Hogwarts Teachers (was History at Hogwarts) (was Re: Wizard Persecution )

[jltraveling]

No: HPFGUIDX 126148



SSSusan previously:
> Back to the Binns & Trelawney as teachers issue (not to mention 
> the  hiring of Lockhart), I have to confess that I *don't* 
> understand how  this fits with what we know of DD.
> <snip>
> >  For me, this notion of crappy teachers being 
>  hired/retained at Hogwarts bothers me more than those others.

Hannah:
> But then that brings us to the situation where teaching posts go to 
> people because they are DD's cronies or need protection from the 
> outside world, rather than having any actual ability or desire to 
> educate young people.


I'm new here, hope you don't mind if I jump into the conversation.  I 
think there are two basic issues in the hiring/retention of Hogwarts 
teachers.  From the Puppetmaster!Dumbledore perspective, it seems 
that each of the teachers (with the possible exception of Binns, 
though time may tell) has something important to teach Harry and the 
rest.  Not necessarily in the classroom, but the all-important real-
life lessons that the omniscient Dumbledore knows will become crucial 
in the very near future.

Sirius alluded to this point in GOF (p.226, US hardback edition), in 
his letter to Harry he states "...they're saying he's got Mad-Eye out 
of retirement, which means he's reading the signs, even if no one 
else is."  If Dumbledore's entire point in hiring Moody was to have 
him available at the school when things went bad, couldn't this 
theory apply to other teachers as well?

Snape, for example, may be a miserable jerk, but from all indications 
he is an admirable potion-maker as well as a member of the Order of 
the Phoenix.  And he has saved Harry's life.  As for Trelawney, 
Dumbledore has said that he does not think too highly of the subject 
of Divination.  Nonetheless, the rare "real" prophecies that she does 
make are of crucial importance.  Perhaps Dumbledore feels that 
allowing Trewlaney to continue teaching Divination is a justifiable 
means to the end of having her well-placed within the castle for the 
times that she does make a real prophecy.

A bit of a consipiracy theory, I know, but from the perspective of 
Puppetmaster!Dumbledore, IMHO it is possible that the "bad teachers" 
are part of a well-placed network of Dumbledore supporters, all of 
whom have something important to contribute to the students.  And in 
all cases, the teachers do seem, to me, to be interested in teaching, 
although their styles may leave something to be desired.

Another possible theory in addition to or instead of the above, stems 
from the fact that, as has been mentioned previously, the actual 
number of adult wizards in the Potterverse is relatively low.  Of 
those, how many are genuinely interested in teaching?  What is the 
pay scale for Hogwarts teachers anyway, and what is the prestige 
factor?  In the real world, teachers are often overworked, underpaid, 
and underappreciated.  Maybe this is true in the books as well. 

Umbridge forced her way into the school because Dumbledore was unable 
to find a DADA teacher at all.  Granted that post is rumored to be 
jinxed, but nonetheless, it may be difficult to find wizards who are 
qualified in their subject matter, called to the art of teaching, and 
able to present creative, entertaining lessons that the students 
enjoy, all at the same time.  Maybe Dumbledore is simply doing the 
best he can given a very limited pool of available potential teachers.

Just my random thoughts on the subject.

Lisa