Snape and Neville

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 113519

SSSusan said:
> > I've wondered here before whether Snape might not be a 
> > much better teacher w/ his NEWT-level classes, since the "riff-
> > raff" has been weeded out.

Aura: 
> <taps nose> This is my interpretation exactly. Snape clearly adores 
> his work, it's just the students that piss him off. NEWT students 
> (1) chose to take higher-level potions and (2) are older (read: 
> less annoying). Snape can feel like he's imparting truly 
> interesting, important (in his opinion) lessons to them, and enjoy 
> classroom atmosphere with more a sophisticated attitude about his 
> beloved Potions. I'd dare say that Snape even leans towards 
> pleasant around the 7th years, or at least not constantly holding 
> his anger at bay. 
> 
> Snape always reminds me of this high school Spanish teacher I had 
> that we called Senora Psycho. In 9th grade, she was shrieky, weird, 
> gave us impossible homework and horrifying midterms, and we thought 
> she was just evil. 12th grade Spanish, though, was sort of a NEWT-
> level class -- you only took it if you had excellent Spanish grades 
> previous, a talent at learning languages, and genuinly liked the 
> culture. I had Senora Psycho again, and while I still felt she 
> lacked some social skills, I could forgive most of her quirks, 
> because difficult people are a part of life. More importantly, I 
> was glad to be learning from a teacher who really did know and love 
> her material, who expected more of her students than the
> rather low standards of the public school system's expectations, and
> really challenged us beyond the typical curriculem. I didn't like 
> her, but I liked the class.
 


SSSusan:
I think you have nailed this, Aura.  Of course, I have to confess 
that there may be some projection going on here on my part, too, 
because your description of Senora Psycho sounds eerily like me as a 
teacher.  Not that I was actually *psycho* ;-) but I didn't do as 
well with the non-academic-track freshmen; definitely lost my cool & 
became frustrated there on occasion.  But give me college-bound 
seniors in Sociology or juniors in High Interest U.S. History, and I 
was in heaven!  They were motivated, they were bright, they were 
almost adults and so could be reasoned with.  They understood the 
concept of running a classroom with respect at the core.  

But back to the issue at hand.  No, I can't see Snape going quite so 
far as to dispensing with the sarcasm and surliness altogether, nor 
can I see him interested in building a classroom based upon mutual 
respect!  He wouldn't be Snape, then.  But I CAN picture him being 
*satisfied* when surrounded with top-notch students who appreciate 
the value of potion-making and who don't mind being stretched.  I 
know there are folks here who don't think Snape has ANY interest in 
teaching at ANY level (at least not Potions), but I've just always 
felt that little speech in the opening Potions class displayed a love 
for potions that's genuine.

Siriusly Snapey Susan