Richard Blecksmith - Northern Illinois University

Professor: Richard Blecksmith

Department: TBD

College: Northern Illinois University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH230
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He is very approachable and nice and does grade pretty leniently but that does not quite make up for the lectures where he often forgets what he is doing and spends lots of time either confused at his own work or reading off a presentation that is not available outside of class. I wasn't good at math before and I still am not.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MTH353
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Blacksmith was the most unprofessional and worst teacher I ever had. Its actually not much use for me posting this response since Blecksmith is retired. Hopefully, after this semester he retires for good and never teaches again because he is awful!

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MATH353
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He's an intelligent, hilarious, great teacher with really fun lectures! I can't say enough good things about him. He was very happy to help during office hours. I put in the effort during/after class. I feel my peers who didn't enjoy class like me didn't go to office hours, or put in enough time. I don't see a better way to teach this class.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: CALC229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

worst class i've ever taken. learned nothing in lecture and could hardly understand what he was saying . he goes off on tangents, assigns a hundred homework problems, and doesn't go over examples that would be similar to the problems on the tests. the tests were difficult and he wrote insulting comments on any mistakes.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MATH303
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He's a good guy and means well. The class lacks structure, but he makes learning fun. The class environment is very relaxed.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH210
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Most boring teacher I have ever had. I love math and he made it terrible. Easy class. Easy 15 question multiple choice tests. The homework is only once a week but not similar to what he goes over in lecture.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MATH 210
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I had Blecksmith as my professor for Finite Math and it was easily the dullest class I've ever had. He only reads off the powerpoint, yet gives random attendance checks throughout the semester. His exams are only 15 multiple choice questions, but they're usually very similar to the sample exam he puts online. Watch out for tricky wording, though.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MATH210
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

The professor does not know how to explain or teach course materials. The exams are only 15 questions, multiple choice which isn't really reasonable for a math course. He just reads a powerpoint during lectures instead of doing problems. Majority of material is taught by a TA, once a week. Do not take the course if you do not need to take it.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MATH210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Attendance is required but you don't really need to be there. Most of the lessons can be learned in recitation.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATH210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This class was extremely difficult. There is no way I would take him again. He does not explain material he merely does example after example. His test is fifteen question test with no partial credit. The final is mostly all old tests so keep them! Its the only reason I passed. If you don't have to take him, then don't.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MATH210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

TOUGH

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MATH240
• 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:

This class is pretty tough, but Blecksmith does a good job teaching it. He is very helpful if you visit during office hours. Blecksmith is a very interesting and intelligent teacher who grades fairly.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MATH230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Blecksmith is a good guy, but I'm not sure if I would reccomend taking his class if you want an A. If you want a professor who goes off on tangents and teaches abstractly, then take him, but his tests are hard and he uses proofs a lot, which make the class confusing.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MATH420
• 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:

Richard is an awesome teacher. I had trouble in his class at first, but he helped me approach the material differntly so I was able to succeed. Richard is also a funny guy and really easy-going. For upper-level math you can't do much better. Richard rocks!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MATH101
• 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:

meh i enjoyed him, he has his moments!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MATH229
• 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:

Richard really isn't that bad. He does ramble in class, and lectures on theory more than the other sections of calc do, and often looks lost and like he doesnt know what hes doing. But he is very smart, and his tests are hard. But if you go to class, do the homework, and go to recitation when you can, you should be able to get an A. I did.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MATH229
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Richard really isn't a great professor. He goes off on tangents in class and most of the time I hardly understand what he's saying. I have to go outside of class to get help because he's not very good at explaining problems.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH303
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He made group tests just to make sure everyone passed. Its one of those classes that are more abstract...he made it more clear to understand what was going on

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MATH229230
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He wasn't that bad of a guy...bad teacher...but he did what he could to try and help you out. I took this class 3 years ago (man, I'm old)...I can't believe he's STILL teaching the all-girls section...

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: CALCULUSI229
• 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:

Wow! thats all I have to say...I came into that class to learn about math, and instead learned about how his dog likes to chew on his porch. He really needs to get some clothes, those shorter shirts just dont cut it. And how exactly did he get a job teaching an all girls class? Kinda ironic.