SOME RECENT STUDENT FEEDBACK TO MY CLASSES & TEACHING STYLE:

• Since taking Sociology with Professor Prendergast, I have now decided on my major—it’s going to be Sociology! I was unsure before but now am sure I want learn everything about Sociology as it seems such an interesting subject, and so relatable to everyday life.
• Great professor. Loved the class. I took this class for the Winter term and he was very helpful and tried to make everything very understandable. He helped us understand what is Sociology in an enjoyable fashion. I highly recommend him.
• Professor Gerard-Prendergast is a very outgoing, fun, and intellectual teacher. For a short guy, he has a tall personality, meaning that he will help any student at any time and would take the time out of his, so that the students would benefit. It's a win, win situation for the students. I've taken two of his classes already and plan on taking more by him.
• Mr Barry Gerard Prendergast: Fun, friendly, outgoing, concerned. Innovative, with a variety of teaching styles. He attempted to allow the class resemble a Socratic style education with many discussion prodding techniques.
• Prof. Barry Gerard Prendergast is very helpful, friendly and will make sure you learn the material without being bored out of your mind. If you ever have a question or need something, he's happy to give you some of his time and is open to hearing feedback about the class. Your grade will directly reflect what you put into the class. Highly recommended!
• I have learned a whole lot about cultures, sub-cultures, socialization processes and status. I knew these a little before but now I really know what they mean. I’m a visual person, so seeing these terms in applied action has been very helpful.
• Since taking this Sociology class with this professor, I have learned many new things. Learning the sociological perspectives have been very helpful and I can’t help but now apply these to my own personal experiences in life—especially watching TV ads and shows, I can see how the sociological perspectives highlight the different types of behaviors and consumerism.
• Since I learned about ethnocentrism in class, I notice it everywhere I go now. It has really opened my eyes and helped me not to judge other people harshly. Because of this teacher's passion and knowledge, I would like to learn more on just about everything through Sociology.
• I never realized how the world we live in is so set up and organized in so many different ways. The new perspectives I’ve learned in Sociology have helped me view our society in different ways too. I’ve also learned to appreciate the complexities and problems within society more. I would like to learn more about gender inequalities and how these may affect children. I’m also interested in the effect of the media in today’s society and would like to take a class on that topic (if you are going to teach it).
• This class and professor has made me view my world differently. I think much more about how society is made up of different “groups” and I am more aware of the groups that I belong to. It is interesting to see how media, culture and social structure all greatly affect our lives in so many different ways.
• Being in this class has taught me to look at things in a deeper way, and to try to understand how certain groups of people have arrived at where they are at today—how culture, socialization and social structure affect many of our values, beliefs and goals in life.
• I really liked learning about Coolley’s “looking-glass self”. It is such an interesting and useful concept. There’s something quite philosophical about it. I can see how it can apply to many different individual and group situations and identities.

SPECIFIC STUDENT RESPONSES TO MY TEACHING METHODS & RAPPORT:

• Before it gets too crazy, I just wanted to say (and I'm not doing this to get a higher opinion of myself from you)...I've enjoyed my time in your class and I have really learned a whole new way of viewing the world we live in, as well as what my own personal "lenses" to look at things have been. I'm glad you're here at CSUS and I hope each semester will keep re-enforcing the reasons why you chose to become a teacher. I can't wait to finally engage students in my own classroom someday. Thank you for emailing me back. – Candice (Senior, graduating student -- Intro to Sociology class)

• I enjoyed your class. I feel that the subject material is immediately interesting to students as it directly relates to everyday life. I felt you made the class interesting and engaging for the students in the class (even those who seemed less prone to be interested in the material). --Andrew LaFlamme (Graduate student / CSU Board of Trustees)

• I really enjoyed taking your class this semester. I learned so much more from this theory class than I did in contemporary theory. Have a good winter break. --Isaac (Junior student)

• I will always remember you as an outstanding Professor--you have sparked my interest in Sociology and the world around us—I am extremely grateful for that! -- Chris Winchell (Freshman student)

• Hi, Barry: I liked the fact that you included movies as a teaching tool. I know you probably get that a lot! It was effective when trying to use ‘real context’ with the terms. I felt that you had a lot of knowledge about the subject of Sociology and used stories or your own experiences to make the terms more applicable. --Lyz Enlow (Intro to Soc class)

MORE STUDENT RESPONSES TO MY SOCIOLOGY CLASSES -- WINTER TERM 2007

From RATE MY PROFESSOR.ORG (AY 2006-7)

5/7/07 Soc3400: Very good at making subject matter clear. Gives great real world examples of social problems. Allows students to pick the theory that most interests them, and become the resident experts on it by focusing on just that one for all of their papers. Then they present it to the class. Very contemporary and effective approach to teaching

4/19/07 Soc1010: The class atmosphere was always chipper. Papers were not hard to do, all you had to do was ask for help if you needed. Pay attention in class, do some light reading and the tests will be a breeze. He was good about office hours also.

4/17/07 Soc 1010 Prof. Gerard Prendergast is a good teacher in that he is concerned about how well you do. It SUCKS that he takes attendance (20% of your grade!!) and that he isn't very clear in his assignments or their due dates. Basically, show up to class, do your work, and you'll be on his good side.

4/13/07: He is a very helpful teacher.. he knows his stuff so if your looking for a fun and kinda easy teacher choose him.. at least he will teach ya something and make ya laugh at the same time... you can tell he loves to teach and that’s an A+ to me...

