heroes pt I

baldy mc smiley is a lecturer at UWA. he's an awesome guy, one of the best lecturers i've met. not just because he's fun, or his lectures are well organised and paced, or that he relates to students. but because he is one of the most understanding, tolerant persons i've seen. ever. when he talks, he doesn't need to tell people to listen, they just do out of respect. but there's always that one group of (profanity) students who take him for granted, and make a ruckus in their corner. and this shits me to no end.

i attend baldy's lectures irregularly, as he lectures the undergrads whose course i can only attend when it doesn't coincide with one of mine. but when i do attend, i always notice this group of (profanity) students doing the same thing. the guys are messing with the girls, or the girls are laughing their asses off, or they're talking on their phones. i'm pretty sure, if you were there, you'd be annoyed as well.

one day, instead of the normal 'quiet, please (with sincere intonation and a smile, nonetheless)' baldy exclaims when these people get too rowdy, he snaps. and i would like to emphasise just how much it would take to make baldy snap. he's probably the most patient lecturer around - where other lecturers would have kicked the group out of the theatre / made it a point to berate them in front of the audience / stabbed their eyes with the laser pointer / run amok flailing all students in a direct line between him and the group - baldy presents a hiatus in his lecture. there's about 10 seconds of silence, excluding the continuous chatter and giggles from said group. even as they realise everyone is now eyeballing them, be it from the corner of their eyes or without restraint.

when i say baldy snaps, he doesn't yell. he doesn't get upset. he doesn't walk out of the lecture. he is calm and composed, an epitome of what pedagogic reprimand should be. and as the (profanity) group starts to calm down, baldy says 'i'm sure some of you would rather not be here, and if you are one of these people, please consider that some of us actually do want to. i don't mind if you would rather be elsewhere, but please don't spoil it for the rest'. and with that, the (profanity) group is silenced for the duration of the lecture. i have yet to attend another of his lectures (i will be able to this friday, though) but i hope his point is driven home, either having (profanity) group well-behaved, or non-attendant. i really don't mind either way.

baldy, you're my hero.