DADA post question

[scoutmom21113]

No: HPFGUIDX 94335

Carol:
But back to DADA--DD hires total incompetents rather than giving the 
position to McGonagall, Snape, or Flitwick. We don't know of 
anything the students learned from Quirrell; all they learned from 
Lockhart was not to release Cornish Pixies into a classroom and how 
*not* to defend yourself in a duel; and even Lupin only taught them 
how to deal with a few minor Dark beings or creatures or however you 
would classify hinkypunks and boggarts.

Owlery2003 comments:
Give Lupin and Moody/Crouch their due - they at least made an effort 
to provide instruction/lessons that would be useful. But now, why 
not appoint an AUROR to teach? Or, as DD astutely attempted, an ex-
auror (maybe very few live that long). I'd love to see the real Mad 
Eye come back to Hogwarts - he's a perfect complement to the staff. 
In general, though, Auror's have "been there."

Bookworm:
Somewhere in PS/SS, someone (Hagrid, IIRC) said that Quirrell had 
been on sabbatical. That tells me he was in the position of DADA 
instructor for more that just one year, and that he cared enough 
about his field to try to improve his skills/experience. Carol 
states we don't know what the students learned from him – could that 
be because he was an average teacher and there wasn't anything 
remarkable about the lessons either negative or positive? I question 
whether it was Quirrell's lack of competence, or the situation he 
was in that made him seem incompetent. Or do we remember him as 
incompetent only in hindsight? (Being defeated by a notoriously 
powerful opponent doesn't mean he was incompetent, just not powerful 
enough.)

Lockhart was, well, Lockhart. Dumbledore must have had a good reason 
for hiring him, At least I hope so, we just don't think we have 
learned what it is yet. I believe that we will see Lockhart again, 
and that he will have some role besides comic relief.

Lupin *was* a competent instructor. Crouch!Moody made positive 
comments about what the students had learned, referring to the notes 
Lupin left behind for his replacement. Even Crouch!Moody was a 
competent instructor even if he was the villain.  Remember that Fred 
and George were excited about his class, and the students learned 
about the dangerous spells they might have to defend against in the 
future.

Umbridge – well, if you can't say something nice about someone....

So 3 of the 5 DADA instructors we have met were basically competent. 
I'm not sure why Lockhart was there, but Umbridge was a political 
appointee. I agree it would be nice to see Moody back as an 
instructor, but somehow I don't think he'd be willing. As for 
another Auror, that depends on whether protecting Harry and/or 
Hogwarts outweighs the other tasks they have going on now that the 
Ministry has confirmed that Voldemort is back. 

Also, we know that Snape has requested the job (Does he really want 
it? Is this just part of the game he and Dumbledore are playing? But 
that is another subject.), but we don't know what skills Flitwick, 
McGonagall, or any of the others have that would qualify them for 
the DADA position.

Ravenclaw Bookworm