[HPforGrownups] Re: universities / WizWorld structure

[Yis M Koslowitz]

No: HPFGUIDX 24346

Good for you, Kavitha - I was the "youngest" everything in my life and I
apologized for e/t from my age when I graduated HS through my PhD. I'm
still the youngest PhD student in my program - and I like that attitude.
If you have the IQ and the skills to communicate in an adult manner,
you're an adult- just don't ask me to serve you beer. 
I'm glad to see high schoolers are more mature. I've been
teaching/tutoring reading and using the Harry Potter books, and every one
of my fourth grade/fifth grade students says they've had a Snape. Or they
say certain teachers have CHARACTERISTICS of Snape, such as favoritism.
In fact, when I asked which aspect of Harry Potter seemed most realistic
to them, a lot of my kids said "unfair teachers" (along with unfair
classmates, class brains, and a lot of other stuff.)
I disagree with you. I do think Snape is a great caricature of the
teacher that you just can't please. Actually, my favorite among the
teachers is McGonagall. I'd love to know more about her. 
	And I do think the Hogwarts model is more hands on, close to university
style schooling - I totally agree with that. I wish more schooling could
be "cognitive apprenticeship" instead of "factory mass produced." I'm
glad you're not wasting your time in a stultifying atmosphere. 
Robyn

On Thu, 16 Aug 2001 16:41:58 -0000 "Kavitha Kannan"
<catsrock at hotmail.com> writes:
> Speaking as a high school studentwho won't apologize for her age, 
> since it can't be changed and who instead chooses to write as well 
> as 
> she can I have never had a Snape for a teacher.  And asking around 
> on AIM, noone I know has.  I think he's exaggerated well past the 
> point of caricature.  Embittered, biased, downright nasty 24-7he 
> would never survive in a school unless he's shown to be more nasty 
> than he really is, which, given the POV (Harry's) is possible.  He's 
> 
> a combination of mad scientist puttering around in black robes and 
> doing strage experiments on his hair, and professor who hates 
> children and is only in the job because he gets to work in the 
> research facilities of the school. 
> As for the teaching methods employed, even the students in the 
> Potterverse mourn the amount of non-practical lessons they suffer 
> through.  When Lupin tells them that they will be having a practical 
> 
> lesson, they're all very excited.  Of course, this could be due to 
> Lockhart's idiocy, and their other classes seem more interesting.  
> The magnet program I go to is operated in the same way, with a great 
> 
> deal of hands-on experience, and prides itself on claims of being 
> similar to college, so I think it's reasonable to draw parallels 
> between Muggle university and Wizarding grade school.  This spirit 
> seems to continue after school, so that their extremely hands-on 
> university is the same as their job.  Also, the last five years (3th 
> 
> through 7th) seem to double as college, with students receiving 
> specialized training in fields of their choice.  One would imagine 
> that by seventh year, the classes would be like internships.
>