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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
The Globe is Wonderful... ...and full of many amazing things, including one Professor Hall at the University of Florida, who, for at least one class session, lost it. Times being what they are, he was filmed losing it. He has now lost his job. Here's a description, from Inside Higher Ed, of what he does in the video (I haven't seen it): A video of a lecture shows an obviously gleeful Hall, clad in a polo shirt and perched on the edge of stage, in front of a student audience. His musings seem thoughtful as he demystifies ancient texts by comparing them to modern ideas. Couple of things. I saw my share of bizarre teaching as an undergrad and a graduate student, but it was always in a minor key: The professor was clearly depressed that day, or hung over or something. But I went to school in Chicago. In sunny Florida, bizarre teaching seems to take the form of extreme happiness. More seriously, it matters whether this behavior was a one-shot deal, or whether this guy is a career hebephrenic. He seems to have won teaching awards, etc. Certainly take him out of the classroom for awhile; but if the behavior was atypical, give the guy another chance. |