Michael Brown

School: Mississippi State University
Department: Music
Location: Mississippi State, MS
Overall Rating
rated by 20 students
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Pros: Does not take attendance
Cons: Boring
RUDE
Makes the class harder than what it should be
If you're not a sensitive person and you focus on the material then you will do fine. It's not an "easy A" but its a "doable A." BUY THE CD! The work isn't hard. A lot of people do not do well in this class because Prof. Brown is extremely RUDE! Period. His class is boring, he does not dismiss early, and makes the class seem way more important than what it really is. IGNORE HIM. Do the practice tests for all of the extra credit, go to both of the concerts, go to class, and make your own notes. You learn virtually NOTHING in class, but it is imperative to go because of the "pop quizzes" that count for 30% of your grade. If you do have to miss class, do it towards the beginning of the semester because he has hinted that most of the quizzes (other than the quiz on the first day) are given at the end of the semester. Do good on tests, complete the extra credit and go to class 80% of the time and you'll get an A.
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Pros: This class was the easiest class in the world. All you have to do is buy the CD book and take all of the practice tests. Because the tests are all online, you are able to use all of your notes. Take the practice test, have multiple tabs open with the online book and google, and then you will have no trouble with the tests.
Cons: He requires you to go to one of his orchestra performances. Although I love music, some other students were bored during the performance.
I hardly ever went to class, missed almost every single pop quiz, and was still exempt with a high A because I did all of the extra credit opportunities (including going to his orchestra performances).
Do all of the easy extra credit and you will have no worries!!
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Cons: This is the rudest teacher i've ever had the misfortune of meeting. I can't begin to tell you the miserable experience i had with him. Talking in person with him gets you nowhere, and emailing him gets you nowhere too. If you wanna try your patience in record timing, just go speak with this guy. The only consistency you will get from this guy is his condescending attitude.
He's a prideful boastful belittling control freak. He was the biggest disappointment for a professor. Real shame, too. That could have been a very pleasant educational course. I'm also very disappointed that MSU is willing to hire some one so blatantly disrespectful to so many people.
MSU should hire somebody else for this job. Preferrably somebody of valuable character. Professors should have a passion for teaching students who are eager to learn, and should do their job to help the students that make every effort possible to do well in the course instead of laugh in their face and walk off.
This guy doesn't know how to follow through on his word. He evaded every request to reopen a quiz that blackboard fluked on.He said he would open it and over a time frame of 4 weeks he continued to blow it off and then just didn't respond to my email nor did he ever open the quiz for me. This guy is obviously too old to keep up with his job.
He has no common manners for anybody. Even at his own choral functions in front of the public.I had asked him during class when and where was this event taking place, because he was giving extra credit for those who showed up. I showed up (with a friend even), spoke with him face to face during intermission, and once again he did not fail to disappoint me on his side of the bargain. I asked (again) about the extra credit and in front of me, my friend, and the whole crowd there, he laughed a little scoff, turned his back to me, and walked away. No extra credit for me for showing up like he asked. Why? he wanted me to have a "ticket". Nevermind I showed up and was there- which was the extra credit. I personally asked him face to face about that extra credit opportunity, but not once did he mention a ticket until it was too late when he could laugh and walk away.
I've never given a class so much effort but i love music and wanted to give this class a great deal of my attention. If he weren't entirely difficult to deal with, it wouldve been a great class. However, after meeting this poor character of a man, I've never been so happy to drop a music class. This is all coming from a nerd who loves school and comes from a family that revolves around music.
This should've been a great experience, but he ruined it and lost a good student.
Anybody that speaks with this guy will see the evident joy this guy gets from being rude and difficult with his students.
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First off I would like to say Mr. Brown is not a bad teacher, yet he is very strict and a stickler on rules. If I would have known how Mr. Brown treated his students I would not have taken the course. I know that college professors are suppose to be much more difficult and way less understanding than a high school teacher, yet he showed no sympathy towards students and was actually somewhat cruel. No other college teacher that I have had has ever been as disappointing as him.
I assumed that music appreciation was suppose to be an easier course, yet I was sadly wrong so I would advise that no one take the course unless you are majoring in music. The most challenging aspect of the class was dealing with Mr. Brown. If you make a mistake don't even bother with asking him for help or a second chance; it is only going to make things worse.
