John "Jack" Wagoner - University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Professor: John "Jack" Wagoner

Department: Mathematics

College: University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lecture was pointless; there wasn't any teaching going on. Besides the fact that his writing was illegible, his attempts to explain the material was futile if not non-existent. AFAIK, the guy is retired and won't teach any more.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Didn't learn anything from him. I had an AMAZING GSI and a very helpful set of review sessions before the final (these reviews were not run by him by the way) which ended up getting me a pretty decent grade. However, I feel as if I didn't have any of these I would have completely tanked. Hard and surprising tests. Do not take this professor.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Worst teacher I have ever had. His tests are MUCH more difficult than the other math professors (judging from their tests and friends feedback) and are not at all what you would expect from lecture or homework. Grading is very unfair, gives VERY FEW As/Bs. Simply understanding the material isn't enough--he tests on the most minute details. AVOID

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He tries to prove just about every theorem in the book. But does so very poorly, and lectures are uninteresting and incomprehensible. He really does try to do a good job, but doesn't realize how poorly he's doing that. His tests are all MC and T/F so no partial credit, and it makes the tests really tricky. Recommend you avoid this professor.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I thought math 54 would be an interesting class, "linear algebra, it's just lines." I WAS WRONG. John or Jack Wagoner will ruin your math 54 experience. He will attempt to prove everything, so lectures are incomprehensible, I tried, I seriously tried. Exams are ambiguous, but a few people do well. His shiny bald head is easier to understand. AVOID.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Regret taking him. Hes the worst math teacher i've had in my LIFE. He basically repeats the book word for word and uses exactly the same examples. He confuses you even more than by reading the book. If you take him, don't go to lecture because you are wasting time.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lecture is pretty useless. He makes a lot of mistakes and after a while I just stopped going.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Even if you listen, you won't be able to follow his lectures, but still go because he does a lot of things diff from the book. He is more theoretical than the other 54 profs which will prepare you for upper div, but def harder. Exams are confusing, not at all like the homework, nor does he prepare you for his questions. Horrible teacher, avoid!!!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MATH54
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This professor does not make any sense most of the time during lecture. His writing is illegible. He constantly makes mistakes that are as basic as arithmetics, which makes his notes even harder to follow. He only tests T/F and MP, that means no partial credit!!! During midterms, people sitting in the middle got their tests five minutes late.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATH16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I went lecture only to take tests. I even missed most of my sections (didn't turn in hw and quizes). But since I talked to my GSI I was able to have my grade only count the quizes that I took and the few hw that i did turn in. I got a 100% on every thing. Easiest class on campus. I can't attest to his teaching skills tho cuz i never went to class.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: CAL16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Wagoner is really funny and you can tell he is an interesting person, but I don't think he's too passionate about teaching Calculus to a bunch of college students. It seems as if he'd rather be doing other things. His writing is pretty sloppy, but he explains things very well. Good luck trying to find a good Cal teacher. He's your best bet.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MATH16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lectures are sometimes very pointless: if you read the section in the book, you probably don't need to go to lecture, especially if you've taken calc already before. His notes were not good..he sometimes gives examples that have nothing to do with what you're learning. Midterms and final was really easy though. GSI was helpful with notes. Do hw!!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MATH16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He is VERY fair with grading and makes it very possible to do well in the class. Ususally helpful at offcier hours and is willing to tak more time to help you if you let it be known that you want help. If you do the homework, you should be fine.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MATH16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Easy class if you have had calc. The final was EXTREMELY easy, midterms reasonable. He somewhat expects his students to have had Calculus in high school, so if you haven't it can be tough. But if you HAVE and can't get an A easily, you have to be dumb or lazy. I agree his lectures are useless, but who useless, but who cares. Self learn!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MATH16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

if you already took calculus, this is a ridiculously easy class. wagoner is a fun lecturer, but if you know the material it can be really boring and useless. midterms and final are super easy (only with previous calc knowledge). he has many grading systems to give you the best possible grade.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MATH16A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

this guy is the hardest teacher to understand. really easy class but dont even go to lecture. waste of time! jsut read the book. do your hw. and youre good. he teaches you NOTHING. all he does is try to make easy concepts hard by using an excess of variables. peacee..... jy.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MATH16B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

if you did well in math 16A this shouldn't be too hard for you. go to lecture because he sometimes uses different methods for problems. tests are fair and he lets you use a notecard. however lectures are boring and towards the end i relied on the book to understand concepts because he moved so fast. if you do the work you'll get a good grade

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH16B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very nice guy, good lecturer. Final is cumulative but all multiple-choice (YAY!). he also lets you bring an index card with notes on it, front and back. Go to lectures if you can, b/c sometimes the textbook doesn't cover all the material on the exam. overall, easy A.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MATH16B
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

His chalkboard-typos could be confusing, but he was always nice about it when I went to ask him questions about the notes after class. The midterms were hard, but the final was WAY easier (all multiple choice!), and he sets up his grading system so that if you did bad on the midterms, only the final and the HW/quizzes count. And it's curved.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MATH16
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

I thought he was pretty good in the beginning of the class because he was very thorough.. then sometime in the middle and near the end of class, he started trying to be too thorough and just confused everyone. Reading the book makes more sense than lectures. His tests didn't seem too hard.