Commentary Highlights

Fall 2022 MA Math Methods for Economists

• "Isaac was wonderful in the way he taught the class. He was always following some structure and had a flow throughout the course but at the same time it felt effortlessly executed. It never felt like he constantly had to reference some sheet of paper to teach us the concepts. This was the best part about being in his class, it made learning much more enjoyable. His problem sets never stressed me out and always taught me how to apply the tools I learnt in class which really helped me learn the course instead of cramming it and trying to focus on my grades. His lectures were always interesting and his class has been one of the best ones I have had this semester too. He truly cares about his students and it shows in the way he conducts class. I'm glad I got the opportunity to learn under him. I believe I have learnt not just the theoretical underpinnings of mathematical tools but also how to use them."

• "Best professor in the semester. He is very patient and he teaches materials clearly. His notes are very comprehensive, we can learn the material very well by attending lectures and reading lecture notes. His homework are of medium difficulty and very representative of the course materials, we can significantly strengthen our understanding of the materials by doing the homework."

• "Prof B was brilliant! His enthusiasm for the subject would get me excited too. He was one of the most understanding professors and was always willing to help. He was also super patient with us while clearing doubts."

• "Isaac is a great professor. He is cool, understanding, never moves too fast, and he gets when what he's doing is boring/tedious, and tries to avoid that stuff when possible."

Fall 2022 Intermediate Microeconomics

• "Isaac Bjorke is easily one of the best, most approachable economics professors I have encountered at Columbia. It may be a function of the fact that he was also very recently a student himself, but he is empathetic to the student experience and will always ask realistic things of his students, while still challenging us whenever appropriate. I found this mix of rigor and empathy to be a very effective mix in motivating me to do my best in the course without the course becoming a source of anxiety. He is a very approachable professor, in person or via email, which is always appreciated in an environment as intimidating as economics can be! He is a very engaging lecturer, cracking jokes easily and using language that brings him closer to his students. He also asks questions but never makes students feel insecure about not answering them correctly, and when no one answers a question, he never lets the silence feel awkward, but rather takes it as a chance to give us hints and stimulate our thought process. He makes sure that we understand that intuition alone is enough to get us there, and never once made me feel belittled, insufficient, or insecure, which are all experiences I've encountered elsewhere in the department. He exceeded every expectation I had for this course!"

• "Isaac has a real gift for explaining the material and making things clear. I'm very glad that I took this class with him, because he made it easy to follow along with each new topic and really understand how they cohered with one another."

• "Extremely approachable and knowledgeable. Very funny and still concise. Look forward to his lectures every time."

• "Isaac is much more easier to talk to than other econ professors I've had, and I think this helps a lot when asking him questions during office hours. He clearly understand the material and is able to teach it to us well."

Summer 2021 Statistics

• “Excellent professor. Great lecture, clear notes.”

• “Although it was online, Mr. Bjorke did a fantastic job making the material easier to understand through many examples.”

• “Isaac's homework grading system helps a lot. We feel less pressure from having to complete it for perfect accuracy.”

• “He was very clear and concise about the topics. His questions were not intended to trick you, rather help you grasp the material.”

Fall 2020 Microeconomic Analysis

• “One of the best TA’s I've ever met”

• “I love Isaac, he is even more effective than the prof!!”

• “The light amidst the darkness. The saving grace of the class. Isaac was flipping fantastic! I wish him the best in the coming years. He easily explained everything that was happening in the class in half of the time that the professor did. He gave practice questions that were relevant to what was being taught. He met with me outside of class multiple times.”

• “Isaac seems like the best possible TA for this course with a strong understanding of the topics; no complaints.”