What's wrong with being bad ?

[kyntor70]

No: HPFGUIDX 101947

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Irene <irene_mikhlin at b...> 
wrote:

> What I find amusing is that people discuss Snape's teaching methods 
as 
> if he was a unique monster from hell.
> "Ritual humiliation" was a recognised teaching technique in british 
> schools until quite recently. At least there is no cane in 
Hogwarts, so 
> let's keep things in proportion.
> 
> Irene


Kyntor replies:

There are really two things about this point of view that bothers me.

First, I don't really believe that Snape is practicing "ritual 
humiliation" purely for the benefit of his students.  He seems to 
enjoy humiliating certain people just entirely too much.  

If Snape really was trying to educate his students through the use 
of "ritual himiliation," wouldn't he be treating the Slytherins the 
same way.  By not humiliating them, will they still be able to 
learn?  If the Slytherins can learn without the humilation, then it 
is not really needed is it.

Secondly,  if "ritual humiliation" is such a recognized teaching 
technique in wizarding society at that particular time, then why is 
this teaching method not used by the other professors.