Out of Control Cornell Instructor

coase
Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:34:50 +0000

I can tell you the last time I yelled at a student: Sept. 12, 2001. The previous day, a colleague, her husband and their two children were killed when their plane crashed into the Pentagon. I was angry and I expected everyone else to feel the same anger and hurt that I felt. During my lecture that morning, a young woman and a young man were giggling like schoolchildren. I made a general comment, hoping to put an end to it. As the lecture proceeded, however, the young woman continued to giggle and fawn over the young man. At that point I let her know, in no uncertain terms, that I wanted her out of my classroom. She left. Later that day, a classmate came by my office to tell me how upset the student was. The student herself emailed me to say how sorry she was. I told myself that I would never again light up a student like that.

You might think that was the end of it, but, for the next three years, whenever I saw the young woman she cowered. Losing control is never the best option. As offensive as the yawning Cornell student was–and I find him offensive in the extreme–the professor must keep control of his emotions. I imagine he understands that now.