Can(n)ons and Teachers: McGonagall (was Hermione and Snape

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 128374

Shaun: 
>>>*Within that context*, there is considered to be no need for a
teacher to be nice, kind, or stable. These things were not 
considered important in the type of schools that Hogwarts is based 
on.<<<
 
SSSusan:  
>> I fully agree with you that a teacher doesn't need to be nice or 
buddy-buddy with students.  OTOH, there is a big difference between 
being nice or kind and being cruel and humiliating with students.  
McGonagall is not particularly *nice,* but she is also not cruel.  
Snape is.  And I would argue that cruelty and humiliation can 
*interfere* with students' ability to learn in a way which  
firmness, strictness even coldness, do not.<<
 
Potioncat:
> Shaun is discussing the literary tradition of teaching, but 
> SSSusan (I think) is discussing the reality of teaching. Shaun 
> also talked about gifted students.
> 
> Also upthread someone asked if Snape had ever in any way 
> encouraged Hermione. (Frankly I can only  think of one time he 
> encouraged anyone.) But do we see McGonagall or anyone else 
> encouraging Hermione to go farther and do more?


SSSusan:
Heh heh.  Shaun may be arguing the literary tradition of teaching, 
but he uses RL to support his argument at least as much as I do, I 
think. :-)  After all, I made my comparison within the story, 
between Snape and McGonnagal, whereas I know Shaun often discusses 
his own experience with various teachers while a student.

Actually, I think both Shaun & I do some crossover between looking 
at this as British boarding school literature and looking at it from 
our experiences in the RW.

I actually agree that we are meant to look at this in the British 
boarding school tradition, but I *still* don't think we're meant to 
think Snape is a *good* teacher; only that he's a somewhat typical 
teacher type and that we're not supposed to take it as seriously as 
we would if we encountered a Snape in RL.  (And I don't.)

As for McGonagall encouraging Hermione, well, she *did* give her the 
Time-Turner.  She had confidence that Hermione could handle more 
than your average student, and she went to some trouble to work 
things out so that Hermione could have the TT.  I see that as 
encouraging her, yes.  (Whether she should have done is another 
matter, but I believe she was encouraging her.)


Potioncat:
> I'll start with a McGonagall moment. 
> Other members of the staff seemed oddly tense too.
> "Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that  you can't even perform a 
> simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!" 
> Professor McGonagall barked at the end of one particularly 
> difficult lesson, during which Nevile had accidentally 
> transplanted his own ears onto a cactus.
> 
> Interesting. It sounds like something Snape would say, doesn't it? 


SSSusan:
Ugh.  I think you chose what may well be McGonagall's *worst* moment 
in the series! :-) In this scene, McGonagall strikes me as all wound 
up about the arrival of the Durmstrang & Beauxbatons students, and 
she is rather frantically trying to make sure everyone is ready to 
put his/her best foot forward.  (Doesn't she also tell Lavender 
to "take that ridiculous thing [bow] out of your hair!"?]


Potioncat:
> It isn't the first time her harsh words have been used on Neville, 
> either. 

SSSusan:
I can think of one other time she was quite harsh with Neville -- 
when he had left the list of passwords out.  But that wasn't a 
classroom situation.  Can you think of another classroom situation?  
Also, in spite of this, do we have any evidence that Neville is 
frightened of McGonagall in the way he is frightened of Snape?

Potioncat:
> Here's my challenge: Choose a teacher and provde canon that shows 
> his or her teaching either in the classroom or at some other 
> moment. Compare, contrast, comment, leave it open, express it 
> however you  choose.  

SSSusan:
Hmmmm.  Must think about this. ;-)

Siriusly Snapey Susan