Snape's Self-Perception as Teacher (long)

[sonjaartemisia]

No: HPFGUIDX 144800

jessicabathurst wrote:
> I've been following the Snape teacher threads with great interest, 
> as it's a subject near and dear to my heart.  (Teaching, not 
> Snape.  Oh, (who am I kidding?) (snip)  
> Someone (I believe it was Carol, in a post about Snape's treatment 
> of Neville) made an excellent case for the efficacy of Snape's 
> classroom technique, (snip)
> I'm just picturing Snape sitting around his office, grading papers 
> and wondering why he never gets the Hogwarts "Teacher of the Year" 
> award.


Sonja now:
(I hope I snipped enough and I hope this relates to Snape enough to 
count)

I just have to respond to this because my husband is a teacher.  He 
teaches (college-prep) English in an overcrowded high school in an 
area with a largely spanish-speaking population.  He enjoys teaching, but has huge frustrations due to the apathy and poor skills of most of his students, and the attitude of the school district administration (which is, a student in a seat=þderal grant money)  He refuses to lower pass standards, and spends hours at home planning and revising to try to stimulate learning and interest.

He is tough and flunks 1/3 to 1/2 of his students. (Many are ESL and 
should not be in a College Prep class)  He has never gotten Teacher of the Year in 20 years of teaching, but is the best or one of the best teachers at that school, IMHO.  Many students who make it to college come back to thank him, even ones who got "D's" from him!

I can certainly relate to Snape's style of teaching, I can see how 
Snape is trying to encourage, in a tough way, the best from his 
students.  Snape doesn't choose his students, he gets what he gets and will push those by using peer pressure or whatever means he is allowed to get them to respond and learn.

SonjaArtemisia, who was a bit like Hermione in school and would have 
probably done well under Snape.