Mary Jean Spear - James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Professor: Mary Jean Spear

Department: Music

College: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MUS375
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

She made lots of assumption without carefully analyzing things. Lots of things she said didn't make sense either.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MUS600
• 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:

Research Methods is what it is: pretty boring. However, I left this class with a wealth of knowledge and experience utilizing the music library and other resources in addition to advanced scholarly writing. The assignments are tedious and she is quite particular as to how assignments are to be done/turned in. Not terrible, just kind of dry.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MUS600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took the Research Methods Graduate Course. She can give you great suggestions about how to improve your papers, and I feel I learned a lot out of this class. But she wasn't accessible outside of class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200H
• 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:

No comment.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MUS752
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I took the graduate level course which was totally on Hector Berlioz. The weekly assignments to outline large reading assignments to turn in were very time consuming and worthless. Lectures consisted of "going over our notes" each week. No variety. This course made my semester a disaster. Take any other grad history course-not the Berlioz class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MUS374
• 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:

It is unfortunate that this professor teaches a class that is required for an undergraduate degree. It does not seem that she understands how to effectively lecture. This hinders the class the most in that even if you come to class, you usually do not gain anything from the lecture.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200H
• 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:

avoid her. she expects you to know a lot when you come into class. she is really boring and her lectures are worse. you can easily get a good grade if you listen to the music and memorize the songs, but it is still obnoxious.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• 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:

So BORING! Expects you to know everything, and memorize music. Its a GEN-ED, calm down lady. She wanted everyone to be music majors. She puts you to sleep. Listening parts of test are impossible. I really don't recommand her.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GMUS206
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

absolutely one of the worst professors i've had. appeared to have a near-nervous breakdown every class. explained one of bach's compositions as a pattern of B, A, and C chord progressions... where's the H chord, Mary?

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MUSICHIST374
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Hardest Teacher I ever had. She was somewhat helpful outside of class, but exams were very, very hard. This teacher new that some of there students did everything and beyond to pass the class but still failed. The lectures were boring. Please avoid this professor at all costs.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MUS374
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She really ins't that bad. All you have to do is GO TO CLASS! Most of the year, less than half of the class was there. Because of this (not her teaching skills), a lot of the class failed. It is really that simple. All you have to do is go to class and study! Actually listening to the music listenings before the night of the exam helps too...

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Worst professor I have ever taken. She does not know how to lecture, her classes are boring and dull and she expects everybody to know the smallest details. She isn't easy to get ahold of out of class because she either doesn't care or hates people in general. Stay away from her I wish I never had her.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MUS375
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUS374
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

HORRIBLE TEACHER. SHE DOES NOT KNOW THE MATERIAL. SHE READS OFF A PIECE OF PAPER TO GIVE LECTURES. SHE EXPECTS YOU TO KNOW EVERYTHING AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ON THE TEST ARE NOT EVEN IN HER LECTURES. THERE'S NO HOPE FOR THE MUSIC MAJORS CUZ THERE ARE NO OTHER SECTIONS AVAILABLE. WE ARE JUST STUCK WITH HER! SOMEONE SAVE US ALL AND MAY GOD SAVE US!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Does not like her job or people in general, stay away from this class if at all possible - not just this professor from what i hear

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

NOT THAT HARD. She teaches exactly from the book pretty much EXCEPT for some words that she writes on the board. All you have to do is study what she writes on the board, carefully read the book and an A is definitely possible. You show up to class, cram the day before a test and you are good to go. Definitely very very dull and boring though.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

RUN AWAY!She is so boring. Lectures follow the book and she adds usless info. Constantly makes us watch reallly dull movies. Just run away! Test are super trick and she asks random questions that have nothing to do with music.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUS375
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Her lectures and confusing, little structure. Tests are too specific and tricky. The class average for our final was a failing grade. This is a 2 credit class, but you'll have to spend more time on it than any other class if you want to compensate for this horrible teacher. Something needs to be done about her.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This teacher is awful. You never receive the tests back only get your grades online so you never know what you actually got or the ?'s you got wrong. Very boring subject and all she does is read from the book. Her test questions are so specific that even when you study you can't know everything that she wants you to know and she doesnt round grades

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GMUS200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Not too bad, although I would not reccomend you take this class if you have a choice. If you do, study from the LECTURES, not the book. That is the most common mistake people make in her class. You actually have to go to class to do well on her tests although it may not seem like it at the start of the year.