More on Snape
Shaun Hately
drednort at alphalink.com.au
Sun Jun 20 23:38:10 UTC 2004
No: HPFGUIDX 102203
Taking this out of a particular thread, just so I can express what
I'm trying to say without feeling bound into replying to particular
comments.
First of all, let me make something clear here - I could say a
great deal more about my education than I have on this list -
because, it's not directly on-topic I, of course, limit what I say
and only mention enough to give a little bit of context, but I'd
appreciate if people could bear in mind when they read what I've
written, that there is a huge amount of background to my views.
Because I'm only talking about little snippets, out of context
people don't really know exactly where I am coming from - there's a
book coming out next year in the US, which I wrote a chapter of
describing some aspects of my school experience, but even that
doesn't go into this stuff. I am actually in discussion about
writing an entire book about my schooling and my childhood because
there is that much to say. I'm only giving snippets here that don't
give anywhere near the full story. I'd be happy to discuss it in
more detail if people wanted to know - but HPFGU is not the place
for it, so I limit myself to saying the minimum I feel I need to,
to give any context at all.
Now... to Snape.
The reason I defend Snape's teaching methods isn't because I
particularly agree with them. I certainly do not believe Snape is
the ideal teacher, or anything close to it. But I just have the
feeling that many people are conflating multiple issues into a
single monolithic view of Snape, and I don't think that's
particularly fair.
I personally see two *separate* issues when it comes to Snape and
his teaching. (1) his specific treatment of a specific individual;
(2) his general pedeagogical techniques.
With regards to point #1, I think Snape is pretty close to totally
undefendable.
His treatment of Harry is indefensible, and reprehensible. To an
extent, it may be understandable in some ways, but that doesn't
make it right. I truly believe he unfairly targets Harry because of
resentment of James Potter - and there's no excuse for that. To his
credit, on occasion, I think Snape has tried to do the right thing
when it comes to Harry - he has protected him, and I think he made
a sincere initial effort to try and teach him occlumency. But even
on these occasions, Snape's "good intentions" are overlaid onto his
irrational hatred, and he can't move beyond them.
My point is that Snape's general treatment of Harry Potter as an
individual is purely and simply wrong IMHO. I will *not* defend it.
I do *not* defend it.
But it's also, IMHO, unique. I don't think Snape targets anyone
else in the same way he targets Harry.
We certainly see him target Hermione on occasion - and Neville on
occasion - but it doesn't seem to me to be the same as his
targeting of Harry. Which is unremitting, constant, and born of
specific animus.
What we see directed towards Hermione and Neville is different,
IMHO. We're talking specific instances, not an uremitting program
of hostility targeting them specifically.
Which brings me to point #2, Snape's general pedagogical technique.
This is the area where I *will* defend Snape to an extent. Not
because I think the methods he uses are ideal, by any means. Not
because I think they are even particularly good methods. But
because I just don't think they are bad as some people seek to make
out.
I think there's a significant number of people on this list who
don't make any distinction between Snape's treatment of Harry, and
his general teaching practice. Whereas I think there is a real
distinction. His treatment of Harry is anomalous to his normal
teaching practice.
But people conflate the two - there are a lot of people on the list
who allow their general opinion of Snape's teaching methods to be
influenced by their opinion of how Snape treats Harry. I just think
the two things should be considered separately, based on their own
merits. That's my opinion, and I don't really expect others to
agree with it necessarily. But I need to explain because if I
didn't make that distinction, I certainly wouldn't defend Snape.
Snape teaches a subject that is - from what we can see in the books
- unusually difficult, and fairly uncompromising. Minor mistakes -
missing a single ingredient or a single step - renders the entire
end result virtually *worthless*.
With other subjects we see at Hogwarts, this really isn't the case
- at least not to the same extent. History of Magic - well, like
most humanities type classes, it's very possible to be partly
correct, or nearly completely correct, as well as totally correct.
There's a lot of grey areas involved. Transfiguration - we have
numerous references to students who've only half completed a
particular transfiguration - it's a subject where (though I am sure
McGonagall's standards are just as high as Snape's, if not higher)
at least if you're partly correct you can see some progress.
Potions is different. If you get it wrong - it's worthless. Maybe
even worse than useless - something meant to heal or enhance, could
kill.
There is no middle ground.
That imposes particular standards on a teacher. Unlike many other
subjects, near enough ain't anywhere near good enough. This means
that you can't *let* a student get away with sloppy work. Because
it either works - or it doesn't (there does seem to be some small
grey area when it comes to precise colour or consistency, etc - but
it's still has to work, and not kill the imbiber).
So Snape has a duty to make sure his students *learn*. He can't
afford to go soft on them.
He can't *afford* to make allowances for Neville. He can't afford
to let Hermione dominate the classroom, giving other students the
chance to sit back and coast. I don't personally like the way he
uses to deal with these issues - I think he goes too far with both
Hermione and Neville - but I think they are the outliers - Neville
is the least competent student in the class (at least out of those
he bothers to teach - as I've said, I have the distinct impression
the Slytherins get away with learning nothing, so Crabbe and Goyle
can be ignored). Hermione is the most.
Snape is a hard taskmaster. When his students do not perform to the
standard he expects, he lets them know about it. There is nothing
invalid about that as a method of teaching. Not all teachers do it,
but plenty do, and their students often learn very effectively in
the classroom. They work harder to avoid being told off.
Is that the best way of teaching? No, not in my opinion - but there
isn't any single best way.
I guess my view really is that people see Snape's indefensible
treatment of Harry (and that is how I would characterise it) and
then assume that this has some connection to his teaching methods,
and they allow that to colour their opinion of his teaching
methods.
I see it differently. I think his treatment of Harry is anomalous.
It's got nothing to do with his normal way of teaching. He hates
Harry - and he'd hate Harry even if he was 'Teacher of the Year'
material.
His teaching methods should be judged on their own merits - in my
case, when I do that, I don't think they are that bad - although I
don't think they are that good either. My view is based largely on
my own experiences, of course - of learning effectively in such
classes, and suffering no ill effects because of them. But I *know*
personally that a student can prosper in such an environment -
because my classmates and I did.
We often did even better in many ways in other classes where other
methods were used. There are better ways.
But I don't think Snape is causing incredible harm to his students.
Every indication I see in the novels leads me to think he's a
generally effective teacher.
And I will say so. (-8
Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ) | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia
More information about the HPforGrownups
archive