John Barnes

very nice guy. class was grammar focused, ssh205 vibe. he was quite particular about paragraph structure, writing style etc. understandable for assignments, but handwritten exams were graded on structure(paragraph breaks, punctuation, citations).i didnt study any content and got As on both. but grading felt harsh even compared to upper liberals

John is great! Wouldn't want any other prof for this class. He gives a LOT of freedom with the content of the group project and the timing of the assignments means you will have to rush at the end so its very important you have a good group. Overall, he is extremely reasonable and kind, he clearly cares a lot about his students.

One of the best profs I've ever had. So incredibly passionate about anthropology and caring about his students. Course load was very manageable, lectures were SUPER engaging, topic fascinating. Definitely a bird course that you could coast through but you'll get so much out of it if you pay attention and engage.

Hands down one of the best profs at TMU. Extremely nice guy who is passionate about teaching! The ANT100 lectures were particularly interesting, especially because open discussion on the material was encouraged. Grading scheme is very fair, there are no long essays, just some short discussion posts. Would definitely recommend ANT100 as a lower lib.

He is an amazing and engaging lecturer who makes the course projects very interesting. Be prepared for weekly readings (typically 30-60 pages); they are dense, but essential since the tests are based directly on them. The assignments and exams focus on practical applications of the material rather than just memorization.

This review was meant for LIR208 Winter 2025, but posting it now because it was a wonderful class. You don't need to know anything about skateboarding to take the course — you'll get to learn about it in the lens of different cultures and perspectives! Moreover, John is kind and truly cares about his students, so his classes are always pleasant. :)

Professor Barnes is the most caring and genuine professor. you can tell by the first lecture that he wants his students to succeed and you can tell he genuinely cares about what he's teaching.

He was easygoing and friendly, encouraged discussion/participation. All the assessments were straightforward, not too time consuming and quite easy despite me not being on top of the readings. His lectures go by kind of slow and the readings are sometimes a bit much but it's easy to do well in his class.

Such an amazing prof who you can tell is 100% passionate about their subject. Definitely an insightful class was not expecting to enjoy but it truly did change my perspective. Great elective option, if you are into that sort of thing.

Nicest guy ever. Loved his class!