If you are an educator how would you handle a creationist student? Would you just write him/her off as a lost cause as you have done in your post?
I am not an educator, I am a (old) student. I would hope that I would handle it as my present archaeology professor did. He was going over the breaching of the straights of Gibralter, and the subsequent flooding of the Mediterranean, when a creationist blurted out that the flooding was caused by Noah's flood, not a change in sea level.
My professor handled it in stride. He discussed numerous flood myths, and even the lack of flood myths in areas (like China) which have undergone a tremendous amount of flooding over the years. He went into the time frame, and how there were several pre-flood civilizations that continued straight through the alleged flood. He then tied it into cultural archaeology, and how local legends and myths can help with the location of archaeological sites (as site survey was the topic that day).
It was a class act. Best I've seen. Nevertheless, that one disruptor cost me 1/2 hour of class time, in a class that I am paying $1,200 a semester for. I learned something though, so I guess it wasn't all bad. I doubt very seriously that that guy learned anything at all.
So, to answer your question, I would hope that I would be knowledgeable enough to handle it like my professor did. He didn't miss a beat. Totally a class act.
(pinging coyoteman because he is an archaeologist, and may enjoy the story)