prepared for a teacher who expects you to know EVERYTHING in all math levels up to Calc III. He is kind and direct in class and doesn't like to waste time. I had 22 units at the time... a huge work load. Should have just taken his class!

If you are looking to get an easy "A" look elsewhere. If you are looking to challenge yourself, learn from the best teacher at Mesa and still have the possibility of getting an A. You've signed up for the right class. Teegarden is no joke but his classes prepared me better than any other math teacher had at Mesa.

hardest math teacher i ever took. never had to work so hard in a math class only to get a B. 6 tests in which 2 of them are take home. Take home tests extremely hard. to do well you have to meet with other classmates and spend countless hours completing them. take him only if you have the time and effort to do well in math.

Great teacher. Definitely feel like I learned the subject matter, but you have to devote 10-12 hours outside of class a week - difficult for working stiffs like me.

I had taken calculus2, each math class I took before were very terrible until I meet him. He is the BEST teacher for those who are serious about learning math. Homework after every class. not too much and not too hard. He spent lots of time grading and let you know the mistake very clearly. I wish I could have his class in my early age.

very helpful and understandable. whatever is on the homework is on the tests. very clear

Tests follow directly from homework; hw from lectures. Partial credit? ALWAYS! He isn't *too* hard. Just practice hw probs and you'll get an A or B. Mr T isn't a tutor, and won't hold your hand much. He'll be helpful, but then you need to go and do the work. Some people seem to think school should be easy & with hand-holding... UCSD isn't easy!

He reminds me of santa clause! besides that hes a great teacher and i would like to take another math class with him.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Everyone loves Professor Teegarden, well everyone who actually has a future in college anyway. He's amazing. Often uses his catchphrase, "ALGEBRA TIME!" and then solves a problem in a few simple steps. I wish I could take his class again. He's literally my hero and I hope I'll be a mathematician of his caliber some day!

Wow, i had no life when i took this class. I learned everything thoroughly, there was no stone unturned in his class. Tests are EXTREMELY hard. Even though i might not get an A, im going to destroy math 151 next year. Take him if you want a SOLID foundation for math. Homework is due every class period. Stay away if you don't want to study all day

All I can say is I miss Professor Teegarden immensely. He makes the other professors, namely Parvini, look like a complete joke. Anyone fortunate enough to take one of Teegarden's classes best be grateful and put in the extra work, it's well worth it.

he is tough but what he teaches you in class helps you for the next level.

This guy ROCKS! He is very thourough. As previously mentioned, he give a lot of homework and his tests are very difficult, but when you leave at the end of the semester you are more than prepared for the next level!

I like his class. You will have quiz everyday and test everyweek, but they are all useful

Great professor, explains it clearly and is willing to help. Take lots of notes. In lecture he teaches you everything you need to know for the take-home quizzes and then the tests cover problems almost identical to the quizzes. If you actually do the homework, you cannot fail this class. Quizzes are just 10% but they prepare you for the test

very thorough, I could always understand what he's talking about. take home quizzes are very helpful and force me to study for the tests, plus they count as 10% of your grade. tests are medium in the hardness level, but I am not too shabby at math myself. He can be a little mean sometimes, he made a girl cry one time lol, but he's a great teacher

Great Teacher!!! The best one that I have taken. He is hard. A lot of work but totally worth it. There is a quiz due every day and a test every two weeks. But everyone meets before class to work on the assignments so that helps. I took him for calc II and III and taking him for Diff Eq in the fall. Really prepares you for physics.

Wow, This class was a blast in a sort of sick way. "Mr. Epic Beard man" or Professor Teegarden teaches really well! You will learn everything including all that minor junk in small writing. The tests are actually doable if you have done every problem in the book. You get a take home test!! Its impossible to cheat on that :(

This is not a gimme a class. You are gonna work for your grade but professor Teegarden is the best math professor at Mesa. Learned more in one calc semester than in all previous math classes. Test are hard but you WILL learn if you try.

His classes are not easy and you can expect to spend a lot of time outside of class working on his homework (quizzes). If you do not understand something you should know from previous courses, good luck getting an answer during class. In my opinion that is his only downside. Overall, he is a great instructor.

The profound effect that Tom has had on so many of his students' lives really speaks volumes about the type of teacher he is. His class is not difficult, the exam problems are literally identical to the quiz problems. If you pay attention and follow his instructions, you will get an A without question. No other professor cares as much as he does!

