[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape as teacher

[Monika Zaboklicka]

No: HPFGUIDX 12091

Ahh, I love this subject!

All right - that's my theory:
I think that Dumbledore keeps Snape as a teacher not because Snape needs
protection, not because of favouritism but simply because Snape is a *good*
teacher.
Don't kill me before I have a chance to explain!
To be a good teacher, you don't need to like your job (though it helps a
lot), you don't have to be nice, kind, pedagogical or sympathetic. Those
qualities are necessary if you want to be more that a teacher - a tutor. If
you want to be a teacher, it's important how much your students learn and
how well they understand your subject.

A bit off-topic explanation: at high school, my father used to have a math
teacher who was *absolutely* horrible person. She used to yell at her
students, girls rutinely were taking tranquilizers before her lessons, she
was the most hated person at school and yet, more than 20 years later at a
reunion her former students insisted that she was the best teacher! It was
amazing, they were remembering how awful she was and marvelling what a good
teacher she was - all in the same sentence. Reason was very simple - she
*taught* her students math. She taught them so well they haven't even notice
it before they went to universities and *saw* that they are much better at
math than other people. And one more thing - I would like to see somebody
trying to upset my dad by *yelling* at him.

Back on topic, Snape seems to be able to knock some knowledge into his
students' heads. Hermione, Harry and Ron prepare Polyjuice Potion in their
second year. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan use Ageing potion to get
through Age Line in GoF and I assume they made it themselves.

Snape might be a worse teacher than Lupin or McGonagall, but he's *far*
better than Trelawney or - sorry to say that - Hagrid.

And besides, Dumbledore doesn't seem to mind that members of his staff are
rude to students or even to other teachers. He doesn't mind that Filtch
bullies students, he doesn't react when McGonagall mocks Trelawney *in
public* (Christ, I could never understand this!).

As for Snape's behaviour in class, my pet theory is that Snape *likes* being
mean to students. So, in order to amuse himself (and other Slytherins) he is
awfull to following parties beacause:
a) Neville - he's Gryffindor, poor at potions, and an easy prey - some
people attack easy preys instictively, without even thinking of it, and for
me Snape is such a person. That's sort of :"Don't be so *weak*, you fool, or
I'll kill you for that!". With such people around, delicate persons either
harden up or disintegrate.
b) Harry and Ron - they are Gryffindors, not too bright at potions,
rule-brakers, they escape due punishment much too often, they talk back,
Harry dares to be James's son etc,
c) Hermione - she's a Gryffindor too, she speaks out of turn, dares to be
better at Potions than Slytherins and it's a challenge to upset her, because
she's got so much self control. Thanks Heaven one can ignore her, because
otherwise no Slytherin would have a chance to answer one's question and earn
points.

That's all I can think of bat the moment.

Monika Z.
(the Snape fan)