In Defense of Snape (Against Snape in JKR's words)

[vmonte]

No: HPFGUIDX 122168


Shaun wrote:

This is because children are individuals with individual learning 
styles. There are considerable overlaps among how children learn, 
but there are pretty much no universals.

If you eliminate from education, every single method that a 
minority of students could suffer from, you will wind up 
eliminating every single method of teaching.

vmonte responds:

Harassment, threats, vindictiveness, and cruelty are not what I would 
call a valid teaching style; it's more a life style/choice. And I'm 
not talking about forcing a teacher to cater their classroom to one 
child; I'm talking about treating "all" children in a classroom like 
human beings. Sure you can teach children with individual styles by 
using Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, or by trying 
cooperative learning strategies, by using Bloom's Taxonomy, whatever. 
But to say that cruelty is a valid teaching technique is absurd.

Shaun wrote:
Earlier today, Pippin said this:
 
"But I think if you've had bad experiences with a RL teacher who 
reminds you of Snape, they get projected on to the character, and 
if you've had good experiences with a Snape style teacher they get 
projected too. IMO, we'd all like to validate our experiences by 
having Snape get the fate we wish our real life teachers could have 
had."

vmonte responds:

Do you think that JKR's experiences with her Snape like teacher were 
good experiences? No, I don't think so.

The Record, Northern NJ 14 October 1999

-Professor Snape, she said, was based on a teacher she despised: 
-"The great thing about becoming a writer is you can get revenge on 
everyone."

The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ 16 October 1999
-Julia Moore asked, "Are any of the stories based on personal 
memories or people you know?"
-Hermione is an exaggerated version of me when I was 11. But I was 
never that clever or annoying." 
-She also reported that Professor Snape is based on a chemistry 
teacher who hated her and made her life miserable. 
-The great thing about being a writer is that you have a chance to 
get back at those people who wronged you.

America Online, October 19, 2000
-Why did you make Quirrell the bad guy instead of Snape?
-Because I know all about Snape and he wasn't about to put on a 
turban.
-Ms. Rowling, which character besides Harry is your favorite, and why?
-I think that would have to be Hagrid -- but I love Ron and Hermione 
too, and I also love writing characters like Gilderoy Lockhart, 
Snape, the Dursleys... it's such fun doing horrible things to them.

Vivian