Snape vs. RW (was: Harry) (was: What if other teachers behaved like Snape?)

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 101383

Jenny from Ravenclaw wrote :
> > I also must agree with Darrin when he points out that Snape is 
> > the adult.  As a teacher, there have been times when I would have 
> > loved nothing more than to let a student have it, but I don't.  I 
> > can't.  There are students I don't like very much, but I give 
> > them the grades they earn (no one says I'm unfair at my school).  
> > In fact, students think I have no favorites (I've heard them say 
> > it), but I do.  Why can't Snape do that?


Del replied:
> Because he wasn't trained the way you were. In fact, he wasn't 
> trained at all. You live in a society that has immense expectations 
> of its teachers, and that trains and monitors them accordingly. 
> Snape lives in a society where pretty much anyone can be a teacher. 
> All that is required of them is that they know more or less what 
> they are talking about, and as far as this is concerned, Snape fits 
> the bill perfectly.  Other than that, and especially concerning 
> teaching methods, there doesn't seem to be any guidelines of any 
> sorts. Snape seems to have good OWLs results and that seems to be 
> enough for everyone.

> I mean, let's be honest : the way Snape treats Harry bothers *us*, 
> but we've never seen that it bothers any adult in the WW. After all,
> Hogwarts is a school where students keep hexing each other, where
> teachers can confront the students to dangerous beasts and curses,
> where various monsters can roam around, and so on. It's most
> definitely nowhere close to one of our schools, so we must not 
> expect the teachers to be the same either.



SSSusan:
Del, I'm sure this has been said before in arguments over Snape's 
teaching methods, but for some reason it has really struck me today 
in your words.  I think you're right.  And I think I am beginning to 
understand why Teacher!Snape bothers Jenny and me and other teachers 
out there more than he bothers some others:  we teach (or taught) and 
we can't STAND to see someone who clearly is an excellent teacher in 
some ways be such an awful teacher in other ways.  It hits home 
harder w/ those of us who've been there perhaps.  I truly cannot 
fathom a teacher "getting away with" what Snape gets away with.  
Parents or administrators would step in.  Students would rebel.  

But Snape at Hogwarts is not RL.  It's hard to let go of the, "Well, 
he SHOULD be able to change" or "He's an adult in a position of 
authority & responsibility--it's his JOB to see that he's 
effective."  I mean, did I ever dislike a student?  Well, yeah.  Did 
I ever show it?  Not if I could help it.  Did I call students for 
misbehaving, not listening, being lazy, not completing assignments, 
having inappropriate attitudes?  You betcha.  Did I use extreme 
sarcasm or smart ass remarks to do so?  No, I did not.  So Snape's 
nastiness to Harry, Neville & Hermione pisses me off.  

It's harder to step back from it when you've lived it, and the 
tendency to compare is strong.  But I'll bet I can enjoy Snape more 
if I can manage to do so. :-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan