[HPforGrownups] Re: Another sign of Hagrid's improvement as a teacher

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 41312

BBOY_MN:
>Hagrid is not an educated man, at least not in the formal book
>learnin' sense. Having said that, I now have to ask how many of you
>have ever tried to teach anything to a group of people, especially in
>a formal setting? Being a trained working teacher doesn't count. I'm
>referring to ordinary people who have been thrust into this situation.
>It's not an easy task, not even for a person with a significant formal
>education. Being a teach is just plain hard; leason plans, research,
>materials, tests, etc.

Well, I taught a bunch of horse-related workshops at a small 4-H workshop for a week once.  It wasn't so bad.  The trick, I think, with kids, is to keep them completely confused at all times. ^_~ 

...Okay, so yeah, I get your point.

I can also see where it would be especially difficult for Hagrid given the disdain many of his students show towards him.  Esp. in Harry's class (who knows about the others) the Slytherins tend to be *this close* to blatantly disrespectful towards him.

On the other hand, I'm not too sure how I feel about the way Hagrid deals with the problems presented to him.  While I admit he's probably doing a better job than *I* could, that doesn't mean I feel that's he's doing a *good* job, per se.

The flobberworm period was pretty much awful, and the Skrewts -- completely useless.  The kids are supposed to be learning about an array of magical creatures so that they can deal with/care for them if and when they encounter them.  Aside from the end of Harry's fourth year, Hagrid has't been teaching to this goal at all IMO.  My problem with the flobberworm and Skrewt (I love that word) lessons was not that they weren't particularly educational, but that they lasted for so *long*.  Why didn't they move on after a few days of doing Skrewts? (actually, my reasoning here is that Hagrid needed people to help him with the blasted things...^_~ yes, the pun was intentional).

As far as I can tell, so far the kids have learned much more about magical creatures during their 3rd year of DADA than they have in all their years in CoMC.

However, after the continuation of the unicorn lessons and the niffler lesson, I'd say that Hagrid is improving as a teacher.  It's just a shame that it took him so long -- as far as I can tell, Harry's first and the better part of this second year in CoMC was a complete was of time. 


BBOY_MN:
>I think that is what the story is showing us; it's showing 
>Hagrid gradually pulling it all together. 

Really?  To me, it's showing us more and more how unstable his foundation is.  All of his convictions, all of his self-esteem, all of, well, just about everything good and strong about him, are solely dependent on Dumbledore.  So what if Dumbledore dies?  Forget Harry, what will *Hagrid* do in such a circumstance?  I'm not saying he's Ever So Evil or anything -- just that I think he's -- weak.  We already know that he's easily manipulated (i.e. Hemione *and* Quirrell wheedling information out of him in PS).  And when he's hurt he tends to shut down, hide, and get royally drunk (which is never a good sign).  He also tends to be a little -- biased towards certain people.  I know he's supposed to be one of the biggest supporters of muggle-borns and he's very open-minded about a lot of creatures most people wouldn't give the benefit of the doubt -- but I don't like his attitude about Muggles, nor do I like the fact that he thinks that slavery is okay for House-elves.  You'd think he'd be a little more open-minded, given that is mum is a giantess.  And, IMHO, I really believe that, despite all his professed convictions that blood doesn't matter, if Dumbledore told him that it did, he'd be just as quick to shout that from the rooftops as well.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but it just doesn't seem to me like Hagrid does all that much thinking for himself.

Who knows?  Maybe in the absence of Dumbledore Hagrid will really come into his own -- but maybe he'll collapse completely as well.  All I know is, I *don't* really know what to make of his character until I find that out.

laura


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