Western Kentucky University / S / John Spraker
Averages:
Overall Rating
OKv
Grade Received
Bv
Course Difficulty
Difficultv
Quantity of Notes
Overkillv
Tag Summary:
True/False: 3
Multiple Choice: 2
Matching: 2
Fill in the Blank: 18
Essays: 3
Problem Solving: 26
Mandatory Final: 26
Cumulative Final: 19
Textbook Required: 23
Extra Credit: 21
Attendance Required: 9
29 Total Evaluations
MATH-136 : Hon Calculus I - Posted 12/16/2012
Overall Rating:
OK
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Overkill
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Calculus was never that hard for me seeing as I took it in high school with ease. However I didn't do so hot in this class for one reason: proofs. Dr. Spraker requires you to remember theorem definitions and use them to prove some questions on the tests. He also asks you for these definitions on a certain part of the test. Besides that ridiculous aspect, he's actually a great guy and a teacher who is always willing to help when needed.
If you are planning on being a mathematician or teacher this is a good professor for that. If you're like me and are going into engineering or anything else for that matter, knowing the proofs and theorems isn't necessary and so neither is this class.
MATH-137 : Calculus Ii - Posted 3/18/2011
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
The class is a hard class, but Spraker is one of the smartest teachers I have ever met. I'm usually pretty good at math and his teaching style was pretty good. The only problems I had was around chapter three, this is his main subject of research and so he has a little trouble dumbing it down. But the extra credit is sweet and the homework wasn't required to do.
MATH-137 : Calculus 2 - Posted 12/20/2010
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
C
Quantity of Notes:
Overkill
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
It's Calculus II, so its not going to be an easy course with any professor. However, if you want the best chance at passing the class, take Spraker. He offers up to 10% points of extra credit, and his exams will test your ability to solve the math problems, but they're not ridiculously hard problems. You must study adequately for this class. If you do, you will be just fine.
MATH- : Calc 1 - Posted 6/8/2010
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
Not Specified
Quantity of Notes:
Not Specified
Difficulty:
Not Specified
Comments
He is a worthless piece of shit and does not deserve to be teaching.
MATH-126 : Calc I - Posted 1/5/2010
Overall Rating:
OK
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr. Spraker goes really fast but is very willing to help and answer any questions. I took calculus in high school, so it easier if you have some previous knowledge of the subject. He assigns homework every night but only takes it up about once a week. His tests are pretty hard, however.
MATH-450 : Complex Variables - Posted 1/4/2010
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr.Spraker is a very good professor. He is very patient and helpful when it is needed. l learned a lot from him.
MATH-212 : Math For Elementary Teachers - Posted 1/17/2008
Overall Rating:
OK
Grade:
C
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
I am not very good at math, so this class was extremely difficult for me. I think that Dr. Spraker is a great guy and an excellent teacher, hes just really fast paced. He does help you with anything if you need it. He also gives lots of extra credit which is what helped me to pass the class. I would reccommend him if you are a pretty good at math.
MATH-301 : Statistics - Posted 6/22/2007
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
Not Specified
Quantity of Notes:
Not Specified
Difficulty:
Not Specified
Comments
try and not laugh when he walks in for the first time. probably the biggest nerd you've ever seen, and it only gets worse. My other professors laughed out loud at him.
His test cover way too much material. He has devoted his life to memorizing and working countless, meaningless problems and expects you to do the same for his class. the homework is ridiculous and everyone stays so lost, they don't know what questions to ask.
just another lambda lambda lambda alumni still seeking revenge on normal students.
MATH-116 : College Algebra - Posted 5/30/2007
Overall Rating:
OK
Grade:
C
Quantity of Notes:
Not Specified
Difficulty:
Not Specified
Comments
Dr. Spraker is a nice guy but has some problems effectively communicating to the class the concepts expected to be known for tests. He teaches the class as if it were intended for math majors (theory leading to concept as opposed to concept), which creates difficultly for those of us who are mathematically impaired. Attendance is important to get everything and there are occasional quizes, all of which are unannounced (but not hard). The tests are very difficult. I would try a different professor if math is not your strong point.
MATH-211 : Elementary Math - Posted 10/26/2006
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr. Sprayker is a wonderful teacher! I've always had a hard time in math, but he is willing to explain things until you understand it. He offers a lot of extra credit, and is very friendly. If you do all of your homework, you will have no problem. He also will tell you what kind of problems to expect on the tests, and be sure that you know your definitions!
STA-301 : Statistics - Posted 11/17/2005
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
F
Quantity of Notes:
Overkill
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
on my first day I saw I was in trouble.. this guy is just one of the worst professors I had in my 5-year college life.
just because he is teaching this subject for like 1000 centuries he thinks he is the superior being in the class and treat you like a stone in his way.
he is always right and wont listen.
also his jokes are TERRIBLE and sometimes I had to bring to class a puke bag to use it after he told us his stupid jokes.
DO NOT TAKE HIM.. take this class with an old dude (forgot his name) he's much easier
MATH-126 : - Posted 11/16/2005
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
Not Specified
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
As you probably can tell, this is a Calculus class. He will give extra credit sometimes, not always. He will explain anything you need him to and he is always willing to help. I really enjoyed this class!!
MATH-212 : Geometry For Eled Majors - Posted 5/31/2005
Overall Rating:
OK
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
To start off with, this course is ridiculous for Eled majors since students do not learn geometry until at least middle school. That put aside, however, this class isn't too difficult. There are a few group work and computer assignments which he gives ample time to complete.
Mr. Spraker means well and cracks jokes a lot, but his style is quick and not student friendly at all.
Like the previous post said, not the best, but not the worst.
