Snape as new DADA teacher (was "New Dark Arts Teacher")

[michelle.pagan at colorado.edu]

No: HPFGUIDX 69840

Excited to be off moderation!

Bob wrote:
>Given the critical nature of learning DADA, I do not think that Snape 
>is a good choice due to his teaching style (only getting an aptitude 
>adjustment would, IMO, put him in the running). I accept that he is 
>probably the best candidate (ignoring any question of if being 
>ALLOWED to teach it is good for HIM) to TEACH the course (even better 
>than Harry since he is more knowledgeable in the subject) but his 
>teaching style argues against him since DADA needs someone who can 
>not only TRAIN (something that I acknowledge he is qualified to do) 
>the students but be supportive of their efforts to learn the subject. 
>Screwing up the creation of a Potion (in most cases) is not 
>life-threatening - Blowing a DADA Spell in a Battle IS.

Me:
I'm not sure about supportive and Snape in the same sentence, but I do think 
that his students most definitely learn.  When Umbridge is sitting in on 
Harry's Potions class, she says to Snape "Well, the class seems fairly 
advanced for their level." (US ed. p. 363)  While Harry may hate the class, 
screw up from time to time, it seems as if he has learned, especially since he 
feels fairly comfortable after the O.W.L in Potions.  Granted, I doubt he did 
exceptionally well, but I think it was more a matter of psychologically 
defeating himself than him not really knowing the answers.


Bob:
>The best solution IMO would be to make Harry a Teaching Assistant who 
>ran the Practical (Lab) Portion of the DADA Course (with Snape out of 
>the room although possibly monitoring it for purposes of grading) 
>while Snape only TAUGHT the course (ie: Lectured). This is not that 
>out of the realm of possibility since I know of a number of courses 
>where a Professor gives the Lectures while one of his Teaching 
>Assistants runs the Lab Sessions.

I really don't understand everyone who supports Harry teaching DADA on his 
own, or as you suggest, as a TA.  Does this happen fairly often in the U.K? I 
can't imagine someone saying to an exceptional student in a U.S. high school 
class -- "hey, you're advanced, why don't you teach the subject?"  Instead, 
that student may be given extra advanced work to do at home, or go and take a 
college-level course in the subject.  Just because Harry is advanced does not 
mean he has the wherewithal to teach an entire class on the subject, or even 
be a teaching assistant.  I think that would completely undermine the 
authority of the "true" teacher, kids would think, "Obviously Dumbledore 
doesn't think Snape knows enough to do without harry," etc.  

Anyway...I agree about the Professor/Lab Assistant thing, and I don't know if 
this is more the case in U.K. schools.  But in highschool in the U.S. there 
aren't teachers and T.A.s...furthermore, in college where that is the case, 
the student has gone through higher education and is going for an advanced 
degree in the subject.  Harry does have advanced knowledge, but he hasn't even 
reached 6th and 7th years yet.  While he knows some of what is taught in those 
years, he definitely does not know all of it.  I'd be hesitant to give 
authority to someone who does not have a complete understanding of the entire 
subject.

-Polaris