Lupin - Potioncat's challenge ( Was: Cannons and teachers)

[sophierom]

No: HPFGUIDX 128487

> Alla:
 
> From the first minute Remus makes his students curious about the 
> lesson ( not scared, curious, do you hear me, Severus?)

<snipped an interesting discussion of Neville, Snape, Lupin and Hermione>


Sophierom:

Good stuff here! It's very true that Snape and Lupin have different
understandings of the classroom.  Snape's Machiavellian view - the
students are naturally bad and therefore it is better to be feared
than loved - no doubt reflects his own experiences in life and in
school.  Indeed, thinking about the Pensieve scene in OotP, along with
Snape's comment about weakness and wearing one's heart on one's
sleeve, I'm not surprised that Snape would spend his first class
intimidating his students in order to gain their obedience and respect.

However, I do wonder how Lupin learned to teach the way he did.
Snape's past may be mysterious, but Lupin's past is practically
invisible.  Sure, we know he was bitten by a werewolf at a young age;
we also know that the other three Marauders accepted him and supported
him during their school years together.  I suppose this acceptance
might be the main difference between his understanding of human
behavior and Snape's (thus leading to their different classroom
styles).  Nonetheless, Lupin, too, has had the opportunity to become
bitter, particularly with the supposed betrayal of Sirius and the
hardships he's doubtless faced as a werewolf.  But apparently, he
hasn't become so bitter that it makes him a tyrant in the classroom
(I'm not a believer of ESE!Lupin).  I wonder why? I doubt we'll ever
find out that much about Lupin's past; I hope I'm wrong.  

Another thought about Lupin's teaching style: do we ever see him
teaching students other than Gryffindors? IIRC, the DADA classes are
composed of single houses, so we only see him with the Gryffindors,
correct? I wonder if Lupin takes a more Machiavellian approach with
his Slytherin classes?  Is there any possible canon evidence to
suggest what Lupin might be like with a different audience?