RIT SG Professor Evaluations ca. 2005

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Ratings for Helen Timberlake

RatingQuarterComment
6520023Nice lady but not much of a professor. She never answers questions clearly. If you do ask a question she usually just says ok here's the question here is the answer now do you see how i got that. She makes you feel stupid for asking questions about stuff she doesn't explain clearly. Avoid her if you can people!
6520023I have always gotten A's in all of my math courses here at RIT. THEN I entered Timberlakes class....She teaches the material as if you are stupid and when you ask her to explain something outside the realm of the question, she aviods it or will not answer it. Many of the students in my class were very frustrated with her by the end of the quarter. Her quizes are 4 sometimes 5 pages long!!! And she gets annoyed when the student don't have enough time to finish them. One time she actually left a student sitting in the class room to finish the quiz b/c she "couldn't wait for him to finish" so the student had to track her down after he finished to turn in the quiz!! I emailed her several times through the quarter (along w/ many of the other students) and not once did she return an email. Her exams are also very long just like here quizes and you don't have time to finish. The final was the same way. Our class had an averge of a C on some exams and she would always say, "I am happy with the class' performance, the average was a C!!" Yeah, well if ur happy with a C, Congrat you have found the right Professor!! However, those who strive to achieve more and actually learn instead of having to learn material her way and then go RELEARN it to understand it, you might want to choose another professor.
5820023One of the worse math teachers I have ever had. She thinks everyone is a moron and teaches like you are a kindergardener.
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7520023Had her for calc III. She did a poor job teeaching the material. Not difficult to get along with as a person, consistent grader, tested what was taught, just taught poorly. If yoiu are a good self-learner, yoiu'll be fine, otherwise find a different teacher.
5320023This Prof. is not happy with the way you do math unless its here way, hates to accept other ways to do a problem. Doesn't respond to questions without the comment, my office hours are..... She is always in a rush and talks for ever. Had her for pre-calc and she told me that everything I learned in HS pre-calc and AP Calc was wrong. I recommend you take someone else, unless you enjoy being talked to like your stupid.
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9120023I had this professor for Precalc. She's real nice understanding and will let you make up quizzes as long as they're within the week of giving them out. If you've never had precalc i wouldn't recommend her cuz she doesn't beat the material to death. So if you want a refresher class it's good.
4820023the worst math teacher i have ever had. (that includes my entire academic career) i had her for calc III and was completely remiss about the vast majority of topics covered. she did not know the material. i think that if i had the prof. resources that she did i could teach the class as well, if not better. she was constantly 5 minutes late to class brought her daughter in a couple of days, answered her cell phone in the middle of class, and flat out could not answer questions. when a student asked a question they got the response, "hmmm...that's weird...i don't know why it's doing that...i'll have to look at that one tonight..." and then the next day she never revisited the question. and god forbid she could answer a question on the spot she did so in a condescending manner. kind of as if she didn't understand how you could not get it. her notes were mediocre at best consisting of nothing more than transparencies that were stuck on an over head projector that were copied either directly out of our text or the teachers manual. the problems students asked her to do on the board she either could not do, or mad mistakes with signs that made the problem difficult to follow. if you have her or are going to have her switch out before you are forced to succumb to her ineffectual teaching style.
6520012Like everyone else said, she's a nice person, but her teaching style is HORRIBLE. She talks to students like they are 4 years old. I had her for In Statistic Methods I and I didn't do as well. I have another teacher for Stats II and I'm doing a ton better. I recommend getting someone else if you can!
4820012I had here for Discrete I 20012. Yeah, everyone is right about her personality. She's pretty nice, but it doesn't make her any better of a teacher. Its like having Mr. Rodgers for a math professor. However, I'd bet he'd be more prepared. It usually took ages for her to return quizes/tests. Even at one point she forgot to bring the test to class. It happens, but hot diggity, she's a professor! I didn't feel like I learned much of anything in the class. Her lack of organization and lack of knowledge (it seemed) really hurt not only me, but it seemed like the entire class. If you would like to have a 'nice' professor, pick her, cause she's about as friendly as they come. But if you want to use a portion of that $27,000 for an actual education, pick someone else.
9520012I thought she was a great teacher. I had her for Discrete 1 and she presented the material very well. Her tests are not hard, if you go to class you should do just fine... and if you study you should get an A. She stresses homework but doesn't collect it so that's good also.
9120012She is a nice teacher... If you aren't doing so well you can always beg her for points.. Seriously, beg and she will take pity on you. I highly recommend her.
7120012Nice lady, Ok Professor. However, towards the middle of the quarter, she gave 2 tests one week, and then had a test 2 days before the final. Also, on the tests and quizzes, she almost completely reworded stuff, and left a majority of my class confused. Also, she always saved quizzes for the last 10-15 minutes of class, hardly giving us enough time to finish, and she would take off points for the problems we didn't have enough time to finish (she was always in a hurry to leave at the end of class), instead of grading us on the problems we had done. She avoids questions in class, will not stay even a second after class to answer questions, and makes you feel completely stupid if you do ask a question. If you can avoid her, I highly recommend it.
5320012The reason I didn't give her an F- is because she is a nice person. She doens not know how to teach. She gave two tests with in the same week, one was a few days before the FINAL. She does not know how to present material well. She avoids questions! Avoid her at all costs. Nice lady but Horrible teacher!!
7120012not one of the best profs i've had at RIT. She's a really nice person, but as a prof, I found her to be very confusing...and her tests were horrible!
9920011The best math teacher i ever have.
7520011She is a really nice teacher, but does not explain things well and often seems to not understand what she is teaching. She is good about giving quizes and tests back quickly, and the tests aren't too hard.
4820011Prof Timberlake is a great person. However, she is not much of a math teacher. I took Prof. Timberlake for Data Analysis 1 and I found myself frustrated a majority of the time. Not because the material was difficult, but her presentation was usually terrible. She uses overheads 95% of the time. On one of the occasions when she was actually using the whiteboard, she used a permanent marker. She is highly unorganized and doesnt know the answers to the homework problems she assigns. Often she couldnt read her own writing on the sheet to give the answer to the student who asked the question. Quizzes and tests were handed back randomlly, sometimes the next class, sometimes an entire week later.

Overall, nice woman, not a very good teacher.
6820011I had her for Algebra for Management...I found her class to be very disappointing. She'd come to class late, without her book, without enough worksheets for everyone in the class, not give enough time for the tests...etc.
7820011Prof. Timberlake likes Statistics, but I don't know if she should be teaching Statistics. The first day of class, when she started teaching, my friends and I all agreed that it felt like we were being treated like 2 year olds. Everything she explains she goes over at least 6 times and into the most intricate minutest details. By the time she's done explaining something you're too busy trying remember all she told you rather than attempting to apply it.
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9920002Great teacher, takes lots of time to review and always answers everyones questions. Tests and Quizes are very fair and only cover materials gone over in class. Homework is minimal and easy.
9920001For the first time, I actually understand math in 3 years.
9119993Good professor. Helpful with answering questions. Very fair on grading the quizzes and tests.