matthew is one of my favorite teachers at ucla. his lectures were pre-recorded due to covid-19, but his teaching was very engaging and involved humor. he has a bubbly personality and is really passionate about the topics, so he is more than willing to help you. i would highly recommend going to his office hours because some of the Buddhist principles can get confusing, and he clarifies them well. he is down-to-earth and approachable, and he made the final optional due to blm. the midterm is graded by him, but the essay is graded by your ta. i felt that my ta was on the pickier side in terms of grading, but matthew was very reasonable on the midterm grading. as long as you hit the main points, you're good.