Snape and Lupin's Character Arcs (was: Lupin's Char Arc)

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 119288


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:

> Pippin:
>
> We'd have to see how Harry did with a competent but 
> undemanding teacher in a subject he didn't  like or see the point 
> of and I can't think of one.  Or come to think of it, Snape in a
> class where Harry is competent. Like DADA ::flips pages of PoA:: 
> yep, I'm right. No humiliations for Harry there, aside from being 
> docked five points for showing up ten minutes late and another 
> for not taking his seat when asked. Any teacher would do that. 

Snape in DADA there is not exactly a model of good teaching, though.  
It's true that he's not narrowed in on Harry, but he does treat 
Hermione nastily (it's eminently possible to get someone to be quiet 
without doing it the way he does, after all), probably because the 
goal of his class is to expose Lupin.

You have to love how JKR lets us know about how well Snape actually 
teaches in that class, though.  There's really no other way to read 
the revelations (annotated to make sure the reader does not miss it) 
in Fantastic Beasts that Snape, taking off points in the class about 
Kappas, is actually wrong himself.

But, back to the other topic for just a comment, I don't think it's 
necessarily true that Harry would have been apathetic about Potions 
sans the nasty treatment.  The statement "When you assume, you make 
an ass out of you and me" comes to mind for that opening class.  At 
least in my career as student, I've found consideration and 
measurement rather than aggression to be considerably more effective 
pedagogical models, and I've been subject to both.  

I think Snape is teaching the way he wants to teach with the side 
effect that Harry learns something.  Not that Snape is teaching the 
way he is with the explicit goal that Harry will learn something--
that is to say, I don't think his methodology is consciously targeted 
at making **Harry Potter** learn.

-Nora has nothing but disdain for those who abuse their power in the 
classroom, having seen far too many