Astronomy DEPARTMENT? (was: Snape's special title)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 56228

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Hollydaze" <hollydaze at b...> wrote:
> Dan says:
> > > There's an entire DEPARTMENT for Astronomy? Just how many
astronomy  teachers are there? ....
> 
> Silence responded:
> > Well, the technical definition of Department is just "c. A
division  of a school or college dealing with a particular field of
knowledge: the physics department." Could it just be possible to have
one  teacher in each division? 

> Hollydaze:
> 
> ... we're leading back into some of the arguments connected to the
"number of students" ...edited... ... the idea of a *subject* corridor
implied there was more than one classroom ... but why would you need
more than one classroom if there is only one teacher...?... if there
is only one teacher with only one classroom then why do they need a
rather large castle  as a school. Makes you wonder what's in the rest
of the rooms!
> 
> HOLLYDAZE!!!


bboy_mn:

If you've followed the recent discussion of the structure of the
school system in UK and the essay on British schools at he HP Lexicon
then you know that 5th year("O" levels or whatever they are called
now) to a UK student is the equivalent of a high school diploma. Six
and seventh year are 'advanced studies' and only attended by about 30%
of the students (don't quote me on that), and are referred to as
college. I see it as roughly the equivalent of 2 years of Junior
College in the US. 

So, it's possible that the whole structure of teaching changes in 6th
and 7th year, new teachers, new subjects, independant study, research,
etc.... Although, we know that some of the teacher stay the same (I
think Moody taught 6th year students, the Weasley Twins) new teachers
for the 'wizard college' years could be introduced.

A side note: I find myself wondering if the head of house will sit the
students down near the end of 5th year and tell them that they can
quit and go out into the world as wizard, or they can continue with
advanced studies. I also wonder how many will be temped to leave.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn