Naomi Gerstel - University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Professor: Naomi Gerstel

Department: Sociology

College: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The readings are long but interesting. Lecture attendance mandatory to hand in you reading summary weekly. Lecture has information not discussed in readings and exams based on lectures so show up! Exams are in class so 50 minutes to answer one short response and about 20 multiple choice. Real easy, though.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: SOCIOL222
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The readings are sometimes long, but generally pretty interesting. Her lectures are engaging, but she doesn't put up slides. But the material is genuinely interesting and, as long as you show up and do the reading, not at all a hard class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 222THEFAMILY
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Best Professor! The course is nice because it only meets twice a week with a discussion on the third day. She is so passionate about the material and is a phenomenal lecturer. People rarely ask questions because she explains everything so in depth. The exams are not hard if you go to lecture, discussion, and do the readings.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Your grade is based 75% off of 3 exams, and 25% off of discussion. Exams can be really specific, but all in all it's not too tough of a class if you show up to lectures and discussions.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FAMILY222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This class is super interesting and really makes you think about your own personal life and how your background/family does effect you. I enjoyed the lectures; they were seldom ever boring and Naomi is pretty funny/witty. The readings are sometimes long, but usually interesting, and you usually don't need to read every single line.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The class is a lot of work, if you don't like to read, don't take this class. There are 2 or 3 articles assigned each week - typically around 20-25 pages long - that you have to write a detailed summary every week. That being said, this class is amazing and one of the best I have ever taken. The material is very interesting!!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: SOCIOL222
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Overall the lectures were mildly interesting. Homeworks were long readings that you would need to respond and summarize, and the TA's expect you to have something to say during discussion. (Separate from lecture.) Most of the test materials are on the readings and lectures, so it would not be a good idea to skip too many lectures.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Take this class so that you can feel like you're back in middle school. Full of busy work, getting an A is extremely easy even if you don't try, and the professor constantly made factually incorrect statements during lecture concerning topics that she's frankly ignorant about. No analysis here. Just repeat what the professor says to get your A.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great lecturer, always look forward to this class. Get a good TA and they will make it worth while. The readings are quite long, make sure to leave plenty of time for them. The TA will give you a sheet of the essay q's on the exams and if you do well on those and study lecture notes, easy A on exams. Interesting topic so you cannot go wrong here

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: SOC22
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

make sure you go to class, exams are based on lectures which are not put online. no extra credit. Discussion in mediatory as well as participation in it. there are 2-3 readings a week. exams are tough but as long as you go to lecture will do fine. Would take again!!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Relatively easy class; subject was interesting but she was an irritating lecturer. Couldn't figure out the microphone so it was hard to hear her a lot. A lot of readings and a short weekly writing assignment for the discussion section- hope that you get a good TA because they're the ones who do all of your grading and determine if you do well.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

My favorite class I've taken, inspired me to change my major. Naomi is an incredible lecturer and is hilarious. There's a good amount of reading each week, and you have to write about a page in response and go to discussion. As long as you do the readings and pay attention to lecture, you should get a good grade. The exams are not tricky at all.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: 222
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

It really was a easy course. You read one or two articles a week and wrote a one page paper on what you felt about it. There was two exams which were fairly easy if you did the readings and showed up to class. Discussions were a piece of cake.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: 222
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I absolutely adored this class. If you go to discussion and write things down, you will be prepared for the tests. Readings can be long and are required (you have to write good summaries each week) but are super interesting. Her lectures are fantastic and she's a wonderful, sweet person. This has been my favorite class at UMass by a landslide

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: B-
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Terrible class. I maybe learned two things the whole semester. Some people like it because it is gossipy material and they can talk about their lives. Discussion section was pointless and so was class really(at least I got something from the readings). Also if you cannot turn your weekly write up in on Thursday before class, there is no alternative

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SOCIOL222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

She is the best. Very helpful. Everyone loved her. Had a class of a few hundred and so many still showed up. TA's were helpful. Won student nominated teaching awards. Not boring. Not monotone. Easy A. reasonable class requirements.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Super interesting class! Even if you aren't a writer, you'll be very invested into the readings. Only problem was I had a snooty TA, but no worries. Naomi knows what she's talking about and will get you excited about the material regardless of how much you know or not know about sociology. A+++

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Naomi Gerstel is the best professor I've ever had, and this was an amazing class. She is super concise and informative, and really gets you interested in the material. Even if you aren't going into sociology, it's great material and makes you reflect on what family means to you.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Great class to learn a lot in, but a lot of work to receive an A. Class is mandatory and so are discussions. 4 exams and TAs grade so harshly because they look for key words to give you credit. I definitely learned a lot and loved going to class, but tests are frustrating.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: SOC222
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Disliked Gerstel a lot. She's annoying, kind of clueless. Doesn't understand technology so I couldn't hear her. Transferred into the class late and wouldn't let me make up the work. Readings are easy, sometimes interesting, but there's a lot plus a short essay every week. Tries to make kids sitting in the back move to the front. Wouldn't recommend.