[HPforGrownups] Re: The timeline on the DVD *confirms* canon;

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 55958

On 23 Apr 2003 at 9:34, Ali wrote:

> Private schools do allow for greater flexibility, and Hogwarts is 
> certainly not part of the normal State system. But, what private 
> schools cannot take away is the fact that this is unusual. Unusual 
> enough that we should know that Hermione is advanced.

I can understand that viewpoint - but the thing is, how would we know. It seems to me 
that we get most of our information about Hermione's past from her talking about it - not 
really from other sources. At least that's my impression (I haven't checked the books to 
see if I'm recalling correctly). I work with gifted kids, including those who've been 
accelerated, and who have entered school early. It would not be at all uncommon in the 
case of a single year accelerant for them to be advised not to talk about it, when they 
moved to a new school. Often part of the point of acceleration (especially single year 
acceleration as opposed to radical acceleration) is meant to be to ensure a child has a 
better chance of finding a genuine peer group, and the best way to do that can be to 
avoid calling attention to the fact. That doesn't mean we advise kids to lie - but if it 
doesn't come up, it doesn't come up. And not all kids keep such things secret even if 
they are advised to be discreet - but Hermione has shown she is good at keeping 
secrets about her education - the time turner for example.

In fact, in an environment where it is truly unusual, we'd probably be more inclined to 
suggest the child be discreet about it. That's because as many as 5-10% of kids in any 
class could benefit from single year acceleration and that makes it more likely it will lead 
to ill feeling.

Frankly, if I was dealing with a child like Hermione going into a school similar to 
Hogwarts (as similar as a Muggle school could be), I think I would be advising her to be 
discreet - the presence of the Ravenclaws, a specific group who seem to value high 
intelligence would be a strong reason for such benign chicanery.

The thing is - if Hermione doesn't talk about it - how would we know? And there are 
other reasons besides being told not to, that a child could make such a decision - if they 
had felt isolated by being younger than everyone else, a school like Hogwarts could 
*seriously* be viewed as a fresh start where they can conceal their difference.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200

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