Hagrid - In his Defense

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 70108

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jenny_ravenclaw"
<meboriqua at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboy_mn at y...> wrote:
>  
> > Hagrid is not (a trained teacher).  Hagrid is a marginally 
> > educated not-quite-wizard who works as a gamekeeper. He is very 
> > knowledgable ..., but I still say NO ONE has sat him down and told
> > him what he is suppose to be doing.>

Jenny:
> 
> You are absolutely right, but to suggest that a student should do it 
> is ridiculous.  
> 

bboy_mn now replies:
Hermione would never speak to Hagrid because she is a student, she
would speak to him because she is a friend. 


> Steve: 
> > Hagrid thinks he is a teacher of Magical Creatures, ...
> > But that is not what his job is. His job is CARE of magical 
> > creatures, ....>
> 
> That is a problem right there, although I agree with you that he 
> confuses caring for magical creatures with teaching ...edited..


bboy_mn now replies:

Well, I think you still got my point but I didn't quite write what I
intended to say. It's minor, but the point I was making is that Hagrid
thinks he is teaching 'Magical Creatures' when in reality he is
SUPPOSE to be teaching 'CARE of Magical Creatures'. I confused that a
bit, but I think the general point still carried through, and that
point being that he is not clear what it is he is suppose to be doing
as a teacher. 

Just wanted to ammend 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.>
> 

Jenny responds:
> I don't see how.  When has Hagrid really listened to advice? 
> 


bboy_mn now replies:
Well, you have a good point there. It would have to be presented to
him in the right way, and away from any 'heat of the moment'. Hermione
trying to straighten him out in OoP doesn't qualify as the kind of
talk I think someone needs to have with him.


> Steve: 
> > ...And I still say that process of gaining focus would go much 
> > much faster, if someone would explain it to him.>


Jenny responds:
> 
> ... I am a very organized and focused teacher ..., but I see 
> absolutely no evidence of Hagrid having more focus.  If he had any
> focus ..., he ... would not have asked Harry and Hermione to go ... 
> into the Forbidden Forest during the ... Quidditch  match. ...
> incredibly selfish and single-minded of Hagrid.  


bboy_mn now responds:
Ah... but you've shifted the focus now. You are now on the subject of
Hagrid's personal life not his teaching life. I admitted that in his
personal life, he was as out of control as ever and possibly worse
than ever. But he classes have become more focused. He is teaching
classes specifically with OWL test in mind, and as some one else
pointed out, even some of the students commended that Hagrid was doing
better this year. 

The truth is, that this is the first year that Hagrid has really
funtioned as a teacher. The Year of the Hippogriffs, he lost
confidence and switched to Flobberworms, so that year was lost. 

The next year, he really made an effort. He planned what he thought a
'Magical Creature' teacher might do and came up with the Blast-End
Skrewts project. For an uneducated person who doesn't understand
formal teaching, and who doesn't quite understand what his job is, it
probably make great sense to him. But he confused what he thought
teachers did, and what he thought he was suppose to teach, and for the
most part blew it. But at least he was trying to function like a
teacher, and he did manage to bring in some interesting, safe, and
useful creatures once he gave up on the Skrewts; niffles, for example. 

Which brings us to the current year, he IS gaining some focus relative
to what the students need to be taught. And he is trying to make an
interesting blend of the impressive and the practical. He still
doesn't quite 'get it', but I think he is starting to get it, and
assuming he lives, but the end of the series, I think he will be one
of the favorite and effective teachers at the school.
 

Jenny continues:
> 
> I feel that JKR was showing us that Grubbly-Plank is truly the 
> superior teacher, ...

bboy_mn with notable sarcasm:

That's PROFESSOR Grubbly-Plank to you. And that is exactly my point,
Grubbly-Plank is an educated woman and an experienced teacher, so of
course, she outshines Hagrid by a mile. But that doesn't mean that
once Hagrid settles down, and starts teaching 'Care of Common Magical
Creatures' instead of 'Amazingly Impressive Magic Creatures' that he
won't be just as good as she is.


Jenny continues"
> Harry... is aware that Grubbly-Plank had just taught an ideal CoMC 
> lesson with the bowtruckles....  She is organized, professional and 
> knowledgable - my kind of teacher.
> 
> --jenny from raven


bboy_mn finally wraps it up:

Exactly, she, Grubbly-Plank is an educated, experienced, professional
who not only knows her subject, but understands what her subject is.

I still say relative to teaching, Hagrid is becoming more focused, and
starting to teach the more common magical creatures. Although he will
never be able to resist throwing in an amazingly impressive creature
every now and then. But he will eventually figure it all out. I'm just
frustrated that no one is helping him figure it out faster. 

Just a thought.

bboy_mn