Sidney Bland - James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Professor: Sidney Bland

Department: History

College: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Bland is a very good teacher but sometimes it's very hard to stay awake and keep up with his lectures. His tests are DIFFICULT only because of the multiple choice and fill in the blank sections. Essay section was fine if you really study for them. Discussion and papers definitely bring up your grade.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I'll tell you what, if you actually like history and are prepared to listen during class lectures, then you should have no problem doing well in this class. He's a really intelligent history buff and tries to crack a couple jokes every now and then. Depending on how well you pay attention in class, you might not need the book...

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Boring guy teaching a boring subject. Fall asleep in lecture, read the book, get a B.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Good class, not hard but you need to pay attention and study. Not difficult to get good grades if you study. Prof. Bland will help you and though his lectures do tend to lag he is a good teacher and as long as you do the work you won't have a problem.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Just like everyone else has said, Professor Bland definitely lives up to his name. You can tell that he knows his history but his speech is very monotone and boring. The class is okay difficulty wise. The tests are nearly impossible but the book reports, discussion sessions, and summaries bring your grade up.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIST320
• 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:

An okay class overall. Lectures are sometimes boring and he is sometimes unclear about what he wants.Overall though, he is a good teacher, who seems to really enjoy what he does. Not an easy 'A' class but pretty easy to do well if you pay attention and do the readings. Essay tests are a lil difficult sometimes, but not terrible.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class was the most difficult class that I have taken so far. I cant understand why it is a gened..its really difficult to know what to study for on his tests. If you can't take notes by listening to someone talk then i suggest you get a different teacher..or there is always forgive and forget (i dont suggest waiting to see if u fail)

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST400
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Encoraged independent thinking!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His last name says it all. Don't take, unless you're into pretentiousness, ridiculous grading, and falling asleep in class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is horrible!!!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS! I am an A student, I studied like crazy for his tests, and still barely got Cs. The grad student even thought he was as bad as we did!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Never has U.S. History been so boring! When you cover the American Civil War, you will never hear about battles or anything of the such. He talks about the political aspect of American history. The tests are rediculous because he tests on things that are insignificant for general knowledge. Trust me, get yourself another teacher, I wish I had!!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Overall a really good class. 2 exams, a few papers on books he chose; as long as you go to class and take good notes you'll do well. He can get pretty boring sometimes but what prof doesnt? I'd def recommend this class

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• 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:

Please, listen to what the 2 students said below. 2 essays per test that you have no preparation time for; however, he expects the quality of an essay you had months to prepare for. He's ridiculous.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

so bad. avoid him unless you want to spend all your time going to class and still struggling to get a C. I am an A student, and I do not mind History. Yet, Bland helps ruin that. His test do not reflect what he talks about, and hes a very tough grader.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Monotone. Presents important points on slides that he never covers and if he does, he covers them out of order. does not always have his facts straight, often asking the class if he is right about stuff. two book reports that don't evn have relevance to the course. an easy class made hard by dr. bland. does not get grades back in a timely manner.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

this dude is the epitome of boring. his name says it all. lectures put you to sleep and tests are hard. can't hate the guy for trying but history is hard enough to make interesting. ridiculous amount of material to learn. tests are multiple choice and essay and there are two book reports, which help your grade tremendously if you do them.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Terribly boring lectures, and nearly impossible tests. There's not a lot of work involved with the class, but the tests pull everything down. Take a different GHIST teacher.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HST320
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

O.K. before others are mislead, prof Bland's class is awesome and so is he. I came in late and he has been more than helpful and funny during lectures. I don't know what others have taken, but it was my last resort, but after attending, I could have easily made it my first! TAKE THE CLASS!!!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Avoid this man like the plague! He used to teach in the military and has all the essential qualities of a bad teacher: boring and completely unhelpful lectures, a pompous attitude, no sense of humor, and very explicit unyielding expectations. If you're stuck with him, rely on the book and memorize the FACTS.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GHIST225
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's not too bad. Lectures are pretty boring tho, hence the name, and he's really hard to follow. Go to the lecture to get the terms tho, it helps with the text. Be prepared to study hard & def. read the text!