Ira Spar - Ramapo College of New Jersey

Professor: Ira Spar

Department: TBD

College: Ramapo College of New Jersey

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIST109
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ira is an interesting man who has done many things, and loves to tell stories about his life. The course is text heavy and challenging, but he strives to teach you to make connections instead of just memorizing. Not an interactive class really, but if you've taken any art history course it isn't very hard.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIST109
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

His lectures are nearly impossible to take notes on, which makes them useless. He puts up some chapters on the system and expects you to read them by the exam date. If you can keep track of yourself and finish them on time, maybe you can take his class. Otherwise dont. DONT

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIST10901
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This is the hardest class I have taken at Ramapo. Ira, in my opinion, cannot teach and is extremely confusing when it comes to what he wants for both the midterm and final. Throughout the course, I was constantly confused and he wouldn't give us direct answers. I do not recommend this class and if you are to take it, you should read read and read.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AIID201
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ira is a very fascinating professor. The class revolved around studying the Bible, Mesopotamian literature, and Ottoman artliterature. The class is more of a History course than a humanities one. The class consists of a paper midterm and final, along with two papers. If you enjoy history and are a good writer I recommend. If not, don't take.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST109
• 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:

Ira is quite interesting and has so many stories and ideas to share. The class was basically all lecture with a few conversations here and there. There is 3 grades, midterm, final and term paper. The final and midterm questions are given. You need to explain your answers and cite evidence. I actually enjoyed the class but it wasn't the easiest.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: WORLDCIV1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ira assigns loads of reading, but you can skim it if you pay attention in the lectures and ask questions. You get the midterm and final questions with the syllabus, so you have time to prepare even though he doesn't specify which ones are on the tests. He tends to go on tangents but overall really smart.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: WORLDCIV1
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Ira is a very nice man who loves what he does. He is very knowledgeable and because of that, forgets that we don't know what he knows. He assigns a ton of reading per class which he hardly discusses in class. He gives you the midterm and final questions on the syllabus on the first day but does not tell you which will be used. Final paper is hard.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIST271
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Ira has a lot of patience and he explains the topic as it is. I learn more about history from him. There are two exams which are easy if you read.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST10901
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

As much as I want to write something nice about Ira, I cannot. He assigns hundreds of pages of reading per class which can be expected from a history course but he expects a complete understanding of the text. He is a very nice man but gives three assignments: the midterm, a term paper (which you need to go to a museum for) and a final. Very hard.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

terrible professor

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: HIST109
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Ira Spar is an incredibly inspirational professor who will challenge you to study hard and think critically about the material, and teach you an enormous amount of really interesting and memorable information. His course is difficult to get a good grade in if you do not work hard but he offers a lot of help and guidance to students who ask him.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST109
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Whatever you do, don't put yourself through the torture of this class. He's a very nice guy but on midterms, finals, and the final paper (the only 3 grades this man gives in the class) He wants you to read his mind. If you don't answer exactly how he wants you to you WILL fail, and doing this is extremely hard as he is very vague with his questions

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: WORLDCIV1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

This was by far the worst class I have taken at Ramapo. Ira is a nice guy, but he is not a good teacher. He talks about things unrelated to class more often than not, and does not make it clear what he is teaching about. His readings are all over the place and he does not make it clear what to read. From a history major, do not take him.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: WORLDCIV1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Do not take this class no matter what you do. I am a first-year student and taking this class hasn't made the experience very exciting. Ira is a horrible professor. He just talks about whatever comes to mind, even if it is totally unrelated to anything. He is very unhelpful and gives 0 notes. You are on your own in this class. Do not take Ira!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: WORLDCIV1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

this is the worst class i have ever taken. he's the worst professor at this school. he says one thing in his lectures, then next class will completely contradict everything he's said in the past. if you can avoid his class, please do. i will not be taking a class with ira again.

Rating # 16

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

Do not take this class. Unless you truly enjoy history and lectures this class is not for you. It is so boring with lectures every class. The papers are super long with no directions for them. He does not care that everyone fails his class. Beware because you only get 3 grades, do not take at all costs!!

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST10902
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

ahhhhhh! Don't take him unless you want to work for the grade. He's extremely helpful when you go to him during his office hours. He's a very sweet man that puts aloof time into his class but if you don't want to do the work then don't be surprised when you find your self with an F.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: LITR26501
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Taught this class as a early semester replacement for Professor Padovano who was on medical leave. Professor Spar is a great storyteller who presented very interesting content which moved away from the original professor's intent however the course had no clear direction. Only one grade, a group paper totaling 30 pages.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: WORLDCIV1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

TERRIBLE. I don't wear my seat belt on my way to this class in hopes of crashing. This man lectures and lectures and lectures and gives zero guidelines for his rediculously long paper. He is in love with foot notes which he doesn't even want to be actual foot notes. He wants mini stories! Mini stories all over your 10 page paper. Don't take Ira.

Rating # 20

Overview:

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

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

Comment:

His lectures are extremely long and more often than not, he just talks about his life, not the subjects that are supposed to be covered for the class. Harsh grader and only gives three grades; midterm, final, and final paper. Do not take this class because you will not do well no matter how hard you work.