What if other teachers behaved like Snape?

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 101878


Lee wrote:
> And, what was the thing Neville feared in POA?  Uh...well...Snape!  
> And Lupin didn't laugh or criticize him for that, either.  Lupin 
> just helped him create a very funny image for the Riddikulus charm.
> 
> What I'm getting at is that trying to learn from someone who 
> terrifies you and makes you feel small may work for some folk; for 
> others, especially sensitive types, such humiliations on the part of
>  a teacher are more likely to cause the student to (1) withdraw and 
> close down; (2) fight back.

Del replies :
Alla, Lee, I know exactly what you mean, and believe me I too want to
protect Neville from Snape. But to be fair, I also have to point out
that using Neville as a proof that Snape is inept as a teacher is not
a good idea. Here's why :

1. Neville was not exactly a picture of confidence when he arrived at
Hogwarts. We know that his Gran made life hard for him. So hard that
during that famous Boggart lesson with Lupin, Neville pointed out that
he wasn't too keen on seeing his Gran rather than Snape.

2. Neville is not a picture of confidence in any other class as far as
we know. We know that he's good at Herbology, but we don't get more
details than that. And as far as the other lessons go :
Transfiguration : McGonagall says in OoP that Neville's work is fine,
he just needs some more *confidence*
DADA : in GoF, Harry is *amazed* to see Neville volunteering an answer
during the Unforgivables lesson.

3. As far as we know, Neville is the only one who seems to truly
suffer from Snape's teaching methods. Nobody else likes them, but
Neville is the only one who suffers from them. One kid, who was
already damaged before he started school ? Not much of a proof.

4. Neville may have melted a dozen cauldrons in Potions, but he never
melted himself. Came close to it, yes, but never turned hysterics or
whatever. So it seems that Snape is not terryfying him so much that he
can't even think anymore.

5. Neville *did* learn enough to do a good enough job at his OWLs.
>From what Harry saw, Neville won't end up with a T, or even a D. It's
not that bad.

So yes I agree that Snape is awful as a man, and that his teaching
methods are not those that would work best on Neville, or most kids
for that matter. But that doesn't make him an inept teacher...
unfortunately. If it did, maybe someone would react, hopefully.

Del