Jean Porterfield - St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Professor: Jean Porterfield

Department: Biology

College: St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BIO233
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Jean really does the most for her students! All her lectures are recorded so it's not the end of the world if you skip (but it is easier to understand diagrams and things like that in class vs on the video recording)

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: WRI111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Jean is a wonderful lady, she is very caring about her students and will try to maintain contact with her students, even after they finished her class. She chooses topics that she thinks will be interesting for her students and is almost always open to talk about anything, whether it is the assignment or personal issues, she is there.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BIO126
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

She was very kind and made me feel comfortable in the classroom. Her class was interesting and she was very open to discussing a variety of topics.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: WRI111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I don't think I have ever had a teacher care for me more than Jean has. Even though I was hesitant having a bio prof teach my writing class, she knew what she was talking about and was always there to help out. She's funny, sweet, and really great and making a class that could be bland extremely fun.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: BIO275
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Doctor Jean Porterfield provided us with the absolutely crucial tid bit that black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are actually quite toxic to the larval development of bean beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus). Without this nugget of information, I don't think I would be where I am today :)

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BIO233
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Jean is a superb professor! if you're a bio major, take the opportunity to take her class!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: BIO233
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Jean is a truly wonderful, caring individual who puts her whole heart into the class. You don't use the textbook very much, but it can be useful to reinforce lectures and work through practice problems. Tests are challenging because you need to really show you know exactly what each concept is or you will not get full credit.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: WRIT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I had Jean for first year writing and she is by far my favorite professor that I've had this semester. She genuinely cares about all of us, not just as students but as people. As for the class, we have written about five papers and she does a great job of laying out what is expected. Highly recommend her class.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FYW111
• 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:

I've heard people call her Mama Jean. She is so incredibly caring, really freaking intelligent, and just an all around great person and professor. I often step into her office just to chat. I 100% recommend her to anyone and everyone

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: WRI111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

This was Jean's first semester teaching a first year writing class, and her being a bio prof made me initially skeptical. I couldn't have been more wrong. Jean is an amazing human being- inside and out- and I've found myself in her office many times talking about life. She cares so much about her students. She's making me consider switching to bio.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BIO287
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Jean is absolutely amazing. Not only does she genuinely care about each and everyone of her students she is an excellent discussion leader and lecturer. She is always willing to talk and will put all of her students in front of her other work. Even in a large class she will know if you are not there so make sure you go to class.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIO150
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I think Porterfield is a bit overrated. Yes, she is a very nice lady and will do a lot to help you out. That is awesome. But her tests are basically a throw up of anything she has mentioned. She provides a review sheet but it contains a list about 12 pages long just of topics she's covered. It is impossible to know what to study or not from that.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BIO383
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Can I please be Jean when I grow up? Evolutionary bio was awesome! The environment she created in the classroom helped us gain confidence in analyzing primary literature as well as in designing and executing group research projects. Jean is very attune to the needs of her students and goes out of her way to help each one. A fantastic professor!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: BIO233
• 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:

LOVE HER. She always made class interesting and fun. You can tell she genuinely cares about every single student. In a class of 70, she knew everybody's name after 2 days. Don't be fooled by her easygoing nature though, this class was not easy by any means! It was a lot of hard work, but I still loved it. Take her if you can!!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: BIO126
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Jean is awesome. Tests come directly from lecture - I didn't use my book once. Basically a memorize your notes kind of prof but I still learned a TON. She is hilarious and always available to talk. She makes lecture interesting and always asks for class feedback and suggestions. Definitely take Bio from Jean if possible!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: BIO126
• 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:

My favorite prof at Olaf! She is an extremely nice person and will even ask the class for candy suggestions on what she should buy for the review sessions. Posts all her Powerpoints on Moodle and is fantastic at answering questions. Her tests are tricky and difficult, and her review sheet is a list of the chapters in the book she covered in class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: BIO126
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Jean is a great teacher, woman, and biologist. She is fun and you will enjoy class. Her tests are absolutely average, she will never surprise you and grades very fairly. You will leave Jean's class having learned a lot of very applicable information, with a good grade, and a smile on your face. Definitely a professor to try to get!

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: BIO127
• 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:

I have never wanted a class to NOT end so much as I do with this class. It's hands down the most fun class I've had at St. Olaf, and I've learned more than in many of the classes in my major (which is NOT in the sciences.) On top of it all, I actually enjoyed learning about biology/genetics, something I never thought I could do.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: BIO231
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Jean is a sweet professor and her class is fun to attend, but sometimes her sarcasm makes it difficult to understand material. She does an excellent of making a boing topic fun.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: BIO127
• 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:

Jean is a really nice woman and super smart! I took her interim evolution/genetics class and I did pretty well for a non-science person. I also served on a committee with her and she was an important voice in a sea of confusion! From what I can tell science majors love her.