Mr. Brown requires you to attend at least one concert out of a few concerts that he conducts. I attended the last concert at the end of the semester to earn a few extra points. I arrived about 15 minutes early and sat through a very dull recital that lasted at least 2 hours and 30 minutes. At the end of the concert you must "turn in your ticket." I made the mistake, as well as about 10 others, of picking up a program instead of taking a "ticket" which were "being distributed" by his wife. When the concert ended I handed the program to Mr. Brown to which he gave back to me and would not accept. I waited calmly after the rest of the students turned in their tickets to talk to him about my mistake. Once I got the chance to ask him where I went wrong he told me that I did not follow the directions and that he believed that I showed up at the end of the concert and that I was trying to "pull one over on him". The fact that he accused me of cheating offended me greatly, yet I tired my best to keep my cool about the situation. I noticed lady that was standing next to him was the "ticket keeper" who happened to be his wife. I asked her if she remembered me coming in early to which she replied,"Yes, I remember you, but you didn't follow the instructions." At this point I realized that there was not much to be done and that I had messed up so I decided to leave. As a stepped back, other students began to ask for an explanation as to why they could not receive credit for attending the concert to which he began to raise his voice close to a yell and became extremely rude towards the other students. To make the situation worse this was all happening inside the Starkville First Baptist Church in front of at least 15 to 20 others whom were not students and most likely members of the church. The situation was not handled well by Mr. Brown or by some of the other students, yet he had the opportunity to be the bigger man and not to yell in a church, yet he chose to let his impatience get the better of him and make a fool of himself.
SHORT VERSION: Don't take this course unless it is required for your major. If it is possible get a different teacher. Mr. Brown has a temper, has no sympathy, can be very rude towards his students, and also feels no shame in embarrassing his students for minuscule reasons.
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Pros: Dedicated
Entertaining
Intelligent
Michael Brown is probably the most dedicated teacher I've ever had. He clearly loves what he does, and it shows in his lectures. He doesn't take attendance, but he gives pop quizzes throughout the semester just to keep you coming to class. These pop quizzes, as well as the tests and assignments, are all very easy if you attend often. Brown doesn't try to make the class difficult; he wants his lectures to be a learning experience. You don't have to take notes or anything. As long as you pay attention and get involved, you'll get a lot out of this class. You are required to go to one symphony and write a paragraph about it, but that's about the extent of outside work that you're required to do.
This is a great class to pick if you want to learn a lot about the history of music with an excellent teacher who creates the best learning environment you can find. This is also a great class if you want an easy A.
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If you are a graduating senior, or anyone, looking for an easy A where you don't have to attend class, this class is not for you. I made high A's on all tests and had a C for my final grade. He gives 5 pop-quizzes throughout the semester and he rigs the grading scale where they count for 30%. It's a little ridiculous. I missed most of the quizzes because I was job searching/interviewing. I told him and he didn't care at all and was not willing to help me. If you attend class, he will call you out if you are doing anything except listening to him. He is very rude and hard to deal with. I would not recommend this teacher to anyone.
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He was a great teacher. I thought the class was very interesting, but I like music alot, so I may be biased. He doesn't expect everyone to be excited about or like every type of music, but he does a good job of teaching the class about the different time periods and genres.
He doesn't take attendance, but going to class is important because his tests come from his lectures, and there are 5 pop quizzes through the semester, and they count a good bit toward the final grade. You'll be glad to have those points when the end comes because if you have a high enough grade at the end, you can be exempt from the final exam.
The book is actually a CD with all the chapters and a glossary. The only thing I really used was the glossary, which is very important because a LARGE portion of his tests are vocabulary. I HIGHLY recommend reading his notes for each module that he posts online, and copying down the vocabulary for each section before you take the exam. It will help you alot.
All tests are online.
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This class should not be this difficult. I took it as a junior and was in the class with all freshman. The tests are online, 40 questions, and you get 20 minutes to take them. So you MUST know the answer, there isn't time to look anything up or second guess yourself. The pop quizzes in class are super easy you just have to be in class to take them. As for the writing assignments, this guy needs to stick to what he knows. Writing a textbook definition for a word is not only juvenile but it is entirely subjective. I'm an English major and have never made below an B on a writing assignment. Somehow, my kindergarden writing assignment in this class earned me a D....? The class is interesting and he is knowledgable about the material but he definitely thinks the class is more important than an intro level elective. My advice, take History and Appreciation of Dance instead.
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He was pretty boring, but he did know his facts. Make sure you show up for class because he gives 5 pop quizzes and they can really help your grade. If you had 65 points before the final exam, he let you be exempt and gives you an A for the class.
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This is a very boring class. Attendance is important because he gives pop quizzes throughout the semester. All the test are online and multiple choice. As long as you go to class and pay attention this should be an easy class. Do not text in his class though because he will put you out.
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Wow, where do I begin? This guy made what should have been an easy, laid back introductory course into a miserable experience. First of all, he is a complete control freak. If he saw anyone so much as look at their cellphone he would immediately point at them and demand that they get out of his classroom, embarrassing them horribly in front of a class of 300 people, not to mention making everyone else feel awkward. He also kicked out students for talking to other classmates or even READING A NEWSPAPER which he claimed was ""inappropriate.""
The tests are online and are fair, but he only gives you 15 minutes to answer 40 questions! I understand this is meant to keep people from cheating, but you barely have time to answer all the questions, much less try to look up the answers. I would've much rather had a regular test in class with a decent amount of time to complete it.
