Hagrid - In his Defense

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 70052

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
 
> Jenny, you said you would never let a student tell you how to run 
your class, but you ARE a TEACHER, a trained teacher, Hagrid is not.  
Hagrid is a marginally educated not-quite-wizard who works as a 
gamekeeper. He is very knowledgable in Magical Creatures and their 
care, but I still say NO ONE has sat him down and told him what he is 
suppose to be doing.>

You are absolutely right, but to suggest that a student should do it 
is ridiculous.  What is needed at Hogwarts in general are more 
experienced teachers who can serve as mentors for people like Hagrid, 
who clearly do not know what they are doing. 

Steve: 
> Hagrid thinks he is a teacher of Magical Creatures, so he tries to 
impress his student with unusual, impressive, and extreme (extremely 
interesting and unfortunately extremely dangerous) magical creatures. 
But that is not what his job is. His job is CARE of magical creatures, 
and that is what he doesn't get.>

That is a problem right there, although I agree with you that he 
confuses caring for magical creatures with teaching (great point, 
actually).  Either way, why would anyone think it is appropriate to 
try and impress others the way Hagrid does?  Why, why, why does he 
refuse to acknowledge that what is interesting to him may not be 
appropriate for others?  I love HP, but teaching HP to my 17-21 year 
olds would not go over so well and I know that.

Steve: 
> I still say if Hermione or Harry or Dumbledore or some hooded bloke 
at the Hog's Head Inn sat him down and explain the function of his 
class, then he would approach it differently.>

I don't see how.  When has Hagrid really listened to advice?  He sure 
didn't when Rita Skeeter came to talk to him, or when Umbridge came 
around to observe.   

Steve: 
> So while I admit that in his personal life Hagrid has not tamed 
himself in the least bit, in his classes, he is gradually gaining 
focus. And I still say that process of gaining focus would go much 
much faster, if someone would explain it to him.>

I guess I'm biased here because I am a very organized and focused 
teacher (I work really hard during the year), but I see absolutely no 
evidence of Hagrid having more focus.  If he had any focus at all, he 
sure as hell would not have asked Harry and Hermione to go off with 
him into the Forbidden Forest during the school's final Quidditch 
match.  I found that incredibly selfish and single-minded of Hagrid.  
He gives teaching no more than a passing thought.  He would also not 
mumble and stutter during his lessons any time he is confronted.  To 
me, that happens when someone does not know what they are doing and is 
afraid of being exposed.  I've been there myself. 

Maybe the kids did okay on their OWLS because of Hagrid and maybe not.  
CoMC may be an easier exam, or maybe Hagrid really was able to pass 
along just enough information for his students to do well.  Remember, 
Grubbly-Plank was also around for nearly a year to teach them as well.  
I'd like to give her a large portion of the credit.

I feel that JKR was showing us that Grubbly-Plank is truly the 
superior teacher, and even mentions it through Harry, when he is aware 
that Grubbly-Plank had just taught an ideal CoMC lesson with the 
bowtruckles (and boy, did I laugh at the image of the bowtruckle 
walking stiffly away from Harry).  She is organized, professional and 
knowledgable - my kind of teacher.

--jenny from raven