Tony Michels - University of Wisconsin - Madison

Professor: Tony Michels

Department: TBD

College: University of Wisconsin - Madison

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Michels is one of the best lecturers on the campus. He is extremely knowledgable in the subject and makes history interesting. There is a lot of required reading every week but as long as you understand the gist of it and go to lecture, you should do just fine.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Michels knows everything you would ever want to know about American Jewish history. If you even remotely care about this subject you'll do fine in this class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Michels doesn't allow any tech in class (computers, phones, etc.) Lectures were usually pretty engaging, he clearly knows a lot about the subject matter and doesn't read from notes. There was one midterm exam, one paper, and a final exam. Lots of assigned reading every week (at least fifty pages a week), but easily skippable.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Lectures were most interesting and helpful, but still pretty average I thought. Readings outside of class were bland and ultimately unhelpful so definitely go to lecture as much as possible. Tests and papers are not too bad, overall a pretty mediocre and doable class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Going to lecture is the best way to be successful in this class. To get an A you dont need to read the extremely long reading assignments. The TAs do all the grading and it is really important to get on their good side and participate in discussion even if you have to bs topics.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: HIS213
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Michels is a marvelous orator. His lectures are interesting and pleasant. The reading is kind of dense and dry, however if you pay attention to key words in class you will do great overall.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Fabulous professor! Loved his lectures, he paints a clear view of American Jewish history and his lectures are both easy to follow and interesting. There is an excessive amount of reading assigned, but reading everything is not necessary in order to obtain a good grade. Exams are very fair and based mostly off class lectures.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

The reading assignments are very long, but most of the information is important. The lectures are interesting (more so than the readings!) and well-done. The tests are essay format, so really understanding the information is important. Taking good notes from book and lecture, and talking to your TA can help.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Yes, there's a lot of reading, but most of it is very good (the book he wrote is the best, in my opinion!). This is a great class taught by a great professor. I highly recommend it for the ethnic requirement, even if you're not Jewish (I'm not). Lectures are interesting. We had no papers, but three essay tests: do the work and they're not too hard.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: HIST600
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Guides discussions well & is very knowledgeable. Generous grader. Very helpful IF you ask the right question. Cancels & rearranges classes (blame UW?) Provides little to NO guidance&criteria for biggest paper of degree. Office hours help is a must JUST to understand what you have to do. Sometimes slow email responses. Nice enough guy, bad at admin.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: JEWISH219
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Michele always had very interesting lectures, but the readings outside of class were long and boring. There is a lot of memorization needed for the tests which are quite difficult. However, I would definitely take the class again.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

The 2 books required for class (1 written by Professor Michels), are rather dry in comparison to lectures and the course reader. He presents the material in an interesting way and the 3 exams aren't too tough. Definitely A LOT of reading. TAs grade exams so write what they expect to grade and participate in discussion.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: HIST211
• 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: Not Mandatory

Comment:

really nice guy, gives really clear lectures and doesn't go too fast. interesting material. he will call you out for talking/being on your phone but he doesn't take attendance even though attendance is mandatory. not hard at all, 3 essays and no exams, but a lot of reading. highly recommended - plus the TA is awesome (rivka)

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• 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:

Great teacher, very clear and interesting lectures and he has the best style in madison. Not a had class, a lot of reading but you don't need to do all of it. Discussions aren't my favorite but not too bad

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

He is awesome and I'm happy I took the class. There are several pages to read per week but they are not too bad. My frustration was in the paper we had to write. My TA (Leah) absolutely confused me, she ignored Professor Michel's prompt and spent almost two discussion session shoving her interpretion down on us. She also has terrible handwriting.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: HIST221
• 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:

Professor Michels not only knows what he's talking about, but he's incredibly interested in teaching it in an engaging and lucid lecture style.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• 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:

Lectures were very interesting. Professor Michels has clearly studied this material inside and out. Ultimately, though, your grade will be determined by your TA, so make sure to get on his or her good side.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Topic is interesting but the amount of assigned reading is ridiculous (200+ pages a week). Need to read to know what's going on, need to get on a TA's good side, if you ask a question he gives you a long answer that doesn't really answer what you're asking. They grade the exams super harsh (fail people) but base your grade off of "improvement"

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: HIST219
• 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:

good lecturer and not very hard, good for ethnic studies

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: HIS219
• 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:

Awesome.