Janet Danielson - Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Professor: Janet Danielson

Department: Music

College: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Well, I took CA 104 online class, they changed FPA 104 to CA 104. I did not put much effort to this course but still got A+ in this course. I played the piano more than 10 yrs and had a basic knowledge of this course and maybe that's why. IF YOU KNOW NOTHING, you have to study hard to pass the quizzes and finals. Pretty tough for noobs.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Horrible textbook, has little help with understanding the content of course. Quizes are extremely difficult! Even though I have played the piano for 15 years, I am afraid I still couldn't pass! DO NOT TAKE IT ONLINE!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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:

The text book is absolutely confusing, goes too much in depth on unimportant things and overcomplicates everything. If this is meant to be an intro course for people who have never taken music before, then you're achieving nothing. Even as someone who has taken piano for 13 years, the book makes zero sense in some chapters.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

DONT take it online, unless you already took years and years of piano and music theory background. Textbook sucks, tutorial sucks, and exams were ridiculously significantly more difficult than any of the practice/textbook material . I learned more from youtube. Save your money and time and take something else

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

This was a distance ed. course! Colin MacDonald was my TA and he was great! Colin was really helpful and gave clear instructions before quizzes and the final exam. He was also quick to return marks and give feedback. Janet and Colin were both great. I learned a lot from them and really enjoyed this course! :-)

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: FPA345
• 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:

Janet knows her stuff! I found her to be very helpful. I'm thankful for all of her compositional suggestions. I just wish she and David MacIntyre were on more equal footing at the college...

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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:

She is a helpful instructor. Quizzes are not that hard. I would recommend her class.Even I don't have much music background, is not that hard. Read the textbook and do the exercises. Only 2 assignments, 4 quizzes and a final exam. Easy to get mark course.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Great teacher. I don't get all of the negative reviews of her course; it's not easy by any means but she is phenomenally supportive if you need any help and the amount of knowledge and openness she has towards music is insane. I'd highly recommend any music courses with her, just make sure you keep up with the material.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Her class is interesting and helpful. Quizs and exams are fair. It is about music theory and analysis music.Unless u study, it is not too hard if u do not have the music background.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: FPA145
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

She is awesome! The knowledge that she has will make your mind explode

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: FPA246
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I was so surprised when I saw the reviews here for Janet. She is an incredible teacher, mentor, and educator. I could not recommend her more if your forte is in any area of music. I feel the majority of people rating her clearly have no understanding of music theory and its discourse. This is University people! Don't expect to be spoon fed

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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:

confusing. this is not an intro theory course. Janet is not an educator as much as a knowledgeable music wiz. her job is to break it down, she just made things more complicated. she's not thinking of the student who hasn't had musical training.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: FPA100
• 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:

My class average was 34%. The highest mark was 58%. IN AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE FOR PEOPLE WHO'D NEVER DONE MUSIC BEFORE!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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 that my prior music knowledge would help me when the difficult material came around. However, concepts I already knew were made even more confusing. Janet's lectures are rambled and poorly organized. She has a gift for being able to play almost anything by heart but she can't communicate her music knowledge. Which is unfortunate.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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:

With a bit of a music background I thought this would be an easy course... its not. She managed to confuse me about concepts I already knew. Her textbook rambles and makes no sense most of the time. She teaches the concepts in such a random order and expects you to know concepts before even teaching them to you. Worst class ever.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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:

Don't take this course if you don't have a music background. It was only easy to me because I learned piano rudiments before since this course is all about preliminary-grade 1 rudiments. This prof is a nice prof, but she has her own way of teaching the theory stuff and it is kind of confusing, even to me. Makes you sing intervals in tutorials lol

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Okay... so all these bad reviews are a little harsh. I admit that she does not explain very well. She does ramble on a bit... BUT for those of you who got a bad grade, you only have yourself to blame. This course is easy if you put in effort; but, f you skip classes, don't listen in lecture or take notes you will do bad.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This professor is definitely a piece of work. She doesn't prepare well, and her online materials are all over the place. She takes time out of her classes in the beginning to recite boring quotes that have nothing to do with material. Avoid this class unless you want a C- on your transcript and a ripped off feeling. Save your money!

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: FPA120
• 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:

Taking this class with Danielson was the worst decision of my entire university career. She is completely useless and relies completely on the textbook that SHE wrote. She has managed to make a potentially enjoyable class into a HUGE pain. AVOID AVOID AVOID!!

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: FPA104
• 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:

Do NOT take this course unless you have some background knowledge in music theory. The text book does not explain some difficult concepts very well.