You are in charge of Hogwarts

[mongo62aa]

No: HPFGUIDX 56604

So Voldemort had been defeated, and celebrations are underway.  
Tragically, Albus Dumbledore chokes to death on a Lemon Drop during 
the festivities.  The Deputy Headmistress, Prof. McGonnagall, has run 
off to the South Pacific with Madam Hooch.  A desperate Ministry of 
Magic turns to YOU and asks you to take over at Hogwarts.  They tell 
you that you have complete freedom to make any changes you deem 
necessary, and funding to do so.  You accept the offer.  What do you 
do?

******

These are my current thoughts.  Hogwarts is the only magical higher-
education facility in Great Britain.  I assume that anybody wishing 
to continue their studies must either become apprentice to a Master 
in their field, go overseas to a higher-level institution (if any 
exist), or devise a program of self-study.  The first change I would 
make at Hogwarts would be to allow for additional education for those 
who want it.  Basically, Hogwarts would offer a standard 7-year `core 
block' of subjects, with additional subjects for those who want them, 
and who qualify.  The additional subjects would not be restricted to 
students currently taking the `core block', although they would be 
welcome, and expected, to join, but also `graduate students' and 
adults wanting to upgrade their skills.

I thought about abolishing the House system, but despite its flaws, 
it is still a cheap, easy method of controlling the younger students' 
behavior (with the use of House points as both punishment and reward).

I wil be going with the evidence from the books, that there are about 
40 students in Harry's year.  This year is probably somewhat reduced, 
due to the effects of the first Voldemort war, and a typical class 
may be in the range of 50-60 students per year.  In order to reduce 
teacher workload, all classes in the `core block', except Physical 
Education, would be shared between two Houses, with 20-30 students 
per class.  Physical Education classes would combine all four Houses –
 as this would be a mandatory, daily class, 7 years means 7 time-
slots per day, even if all four classes are combined.

How many potential classes per week would there be?  The answer is 
set by the Physical Education classes: 7 years, 5 days a week, equals 
35 classes per week.  Note that nobody is expected to take this 
number of classes – the `core block' consists of 26 classes per week.

Here is my personal `core block':

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Physical Education (5 classes per week)

Right now, there is no physical training at Hogwarts other than 
Quidditch.  One class each day would be devoted to fitness exercises 
and sports.

Critical Thinking (1 class per week)

This is a topic that is sadly ignored in the wizarding world.  This 
would be devoted to logic, weighing of evidence, probability in daily 
life, how to do research – in short, how to think for yourself and 
judge whatever you hear or read for its accuracy and importance.

Ethics (1 class per week)

Another sadly lacking topic.  This would cover subjects ranging from 
the philisophical basis of ethical systems, through to social 
networks and personal responsibility.

Writing Skills (1 class per week)

Starting with penmanship and grammar, and then composition.  In 
higher years, this would include business writing, etc.

Mathematics (2 classes per week)
Science (2 classes per week)
Geography (1 class per week)
Muggle History (2 classes per week)
Muggle Literature (1 class per week)

These cover much the same ground as the same general courses in the 
Muggle world.

Muggle Daily Life (2 classes per week)

All about how to live in the Muggle world.

Magical Theory (1 class per week)

The relationship between various branches of magic, and how and why 
it works.

Potions (2 classes per week)

The two classes would be consecutive, in order to allow time for 
setting up the equipment, brew the `potion of the week', and clean up 
afterwards.

Charms (3 classes per week)

Everything to do with using a wand.

History of Wizarding World (1 class per week)

Not just Goblin rebellions, but the entire development of wizarding 
society throughout the world, and its relations with Muggles and with 
other magical beings and creatures.

Wizarding Daily Life (2 classes per week)

Covers everything from broom-flying, to household cleaning charms, to 
dealing with the Ministry of Magic.

******

In addition, there would be a large number of elective subjects.  I 
do not have a full list, as there are simply too many choices of 
subject.  Among the ones that I thought of are:

Various advanced courses. (Mathematics, Science, Potions, Charms, 
etc.)  They would be more specialised sub-topics of the general 
courses, in the same way as in the Muggle world, so that Calculus is 
a sub-topic of Mathematics, Transfiguration is a sub-topic of Charms, 
Healing Potions is a sub-topic of Potions, etc.  This does not mean 
that they are not covered in the general courses, but simply that the 
advanced courses are much more in-depth.

Additional subjects that are not covered in the `core block', such as 
Latin, Self-defence (Muggle and Wizarding), Arithmancy, etc.

I would imagine that each elective would have a list of prerequisites 
that are needed in order to take it – or possibly simply a written 
test of the basic knowledge base required.

The students would be able to take up to 9 elective classes (some 
courses counting as more than one class per week), although I doubt 
that many would.

Non-Hogwarts students would be able to take elective subjects, both 
for continuing education and for graduate studies, so Hogwarts would 
be a combined `high school' and `university'.  Many of the Professors 
would have both teaching and research roles.

******

I welcome any comments, and if anybody has their own ideas about 
running Hogwarts, please feel free to share them.

Bill