Kira Rahn

If you’re deciding whether to take Professor Rahn or another professor for General Chemistry II, choose Professor Rahn. So far, she’s the best professor I’ve had at Middlebury, especially in the Chemistry Department. Every class, she was enthusiastic and taught at a slow pace so everyone could digest the material. She also gave time in class to work through practice problems that closely mirrored the Achieve homework. What I appreciated most was her willingness to accommodate and listen to students. For instance, on the first day, she explained the course structure and asked if anyone had suggestions. Someone proposed a cheat sheet for exams, and a few days later, she approved it allowing one full page per exam, and two (front and back) for the final. I found this generous, as I could include step-by-step instructions and practice problems. Her Canvas page was also VERY organized. She posted all lectures before and after class, along with answer keys for worksheets. Before exams, she uploaded practice problems that helped me identify what I needed to review. She also gave weekly TTQs (Typical Test Questions) every Tuesday that you can also prepare a two-sided notecard for. Each counted for only about 1% of our grade (10% cumulative), but they encouraged consistent studying. These quizzes also reflected the exam content well, so expectations were always clear. I recommend attending office hours to review any mistakes on the TTQs, as she explains concepts clearly and provides more detail when you ask. She truly cares about her students, and her teaching style worked really well for me and many of my peers. She makes chemistry fun and applicable to the real world. Overall, Professor Rahn was amazing, and I’d take another class with her in a heartbeat.

If you’re deciding whether to take Professor Rahn or another professor for General Chemistry II, choose Professor Rahn. So far, she’s the best professor I’ve had at Middlebury, especially in the Chemistry Department. Every class, she was enthusiastic and taught at a slow pace so everyone could digest the material. She also gave time …Read more

I really enjoyed the content of 104 and Rahn is a very solid lecturer. I felt like the way she taught really sat with me and allowed me to develop a clear understanding of the material. Nothing on the tests felt like something we hadn't seen. Rahn, while a good lecturer, was often a little unpleasant and condescending towards students, particularly guys who tried to participate and engage with the material. As a guy, this made me less eager to raise my hand and answer her questions, but not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things I guess. The lab for 104 was by far the hardest part of the class.

I really enjoyed the content of 104 and Rahn is a very solid lecturer. I felt like the way she taught really sat with me and allowed me to develop a clear understanding of the material. Nothing on the tests felt like something we hadn't seen. Rahn, while a good lecturer, was often a little unpleasant and condescending towards student …Read more

Prof Rahn explained the concepts in class pretty slow and clear. You got homework questions and TTQ to practice every week. The exam is a lot harder and sometimes the questions are tricky. The lab is fun and there are enough resources for you to handle, but the lab report really takes a lot of time to finish.