Phyllis Portnoy - University of Manitoba

Professor: Phyllis Portnoy

Department: TBD

College: University of Manitoba

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: ENG2130
• Grade Received: D
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Professor does not care about student mental health, unmanageable amount of reading for her class if you're taking two-three others it is impossible to keep up. 40 poems to read before the exam... doesn't teach in a way that guides student comprehension/success. Accuses students of plagiarism when there isn't any, causing students anxiety.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: ENG2130
• Grade Received: C-
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

avoid taking her classes... WAY too much reading, I've done more reading in her class than my entire English major. also gives LOW marks for quality work. Had another prof give a grade to the same essay just to see... her grades are LOW. avoid if you can, unnecessarily difficult.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: ENGL2130
• 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:

Took her online class and I've never had so much reading to do before. A couple weeks before the end of the year the required reading is over 40 poems and on an average week there is pages on pages of reading which made it difficult to keep up as a full time student. I've never received such low marks on an english essay. AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: ENGL2130
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

Extremely picky grader. Tried to get like 4 people in the class in trouble for plagiarism when there was none. Would look for any excuse to dock marks. Also, suuuuuper boring class.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: ENG2130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Honestly the worst prof I've ever had throughout my university career. Extremely unhelpful. She could care less about helping you grow as a student. Communication was also extremely poor. It took weeks for her to respond to emails and by then it was too little too late. Do yourself a favor and find a different prof.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: ENGLISH1400
• 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:

She is very passionate about teaching. She explains her poem and stories very well. She is a tough grader, very picky. If you receive a B in the first essay that is all you will get the whole semester. Always whiling to help and always responds to her emails. Picks on you in class and expects you to answer. Wont move on if you don't answer.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: ENG1200
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

I took her course online. She seemed very passionate about teaching students straight from high school about grammar and essay writing. But, I wasn't straight from high school and found it quite an easy course. Her comments are sometimes nitpicky, but she doesn't dock marks for most of them. She was also accommodating with extending deadlines.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: ENGL1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Absolutely hated this prof! Quite possible the worst prof I have ever come across at the U of M. She is so critical of everything and im pretty sure that anal is her middle name. She grades super hard (especially for an intro course) and docks marks in every place she can. 3 hour final of which consisted of 3 essays= brutal! Avoid at all costs.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: ENGL2130
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Awful professor, incredibly unhelpful and unclear.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: ENGL2130
• 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:

Unhelpful and unclear. She is a very hard grader. She looks for mistakes where there are none. Avoid her classes.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: ENG2130
• 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:

She is one of the most frustrating profs I've had. Her comments and grade justifications are ludicrous. Avoid taking a course with her. She doesn't really know what she is talking about, and finds faults where there are none just so she can have something to criticize. For example, she will nail you for using "therefore" instead of "thus." Awful.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: ENG0000
• 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:

Gives great feedback for writing and encourages you to go deeper into your arguments. Always ready to help and willing to give extentions for students who are overwhelmed.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: ENGL1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

She's a not bad prof. the material covered in class is sooooooooo boring though. she also takes attendance and 20% of your grade is marked on participation. lots of group work.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: ENGL2080
• 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:

Portnoy is a fair grader, but is often disorganized while teaching the course. She does not always have a ready answer for some students' questions, and does not always get back to them next class with a valid response. Overall, an OK prof, but there have been better.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: ENGLI120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

One of the best profs I've come across. Very passionate and open to the ideas of others. Serious about her work and if you want to learn she can teach it to you. Fantastic selection of readings. I'll never forget some of her lectures. She is a wealth of information and she has fabulous insight.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: SHORTFICT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Yeesh. So disorganized. Put far too much importance on attendance, insignificant assignments, presentations and group work. This resulted in having several things due near the end of class, including the paper. Despite this, she is clearly passionate about literature, and chose really amazing stories. If you don't procrastinate, take her class.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: ENGL1200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

omg whatever you do don't take her class, i had a TBA so i had no choice but to be stuck with her. useless assignments very hard marker. it's a religion class, rather than english class. there's only one interpretation to everything and it's her way, or you're wrong. hard essay topics!! made the class seem very difficult i lost all interest in arts

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: ENGLI1200
• 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:

i have special intersest in her material, so i find everything interesting. some people are bored stiff in class. they shouldnt be there. i love her lectures but her assignments can be grueling. bring text to class.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: LATIN1
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Extremely unhelpful

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: 004120
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Well, Dr. Portnoy is a kind lady, who is easily approachable, but I have a REAL hard time staying interested in the materials in class. Amazingly, Dr. Portnoy can talk the entire time without getting tired, and unfortunately, that was boring. A fair marker, good person, but very hard to keep interest in her class.