Peter Button - McGill University, Montreal, QC

Professor: Peter Button

Department: East Asian Studies

College: McGill University, Montreal, QC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: EAST216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Talks in circles. Spends almost the entire class "outlining" what he will cover in the class. By the time he is done his "outline" the class is over!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: EAST216
• 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:

Awesome guy. Lectures are always bizarre and hard to follow, but it gets better if you give him a chance. Definitely entertaining. Hugely competent - knows everything. Really digs movies and kung fu. Can be quite funny. Cares about students and is very approachable. YEAH BUTTONNNNNN

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: EAST216
• 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:

Horrible, horrible lecturer. No direction, no clarity, everything will be gotten to "later".

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: EAST453
• 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:

NICEST PROFESSOR EVER. very engaged with students and appears to really care about what he teaches as well as the the world in general. great hair. he also saves his students money by using locally produced course packs.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: EAST216
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Button's courses are some of the most challenging in the whole EAS department, but he's always open to helping students out. Awesome choice of films, interspersed film readings with pertinent gender/Chinese cultural tidbits. Lectures ran a bit long, but were chock full of content. Awesome prof, definitely try at least one of his film courses.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: EAST353
• 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:

Very helpful in and out of class. He's attentive and doesn't digress from the lesson. Great person with which to have a conversation too. Very understanding about work and extensions--though you shouldn't take advantage of a good thing.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: EAST211
• 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:

This man is a professor in the classic sense. Course pack may not always directly relate to the lectures with 'point and click' simplicity but fosters true thinking, as does he. One of the most remembered courses I took. As long as attend conferences too can get an A. Lectures seemed harder than exams - but need study. Fair marking & good TA.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: EAST211
• 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:

tends to speak in run-ons so lectures are fascinating if you can follow. UNDERSTAND materials and memorize the art pieces he tells you. i got an A tho i hardly went to class, never read beforehand, didn kno much chinese history b4. go to TA for questions and DEFINITELY to go her tutorials. interesting readings, just make sure you understand them.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: KUNGFUFILM
• 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:

RMP is known for hyperbole, but Button is really one of the nicest/best profs Ive had. The breadth of his knowledge is astounding, but hes not a pedant about it. Lots of work required, but excellent selections so its not bad. Makes a sketchy(but great) course idea(kungfu) into one of inquisitive exploration into film, theory, history politics GREAT

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: EAST211
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

an very interesting yet complicated course. His course pack material are not always directly related to his lecture contents. There are two comments: 1, if you dont know a bit of Chinese history, you will have a very hard time.. 2, better to bring a MIC to his lecture.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: EAST211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Chinese was much harder than I ever thought it would be. The material was so thick and hard to understand. I think you're better off with a different prof if you need to take this class as a required course. If not, then don't even think about taking it because it will eat you from the inside. Nice,approachable guy but please don't teach this!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: EAST353
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Handsome gentleman teaching about cinema... very articulate and knowledgeable, does not believe in exams but in personal development... ideal prof!

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Great professor. He's only unclear if you know nothing beforehand so do some background reading; after you have a grounding in the topic he can't be beat.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: EAST453
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

great class

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: EAST535
• 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:

this prof is nice. I mean. NICE. So flexible and just...did I mention NICE??

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: EAST353
• 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:

He is lovely! Super nice and a softie. Really likes film and it definitely rubs off on you. His hair's nice, too.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: EAST353
• 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:

Very laid-back, and likes to bring in random elements (ie: family stories) to make his point clear. A nice guy who will listen to you. REALLY likes film, and is very into the technical aspects. You'll learn quite a bit, but it's not a particularly fast-paced course. Too many student presentation

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: EAST211
• 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:

Over my 4 years at Mcgill, I can surely say that BUTTON is the worst teacher you can find. I am seriously doubting why the school still pays this dude. There is a difference between a good teacher which is hard and a crap teacher that sucks.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: INTROCHINA
• 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 course was so boring-- and he doesn't exactly help make it interesting either. highlight of the class was watching the documentary on the last of the foot bound women in china. he is super nice, approachable and makes time to see students

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: EAST211
• 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:

Intro to Chinese Culture: Incredibly boring lecturer -- makes bloody revolutions sound like your Aunt Priscilla's grocery list. On the other hand, the readings were extremely interesting, and usually relevant to the tests. Study hard to do well.