He was also so very BORING in every since of the word; I struggled every day to keep my eyes open, and this class was at 1:00 in the afternoon! Mr. Brown is well aware of how boring he is, which is why he gives random 4 pop quizzes that consist of 20% of your grade to force people to come to class. He admitted on the first day that he would intentionally give these quizzes on the days when the least amount of people were there, forcing you to come every day for fear of missing a pop quiz! He also requires that you attend a concert that he directs (on top of buying the book that he wrote) but only offers two the whole semester--one was the very first week of class, and the other was the night of our last home basketball game! I didn't go to either concert (which counts as 5% of your final grade) and still managed to get an 89 in the class. But of course, Mr. Brown, being the mean man that he is, wouldn't spare me the one extra point to give me an A. I wasn't surprised, I just really wish I would've taken something else as my fine art. Don't make the same mistake I did, trust me--After 6 straight semesters at state I've only ever made three B's, one of them being in this horrible class.
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He is the MOST boring teacher at Mississippi State. If you go to class, you will fall asleep. But he will bust you out in a heartbeat for sleeping or being on your phone. Class is somewhat important--he will give 4 random pop quizzes throughout the semester. I'd suggest for you and a friend to take turns going to class...if he has a quiz that day, just get your friend to put your name on the paper and turn it in. Also, find someone who has taken the tests before. The tests are all somewhat the same. You only have 15 minutes for 40 questions so you have to work quick on the tests anyways. All the questions come directly from the book and are taken online, so they're not hard anyways. I would suggest not taking him unless you have a friend to take it with you and if you can find old tests.
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Mr. Browns class is the very easy. I recommend this course. His tests are all online and you can do them at your house. There are 5 POP quizzes that count as 20% of your grade. GO TO CLASS. you do not want to miss any quizzes. if you miss more than two you will NOT get an A.
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Easy class if you have a friend who has taken music classes before. He is a VERY rude man, and asking for help or rescheduling a test is a HUGE feat. His class is an awfully boring class and I have learned nothing. I would not take this class again. He is my only teacher that I can say I have disliked so far.
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He is really into music, but it is kinda boring unless you are too... I usually just do my homework for other classes while in there because the stuff from class really isnt on the test. His tests are online so it is easy to follow his study guide from the internet and do the tests from it. It was an easy A, but must go to class so you will not miss the pop quizzes that he gives. DEFINATELY RECCOMMEND!
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Ok, Michael Brown is very nice but here we go. Attendence is important. I attended the class about 10 times and missed 3 quizzes. Don't miss any quizzes and you will come out with a guarantee A. I barely came through with the B. Very boring class I enjoyed the music he played and his passion but overall felt bad for him. He seems really lonely. Take the course and definitely take him but don't take advantage like me or will miss out on a very easy A.
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You will not be able to talk to him out of class. His grading scale is very weird. His policy on pop quizes is "there will be no discussion on pop quizzes at the end of the semester" which really means anytime after youve taken a pop quiz. He doesn't keep records of it so he doesnt want to be held accountable for a mistake. Tests are easy though, but class is rather boring. Easy A or B
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He is a great teacher. The lectures can get pretty boring, but he's still a good teacher. The tests are online and timed, but as long as you go to class and read the book, there's no reason for you not to make an A. He makes the requirements for the class and his expectations very clear and he even puts his lectures up on podcasts in case you have to miss class. He definitely knows what he is doing and has to have been teaching this class for a long time. If you want an easy fine arts appreciation credit, take him! He doesn't take attendance but he does give random pop quizzes every now and then (but they're easy; you get one point if you put your name on the sheet of paper and two points if you know the answer to whatever he asks).
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I couldn't pass up the opportunity to comment on ""MSU having the best jazz band in history."" To whomever wrote this, WERE YOU NOT HERE WHEN DR SILLS WAS HERE? AND HAVE YOU NOT BEEN TO A RECENT JAZZ BAND CONCERT. I have been here long enough to see this band fall ""from grace."" Dr C gave this band hope. Showed us how to get things accomplished by not killing ourselves in hours of unnessesary pointless practice.This is a serious matter. The music department is in trouble. They will lose thier credidation if Dr Brown and EKL continue to drag the band back to a high school level. Another comment was made about the students not caring. The reason so many are giving up is we are not going anywhere. If we had a goal to achieve we would care. Give the students a say in this, because we are the ones that are actually going through these events. We have the right to pick our educational providers. The director of bands and the music department head should be someone whom is QUALIFIED. Dr Brown is not a good proffessor or department head because he is still a child. EKL is not qualified to do anything in college except take more classes. And Dr C ... well ... Suddler Award!
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I don't know who wrote the thing about Dr. Brown not wanting the Head Director job, but it's not true. Dr. Brown was an applicant for the director of bands position here at MSU in 99. He's the department head now. Not a good one, but he's the one.
Would you also like to know that he does hold the cards over the head of Dr. C, and a grudge? I guess he thinks that he's winning with the firing of Dr. Chesnutt. Dr. Chesnutt beat him out for the band director and director of the Starkville Symphony. I guess Dr. Brown has to win somewhere.
Why is he not advertising for the job of Director of Bands? Because we all know if there was a search committee and the job was going to be advertised, Ms Lance WOULDN'T HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL of getting the position. I really do wish more applicants who are much better could've applied for the department head position.

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