[HPforGrownups] Re: What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[Barbara D. Poland-Waters]

No: HPFGUIDX 101609

>>>From: Lady Macbeth [mailto:LadyMacbeth at unlimited-mail.com]

My English papers ALWAYS came back with at least a few red marks on them, no
matter how many times I'd revised them.  Something ALWAYS wasn't good
enough.  I got an irritated look instead of a smile when I tried sucking up
for better grades. He purposely ignored my hand in the air when he wanted an
answer and I was the only one in class trying to answer it.  The few times
that I screwed off in class (passing notes, talking, etc) I caught hell WAY
worse than the idiots whose life goal seemed to be seeing how many pencils
they could stick in the ceiling.

<snip>

That's why, as cruel as Snape is, and as much as I can feel what Hermione,
Harry and the others are feeling, I also can understand better why Snape's
behaving the way that he is.<<<

I can certainly see where your coming from when you describe your teacher. I
had a teacher who demanded more of me in 12th grade as well (also English)
and I think thanks to her I was more prepared for college composition
classes than I otherwise would have been.

As for Snape, don't you think there is a line he is going over when he
singles out someone not doing anything wrong, or makes personal insulting
comments to them? Whatever your teacher did, it doesn't sound like he made
things into a personal attack on you, but that it was related more to having
you meet a higher standard academically. Please correct me if I'm getting it
wrong. I think Snape COULD do this, and maybe some of the students do
respond to that, but I think if he gets results from his students, it's more
because they are afraid of him than because he is inspiring them to do their
best and go the extra mile.

Barbara
bd-bear