Saadi Simawe - Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA

Professor: Saadi Simawe

Department: English

College: Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HUM101
• 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:

The subject matter was very interesting, but he is almost completely inaudible. He got a microphone, but the feedback was louder than he was. The grading is also sort of arbitrary, but it tends to be higher than expected.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MODARABICLIT
• 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:

What a disappointing class and prof! Studying modern Arabo-Islamic novel and the issues around them could have been SO interesting and valuable, but this was terrible. Simawe is clearly a smart, gifted man, but CANNOT deliver a lecture, engage with students or return paperwork on time. Read the books on your own time and sign up for a better class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HUM101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is a fantastic prof. He knows exactly what he's talking about (though he's a little hard to understand at times), and he's the nicest and most understanding professor at Grinnell. Tests can be tough, but if you do the reading, it's not too hard.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AFAMLIT
• 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:

I was humbled to be in the same room as this guy. He's deeper than oceanography. The way he structured the Music in Af Am Lit Seminar I took was symphonic. I even zoomed him on 5% wisdom one day. Felt good.

Rating # 5

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

difficult to get used to, but i learned more than any other class

Rating # 6

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

What I did hear was good... but he's not terribly good at the procedural end of being a professor (i.e. returning papers, emails, grading -- I feel the grade I got (A-) was arbitrary and too high --imagine!)

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HUM101
• 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:

Hated this class with a passion. Most other students I talked to also shared my feelings about it. Listen, I'm sorry that he was oppressed, but that doesn't make him a good professor. In fact, he's a very bad professor. No more Simawe classes for me. Ever

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENG329
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Simawe is an undiscovered treasure. His course improved my writing tenfold. His style can be intimidating though, so I would skip intro, but take the seminar with him!

Rating # 9

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

While it's true that you have to sit in the very first row to hear him -- the effort is worth it. He's an amazing man, with a horrifying / inspiring background as an Iraqi political prisoner, tortured for speaking against the government. A luminous soul.

Rating # 10

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

A kind person who cares about the material he teaches. He does however have strong opinions and interpretations which you basically have to give back on tests. I liked the class though he didn't value student opinion as much as other profs do.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG329
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

No Comments

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG101
• 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:

Basically if you do not agree with his opinion you are wrong. There is no room for interpretation.

Rating # 13

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

He is a very smart man, but he is hard to understand because he is so quiet.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENG329
• 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 knowledgable--great sense of humor

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HUM101
• 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:

Maybe the worst Prof I've had at Grinnell. His goals were never fully articulated and his markings on papers left little indication of his grades. Also he has the classroom charisma of a mouse