He knows how to teach. He's also anally retentive when it comes to algebraic simplification. People are getting tricked into believing that they're actually getting held up to a higher standard. Like I said, he'll take off points for the most frivolous reasons to the point where it becomes absurd.

I love Tom. His class I have to work a lot on it, but I understand the methods. He is a very helpful instructor. You can go to his office to ask in office hour if you do not know how to do the problem

INCREDIBLY THOROUGH!! great math teacher, but extremely unforgiving (especially with partial credit). you will WORK harder than any other class you have ever had, or you will fail. BUT at the end, you will understand and be able to do math at a superior level that far exceeds anyone taking a similar class. PERFECT teacher for math majors!

Professor T is a hard prof but he really makes you learn your stuff. Be prepared for LOTS of time needed outside of his class to really understand the material. His grading is fair. There is HW due everyday, 7 tests & a final. You are able to drop 3 HW and 1 test. Final is worth 30%. All HW assigned is thru his notes. Save $ and use any Calc book.

There's over 20 quizzes, due every day. Honestly though, that's what makes test time easy. I really appreciate this style of teaching, you will fail if you can't keep up with them, but if you do, you can't fail. I feel like a really learned it. Quarky guy too.

The quizzes are based off the notes. He is very clear on what he expects and provides solutions immediately after every test and take home quiz. The practice tests are very similar to the in-class tests but the take-home exams are ridiculously hard. You've been warned.

Won't sugarcoat it: this class is hard. Tom teaches you what you need and tests you on the concepts themselves; nothing is handed to you. Study the quizzes and practice tests and the actual tests are not bad. If you got an A/B in Calc 1 expect a little more work for that here. Overall very difficult, but he actually teaches and has expectations.

Extremely knowledgeable and competent! He encourages the use of office hours and is very prompt with email replies. He emails you your homework grade within 36 hours and emails you your class average and rank after every test. Fast-paced lecturer, and he expects you to be very competent with algebra. Just do all the work and you learn a lot!

Attend class everyday, youll understand the material very well. Take a lot to spend time with the material outside of class time. Choose your schedule wisely. If you him for help, he may tell you that you should of understand the material and algebra. If you like challenges, take him. Feels like an upper division course.

The rigor and effort put into the course is immediately followed by the sheer amount of confidence gained and the appreciation for such a caring, well-prepared instructor. Undoubtedly, a gold standard for teaching math. This beneficial investment into your future and education will make you wish he taught you all of math from day one. A+ recommend

Took Calc3 with him and taking his DEqn. Love him. His lectures are very clear if you can keep up with his algebra so Make sure to sharpen your algebra sklls b4 taking him. Daily take-home quizzes, more like graded home work which help a lot in tests. He assigns problems that are hard enough to interest you. Give clear expectations for everything.

If you actually put in work and want to succeed in college take him. If you plan on half-assing the rest of your (attempted) degree, and eventually switching to philosophy because "STEM just wasn't for me", do NOT take this professor.

I took Teegarden from calc 2 through diff'eq and he is amazing. Very tough but he gives you everything you need. He is retired and does this because he wants to. He teaches one class per semester, calc 1 through diff'eq in order. If you are mathengineering major and are lucky enough to have your math sequence fall into line with his then take him.

Hands down the hardest math class and prof I've ever taken. But so worth it! It would be near impossible for you to pass without knowing exactly what you're doing. Teegarden is an amazing teacher with a huge knowledge base. Tests are SO hard and Teegarden wants things to be perfect. But if you survive, you'll come out a much stronger student.

he really knows what he's doing, and he's really compassionate about math. he's always there to answer questions on his office hours or by email. But one thing I have to assure you is that the average ISN'T A- at all, prepare yourself for a lot of tests (6 or 7) 10% each then the final is 30% and HW is 10%. passing his class is time consuming.

At first, I was hesitant to take prof. Teegarden because of the bad reviews that he received. At the end of his class I feel to be very knowledgeable about the material. You should always attend his classes and simply follow the instructions he provides.

Took several of his courses at Mesa College many (~20) years ago. Still to this day as an engineer in the astronomy community I use some of the practical approach methods I learned in his courses to understand and apply calculus (especially 3D calculus) to problems at work.