From bphilips@astro.ocis.temple.edu Mon May 26 22:31:31 1997
To: alu@euclid.math.temple.edu
CC: zeilberg@euclid.math.temple.edu
Subject: kudos!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Length: 2180
Status: R

Hi Alu,

I spoke to you at the beginning of the semester in January about taking
math 75 for the 3rd time. I never got back to you about your suggestion
on who to take for it, but I wound up taking Dr. Zeilberger's class. The
2 times I took it before, I learned almost nothing. The teachers I had,
didn't really want to help me with much, and I wound up getting a D both
times. They would explain things to a point, then stop. I have to admit
that I learned almost nothing both times and the sad part was that I
really tried hard. This was the most frustrating thing I ever
experienced. I had some tutoring also but it did not help either. The
instructor I had 2 semesters ago was supposed to be available for office
hours. She was, but every time I  went there, she was busy talking to a
boyfriend or husband on the phone. She made me feel like I was
infringing upon her personal time. 

This past semester, when I had Dr. Zeilberger, I actually enjoyed going
to his class. His class was the only class  I looked forward to going
to. Everything he said, I listened to and learned almost everything he
taught. I never had a professor who was such an incredible teacher. His
style is so different, that his students seemed to WANT to learn
everything he taught. I feel that, if I had him the 1st time I took
calculus, I would have gotten it the first time. Unfortunately, I
probably won't be having him anymore. I am currenttly taking math 76
this summer and, thanks to Dr. Zeilberger, I feel very comfortable
taking 76 because I understood 75 so well. 

What I'm trying to do is stress how great this man is. I am a CIS major
and I was  very happy with one or two CIS professors for going above and
beyond the call of duty, but none of them come close to Dr. Zeilberger.
He went out of his  way to help myself and several other students in his
class. He was very available in his office to offer extra help and I
doubt if I ever would have gotten past math 75 if it  weren't for him. 

I just wanted to say that he is the absolute best professor I had at
Temple so far annd I hope I have the privilege to learn from him again
in the future. Thank you for everything!

Ben Philips