Professor
Theodore Porter
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Most Helpful Review
Professor Porter is not a good lecturer. He is brilliant, and quite witty, but is boring to be lectured by. If you speak to him outside of class, you will be impressed, but you will find it hard to stay awake in class. He is such a nice guy that it hurts me to write this, but he doesn't get paid to teach, he gets paid to publish and research, so this isn't hurting him professionally. The class I was in consisted of 150 students enrolled with 75 attending lecture regularly. About 2 weeks into the quarter, the professor noted that half the class must have "dropped". The following day he was handing out the essay assignment, and all students were in attendance, and you could see the look of disappointment on his face. The grades are determined by your TA for the most part, and the TA I had was awesome but strict. An 'A' was hard to come by. A 'B' almost guaranteed.
Professor Porter is not a good lecturer. He is brilliant, and quite witty, but is boring to be lectured by. If you speak to him outside of class, you will be impressed, but you will find it hard to stay awake in class. He is such a nice guy that it hurts me to write this, but he doesn't get paid to teach, he gets paid to publish and research, so this isn't hurting him professionally. The class I was in consisted of 150 students enrolled with 75 attending lecture regularly. About 2 weeks into the quarter, the professor noted that half the class must have "dropped". The following day he was handing out the essay assignment, and all students were in attendance, and you could see the look of disappointment on his face. The grades are determined by your TA for the most part, and the TA I had was awesome but strict. An 'A' was hard to come by. A 'B' almost guaranteed.
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2020 - (Taken in Spring 2021, online) This class was an easy A and not much else. I love the idea of this class - history of science - but feels like it was not executed very well. Dr Porter is passionate and knowledgeable but I found his lectures absolutely impossible to sit through. He is clearly a better writer than lecturer - he rambles and never seems to get to the point. His slides are also so disorganized, and at the end I always felt like I retained nothing from listening to him and/or reading the slides. Doing the readings alone is enough (and better). My TA was alright but she definitely wasn't interested in the topic. However, I do love the writing portion of this class. The investigations are quick, easy, and super interesting. The final essay is quite open-ended which made them very fun and interesting.
Spring 2020 - (Taken in Spring 2021, online) This class was an easy A and not much else. I love the idea of this class - history of science - but feels like it was not executed very well. Dr Porter is passionate and knowledgeable but I found his lectures absolutely impossible to sit through. He is clearly a better writer than lecturer - he rambles and never seems to get to the point. His slides are also so disorganized, and at the end I always felt like I retained nothing from listening to him and/or reading the slides. Doing the readings alone is enough (and better). My TA was alright but she definitely wasn't interested in the topic. However, I do love the writing portion of this class. The investigations are quick, easy, and super interesting. The final essay is quite open-ended which made them very fun and interesting.
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Most Helpful Review
Soooo incredibly boring to have to listen to him lecture.. and this class is only an hour and 15 minutes long. I feel terrible writing this--he does seem to be really nice--it's just that after two brilliant, eloquent professors before him in fall quarter, his lectures are extrememly disappointing. I'm afraid my grades are dropping. He does not outline his lecture notes well on the powerpoints, and half the time you cannot understand his mumblings and ramblings. It takes a decent teacher to make a subject interesting if it is not already, and Porter lacks the coherent enthusiasm and passion for his teachings that would otherwise make this subject material possible to understand. He does not even post lecture notes BEFORE lectures. Impossible class to take effective notes/comprehend material well/stay awake.
Soooo incredibly boring to have to listen to him lecture.. and this class is only an hour and 15 minutes long. I feel terrible writing this--he does seem to be really nice--it's just that after two brilliant, eloquent professors before him in fall quarter, his lectures are extrememly disappointing. I'm afraid my grades are dropping. He does not outline his lecture notes well on the powerpoints, and half the time you cannot understand his mumblings and ramblings. It takes a decent teacher to make a subject interesting if it is not already, and Porter lacks the coherent enthusiasm and passion for his teachings that would otherwise make this subject material possible to understand. He does not even post lecture notes BEFORE lectures. Impossible class to take effective notes/comprehend material well/stay awake.
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Most Helpful Review
(Courses taken: GE CLST 21B) Effectiveness: Professor Porter never really seems to get to a concrete point. He just uses example after example after example -- occasionally throwing a song in there -- and can't just seem to lay out some general conclusions along with those examples. Difficulty: Not difficult at all. Concern/Availability: Like the other GE cluster professors, Porter does make himself very available outside of class. Overall: Professor Porter is great at bringing together a bunch of different examples, quotes, pictures, etc. from all sorts of sources, but his monotonous voice and tendency to run in circles can really tire students out.
(Courses taken: GE CLST 21B) Effectiveness: Professor Porter never really seems to get to a concrete point. He just uses example after example after example -- occasionally throwing a song in there -- and can't just seem to lay out some general conclusions along with those examples. Difficulty: Not difficult at all. Concern/Availability: Like the other GE cluster professors, Porter does make himself very available outside of class. Overall: Professor Porter is great at bringing together a bunch of different examples, quotes, pictures, etc. from all sorts of sources, but his monotonous voice and tendency to run in circles can really tire students out.
Most Helpful Review
I took GE Cluster 21B with him in Winter 2008. He is a GREAT professor who not only knows the material very well, but who also sincerely cares for his students. It's true that he does have somewhat of a monotone voice, but if you actually listen to what he's saying he's actually really witty and entertaining. I have nothing but good things to say of this professor and I encourage you to take his class if you're interested in being presented with the material thoroughly by a funny, caring, and intelligent man!
I took GE Cluster 21B with him in Winter 2008. He is a GREAT professor who not only knows the material very well, but who also sincerely cares for his students. It's true that he does have somewhat of a monotone voice, but if you actually listen to what he's saying he's actually really witty and entertaining. I have nothing but good things to say of this professor and I encourage you to take his class if you're interested in being presented with the material thoroughly by a funny, caring, and intelligent man!
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