STA-301 : Statistics - Posted 5/16/2005
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
Dr. Spraker makes stupid jokes all the time, which keeps the class interesting, I guess, but can also get annoying. His tests are pretty tough, mostly because so much material is covered on each one. But overall, he is fair, and it's not too hard to come out of it with an A.
MATH-212 : Geometry For Elem. Majors - Posted 3/16/2005
Overall Rating:
OK
Grade:
Not Specified
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
Mr. Spraker means well, but meaning well isn't everything when teaching. I am a math person, and he even went too fast for me. He doesn't stop to explain and teaches at such a rapid pace that many people give up.
We do a few groupwork and computer assignments which don't seem to really have any meaning.
His sense of humor is a little odd, but clever sometimes. Overall, I don't think I could recommend Spraker for his teaching style, but he's not the worst of the math bunch.
MATH-116 : Intro To College Alg. - Posted 3/14/2005
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
F
Quantity of Notes:
Overkill
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
HORRIBLE teacher. The class I think would be easy, but not with him. I would rather jump off a bridge. The book has problems in it, but homework is not mandatory, so you can get the book if you want. DO NOT TAKE SPRAKER!
MATH- : College Algebra - Posted 1/5/2005
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
D
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Mr. Spraker was off the wall and he was very hard to follow. He's a very nice person, but when class time comes, it's not so great. His reviews were never on target with what you actually ended up seeing on the tests. I don't recommend him unless you plan on spending hours and hours trying to figure him out. I never made anything in math but 'A's in high school - so much for that though! I would have been less confused had I not gone to class.
MATH-126 : Calc/analytical Geometry - Posted 12/21/2004
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
Dr. Spraker moves very quickly, but he will stop to answer any questions. He gives good examples in class and makes it very clear what information will be on each test. He also gives several extra credit opportunities, each worth one percentage point on your final grade. He also has a good sense of humor, which livens the class up considerably.
MATH- : Calculus 126 - Posted 11/11/2004
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
Not Specified
Quantity of Notes:
Overkill
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Wow. I don't even know where to start. Old Spraky has got to be on speed or something because he talks and writes faster than any human being on our planet. He is always a chapter ahead of every other Calculus class and his tests are pretty difficult. He randomly takes up homework, which you have every night, and everytime he takes it up it is always over the hardest material that he teaches the poorest. The class sucks and is impossible, but Spraky is a nice guy and he entertains you in class with his absolutely horrible "nerdy" since of humor and his annoying puns. John Sparker is a nice guy and I like him, but if you want to make a good grade in Calculus and understand it, don't take him!
MATH-212 : Math For Elem. Teachers 2 - Posted 5/10/2004
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
C
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
Dr. Spraker was a wonderful teacher. He was really nice and helpful. He would go out of his way to help all students. The course is the pain in the @&$ though. It's purely a conceptual class. Many times I would not miss a point working the problems, but I would miss a stupid definition. The course sucked, the teacher was great.
MATH-118 : College Algebra And Trig - Posted 1/8/2004
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr. Spraker is a great guy and loves to teach. He'll do anything to help you if you need it. His tests are hard, and I think I failed his final-it was insane. If you understand the work and pay attention in class, you should be fine. Make sure you know the terms and definitions-every test has some.
MATH-126 : Caculus 1 - Posted 11/19/2003
Overall Rating:
Poor
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr. Spraker is an odd potato, but a nice man. His teaching methods, however, are horrible. He goes way too fast, skips several steps when teaching new material, and is difficult to keep up with. If you are gifted in calculus and already know it, then you'll be fine. But if you need to learn it, take someone else.
MATH-323 : Analytic Geometry - Posted 4/16/2002
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
Dr. Spraker is THE best teacher in the math dept, if you learn by example. Almost all of the notes are examples that he does in class, and in a class where it's basically just about proving theorems, this is very helpful. Half of his tests are definitions, then the rest are proofs that you've seen in class or in the homework. He takes up homework randomly, and doesn't warn you about it, but if you go to his office you can weasel it out of him :) he's a great man - take this class. geometry is my favorite section of math now because of it.
MATH-307 : Intro To Linear Algebra - Posted 4/11/2002
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Overkill
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
dr. spraker is an excellent teacher. his handwriting needs a little work, but he will answer every question you have. he is very responsive to email questions. he is a whole stack of fun.
MATH-100 : Math 100 - Posted 3/28/2002
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Easy
Comments
I had a very enjoyable learning experience with Dr. Spraker. He kept the class interesting as much as possible considering the subject. Often he would allow the class to leave 15 minutes early because he had covered what he wanted to cover for that day. He checked the homework daily and was very willing to throughly explain anything that was asked. Homework is not mandatory but it does help with the course. His tests and quizzes come from the homework so it is a good idea to do the work.
MATH-100 : Intermediate Algebra - Posted 12/6/2001
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Easy
Comments
Spraker is the best and nicest professor that I've had. He really cares about the students and wants them to learn the material. You can ask questions and you get credit for attempting problems. I would reccomend him to everybody.
MATH-310 : Discrete Mathematics - Posted 4/20/2000
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
A
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr. Spraker is very helpful, both in class and during his office hours. I would recommend anyone to take him for this or other math classes.
MATH-310 : Discrete Mathematics - Posted 4/14/2000
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Difficult
Comments
Dr. Spraker is a very good teacher. I think this course is just a difficult one, and the book is not very helpful in reguard to the homework exercises. Though attendance is not required, it would be to anyone's benefit not to miss any classes.
MATH-227 : Calc. & Analytic Geometry II - Posted 4/14/2000
Overall Rating:
Good
Grade:
B
Quantity of Notes:
Moderate
Difficulty:
Moderate
Comments
Dr. Spraker is an excellent teacher. I believe that anyone that gets the opportunity should take this man. I really enjoyed the course and he helped make the material more interesting.