3/31/07 Soc1000: Fun, friendly, outgoing, concerned (to a fault; he is overly concerned towards obviously lazy students). Innovative with a variety of teaching styles, He attempted to allow the class resemble a Socratic style education with many discussion prodding techniques. A frat party setting could sub for the pubs of England as ideal for intellectual discussions.

3/31/07 SOCL3200: Textbook heavily used with supplementary power point and digital notes. A lot of required reading and writing, however exams were very fair and open to discussion. Style of class participation/presentation were the highlights of the quarter. A unique collection of video presentations was very helpful in understanding certain concepts.

3/29/07 SOC3400: Professor Gerard Prendergast is a very outgoing, fun, and intellectual teacher. For a short guy, he has a tall personality meaning that he will help any student at any time and would take the time out of his, so that the students would benefit. It's a win- win situation for the students. I've taken two of his classes already and plan on taking more by him.

3/28/07 Socl3200: Very engaging with his Frank McCourt style humor and storytelling. Hails from Liverpool. Encouraged a lot of discussion inside and outside of class. Writing assignments were designed and encouraged to work towards a masters thesis level.


1/30/07 SOC1000: Prof. Prendergast is very helpful, friendly and will make sure you learn the material without being bored out of your mind. If you ever have a question or need something, he's happy to give you some of his time and is open to hearing feedback about the class. Your grade will directly reflect what you put into the class. Highly recommended.

1/25/07 Socio1010: Great professor. Loved the class. I took this class for the Winter term and he was very helpful and tried to make everything very understandable. He showed movies to help us understand sociology in an enjoyable fashion. I highly recommend him.

Soc 3400: If anyone really wants to learn about theory you must take prof. prendergast. He gets so involved into the class that its enjoyable to go to.. He is very helpful and understanding.. I can’t wait to take more classes with him

For Barry Gerard Prendergast: Student Comments as written on Cal State Stanislaus University Evaluation Forms: Fall Semester, 2006 & Spring Semester, 2007.

• One thing I really appreciated was Dr. Gerard-Prendergast’s openness and willingness to accommodate those who had issues outside of class that presented obstructions in getting the work done. He was very open and friendly and very willing to work with you. Moreover, he wants you to succeed.
• He is a fun teacher and he really wants his students to do well.
• FANTASTIC!
• I really like the instructor. I felt he was clear in explaining the topic!
• Dr. Gerard-Prendergast kept lectures interesting. Used blackboard quizzes so we had to keep communicating & up on his expectations, overall, I learned a lot of Sociology & it’s main theories that I feel I can intelligently speak on certain topics through the different perspectives.
  
• Though Dr. Prendergast was a good teacher, he really excelled in being fair & accommodating to his students who were behind in his class. However, I did not feel like he challenged those enough who were ready for more. But he was very understanding & reasonable & wanted you to do well & see things differently.
• Good teacher and way of doing it for Intro. to Sociology. Maybe needed a little more information. Overall, good class, I enjoyed it.
• Very good.
• This class is really educational and enjoying.
• Instructor gave good example & very easy to talk to & relate to.
• I really liked this professor. He is the first professor I've met who understands that students have lives outside of the classroom.
  
• I gained a lot of new information from this class. He made it fun and gave us a lot of room to work on topics we enjoyed.

(Note: Most of this student feedback is from my recent year, 2006-7 at California State University, Stanislaus. These responses are only about 30% of the total number of responses I received from my students in this one academic year. From sources within the University, no other lecturer or professor in the Sociology Department at CSUS has ever received so many positive and enthusiastic responses from the student body in one year. This, I believe, shows clearly the high standard, rapport and commitment to excellence in teaching I have with both my students and withing the department I work for. -- Again see references and referrals on my web pages covering my first year as Visiting Lecturer at CSUS.)

Below is a final Faculty Evaluation from a Community College where I also taught Sociology:

• This teacher makes this class awesome. He knows the material so well that it makes it easy to comprehend. He makes his availability known and wants us to succeed. He is very concerned with our personal goals and pushes us to achieve.
• He is very intelligent and knowledgeable on his subject. He has a great sense of humor and leads a thoughtful informative class. I enjoy this class very much.
• During class discussions he gets right to the point and teaches us what we need to know. He doesn’t get off topic and his lectures are always interesting. He is a very understanding professor. You can tell he knows his stuff (-Sociology).
• Willingness of the Instructor in his understanding of students faults+ difficulties                               - The manner in which class lectures are given, very positive                                                          - having the full week to review a chapter                                                                                      - the quizzes & tests are very helpful
• Very passionate about the subject, has and uses many different resources. Projects information from a very balanced perspective. Makes time for individual need/counseling of class subject/grade
• His openness on certain subjects. His English background I think really helps because he’s very open and to the point. He’s also very kind and understanding. He helps on a personal level.
• Everything was explained in detail, very good lectures. You got comments back on homework, quizzes etc. The book was very helpful as well, was very detailed.
• The class is very interesting. The instructor is very clear and progresses at an excellent rate. Very good teacher.
• We had a say in how we wanted this course structured. He went above and beyond to make sure we understood the material.
• He really knows his stuff. Barry is so knowledgeable about Sociology. Also he is interested in making sure everyone of his students are doing the best we can.
• Very good at getting messages across to students. Relates to students well.
• Relates well with students. Understands students’ needs for quizzes and tests to retain information. Good outline of class. Great speaker, talks well. Gets everyone involved. Very nice.
• He really knows what he is talking about. He has multiple books he teaches from and makes each class challenging and thoughtful.