And this is the kind of person who should never be allowed to teach:
And because I had spent the weekend in MyKindaTown with friends, drinking and laughing and having the kinds of conversations about art, music, philosophy, and sex that I cannot have with these children I teach four days a week–I lost it.
“What the hell are you two talking about that is so important?? I AM TALKING HERE. SHUT UP AND LISTEN. If you cannot do that, I will separate you permanently for the semester, or I will ask you to leave, because you are incredibly irritating and rude.”
And without skipping a beat, continued to explain the pertinent changes to our schedule before firing up my lecture for the day.
I don’t feel like I was out of line. I feel like they are fucking lucky that I don’t believe in physical violence, because this is the second time since the start of the semester on 9/8 that I have to call the two of them out and I was really feeling like just cracking their heads together like a couple of coconuts.
Can anybody tell me if in other occupations it is as acceptable to flaunt this kind of complete and utter lack of professionalism, or is it only the teaching that is blessed with having huge numbers of incompetents flocking to it? I don’t care how tired, miserable, depressed and stressed out I get, but if I ever allowed myself to behave in this disgraceful manner to my students, I’d consume myself with shame, guilt, and feelings of complete worthlessness. Any teacher who is worth a dime knows at least a dozen ways to get students to stop talking to each other and listen without these public fits of hysteria.
I believe that there is absolutely no excuse for “losing it” with the students. Feel miserable? Go to the Dean’s or the Chancellor’s office and scream at the people who are not in a subordinate position to you. And if you are too chicken to do that, then just stuff it.
I have no doubt that this person spends a lot of time whining about how s/he is unappreciated and downtrodden at work while happily stomping on people who cannot afford to yell back.
P.S. If the website where this was published realizes how horrible this post is and decides to pull it before you get to see it, you should know that I got it from College Misery.
Clarissa's Blog 
I once threw a pencil at students who were similarly rude, although it took me all semester to get there, so really I sympathize. For me, that was the point when I realized that my poor quality students were totally dominating my teaching. I now move the disruptive people to a corner and ignore them if they are in class. I have draconian rules as well that are of consequence only to the rude or the lazy, so those students generally drop the class. So for me, my tantrum in the classroom was a major wake up call. Hopefully it will be for this teacher as well.
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Clarissa: you make an excellent point. It is interesting how people in authority will think it is acceptable to act with utter lack of professionalism towards their students, but will eagerly kiss ass of those above them (no matter how rude they are).
I think that the art of a true educator is to create an environment where they are respected and listened to without resorting to insults or throwing of things.
Our mother was a teacher and then vice principle for many years at a school where most kids came from difficult families. They would often start off by insulting her and misbehaving, yet she was able to turn them around without having to reciprocate their behaviour or instill “draconian rules”. Her students adored her and still write to her thanking her for the difference she made in their lives 20 years later.
That, my friends, is a true educator. Someone who throws tantrums at their place of work should get out of that profession pronto.
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From a personal perspective, I can sympathize. As a professor, I can’t. It was utterly unprofessional. It reminded me of one time in grad school. In our Colonial Latin American literature class, at some point a Spanish student (a PhD student, by the way) said something to the effect of “I don’t know why Latin Americans keep complaining about the Spaniards. After all, we gave them a language and we gave them culture”. The professor (who was from Latin America) was so furious that ze just stood up, said “Class dismissed, see you next week”, and left the room. Some people said that was unprofessional, I admire the professor for being able to control hirself.
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I would have done exactly what your professor did. If I hear something this offensive, I think it’s better to remove myself from the situation rather than lose my cool.
But what a jerk the PhD student in your story is!
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I know… He never finished in our program. He antagonized everybody, so he was kindly suggested to transfer elsewhere. Last I heard, he went back to Spain.
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I see nothing wrong with “Your conversation is interfering with other students’ ability to hear the lecture. Either be quiet, or take it outside.” There is no need to be histrionic.
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