Lawrence Fearnley - Brigham Young University

Professor: Lawrence Fearnley

Department: TBD

College: Brigham Young University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MATH190
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He teaches a Calc 1 (1210) class over the Summer at UVU. His lectures consisted of Calc topics and peer teaching. Meaning he writes a problem on the board and you work as a class to solve it. Grades are only on tests and homework is only counted if you need a grade boost. The final is harder than the other exams. He grades liberally tho.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MATH314
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Lawrence Fearnley is a teacher of the Gods. His wonderful British accent and incredible teaching keeps the class interested and connected with the teacher. Doctor Fearnley is a true inspiration and he will change your life, I urge you to please take from him if you value an interesting and helpful teacher.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: MATH1210
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Iam taking fearnley and although at first I was put off with histeaching style now understand and appreciate it. He is very anti lecture. Students help each other learn by doing it on the board. EFFECTIVE IF ENGAGED. He is there to teach basic material and then helps students discover solutions. I feel more confident with math due to how he teaches

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: MATH1220
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He doesn't lecture, it is all discussion based. I had to use the textbook and learn all of Calculus two on my own time. This class was the most difficult class I've ever taken. If you don't like drawing attention to yourself I would avoid it too because, he will call you out in class and make you solve problems you don't know how to do.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: MATH352
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I liked Dr. Fearnley at leaset decently. Had him for 352 and 451. Teaches by giving a list of theorems and you prove them. If you are poor at math, not the man for you, but if you want to do grad work, I would recommend him. As a grad student looking back at what has benefited me in grad school, learning to prove things for myself was critical.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: MATH451
• 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:

I had doctor Fearnley for 451 and for 341. I loved both classes, but I definitely got more out of the topology course. Understand that he teaches using the Moore Method. He gives you the theorems, you do the proofs. That works great for proof based classes like 451, but may not work for others. Great teacher, but know what you're getting in to.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: MATH451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Took him for topology. He owns the class, so you pretty much have no other option. Nice man. Very old. I didn't learn a thing from him honestly. I could have taught all of this stuff to myself without Dr. Fearnley. Wait, I did. Grading is very subjective; based on how much he likes you. And good work alone won't make that happen. Bless his heart.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

I had Dr. Fearnley in his MATH 113 class before MATH 313. I decided to take him again since I passed 113. Frankly, with all due respect, it was a mistake. He is one of those type of teachers that is kind of "there", for lack of a better term, as you teach yourself, IMHO. You should only take him if you really have no other option.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: MATH352
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Biased grade giving. He asked me several times how I did in previous classes saying, "Did you get an A in such an such a class". The only two grades were tests and I got a B+ on both tests but I got a B in the class. I went to review my tests and neither one had any marks except the grade at the top. The department ended up changing my grade.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: MATH314
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Didn't really teach. You sit in the classroom and do homework problems. And then the tests aren't anything like the problems on the homework. Would never take a class from him again.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• 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:

This guy would make an awesome grandpa, but not math teacher. He lulls you into a sense of security with low and easy homework loads, then blindsides you with proofs and things you didn't cover much on the exam. He didn't teach very well and I didn't find the textbook helpful. I survived this class because I got a tutor

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

He doesnt really teach. He puts up example problems without explaining them. He loses track of what hes doing on the board. His HW rarely goes with what was covered in class. His tests dont correspond to HW or lectures. He expects you to know proofs better then just memorizing them. If you talk to him about your grade he will bump it up.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He is a really nice guy and helpful when you go talk to him. He just isn't the best math teacher. He just shows you how to do the homework problems and expects you to know everything about the material come test time. You really have to read and teach yourself to understand and do well on the tests.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor Fearnley is a great person, he really is. And it's funny when he occasionally talks about cricket. However, I can say that I really did not learn much from him in this class. He teaches to the homework and tests sometimes test completely different things than we learned. I had to use the Khan Academy online to understand Linear Algebra.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Dr. Fearnley's class is not easy, but what upper division math class at BYU is? He uses a quality textbook and the assignments aren't too long. The tests have some really straightforward computations and some harder proof questions. He is a really nice guy one on one and works with you if you have questions, issues, or problems.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MATH313
• 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:

I love this class. Look forward to it all week. He is funny and the class and material is easy to understand. Very nice and helpful if you talk to him

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MATH451
• 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 wonder if it's OK to leave a review 43 years late? Professor Fearnley was the best math teacher I had in four years as an undergraduate math major, and is partially responsible for my becoming a college math teacher myself years later. I never looked forward to a math class the way I looked forward to his.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MATH451
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

If you're a math major, and you're taking a more theory/proof-based course (e.g. 290, 341, 342, 387, 451, maybe 313), then Dr. Fearnley is great. You will have to do a lot of the proofs on your own, however, so if you're looking for formulas and methods to follow for every problem, you will not like him.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MATH451
• 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:

Dr Fearnley one of the best professors I've ever had. I feel like I have matured immensly in his class. If you want to understand topology well, take a class from him. If you are not a math major, I would not recommend him, however.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MATH352
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

As an engineering student, his approach was not my style. No use of the textbook. Class consisted only of students (not him) proving sheets and sheets of theorems. No discussion of practical application or homework. He didn't even teach, he just let the students go to the chalkboard to prove theorems. Arbitrary grading. Non-math majors beware!