Teacher Snape (I know--sorry)(was:Re: Twist JKR?/ Some spoilers for Les Mis..)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 141815

> >>Julie:
> <snip>
> I see your point about Snape not teaching children. His methods 
> leave a lot to be desired, and he'd probably be better off        
> elsewhere (and happier, as certainly would most of his students!).

Betsy Hp:
I shouldn't do this.  I really shouldn't.  And I nearly did walk 
away from this comment, but I just couldn't.  I honestly think Snape 
is a good teacher.  And, I really think he enjoys his job.  No 
teacher, bored and miserable with where their life has brought them, 
would give the opening speech Snape did in PS/SS.  He was a man 
inspired and trying to inspire his students. 

Another point in Snape's favor (and I know I'll lose most of you on 
this) is Neville.  Neville is a potions disaster.  He not only gets 
the potions wrong, he usually finds the most distructive way 
imaginable of getting it wrong.  And yet, Snape doesn't give up on 
him.  He could have had Neville sit in the corner, twiddling his 
thumbs during potions.  Neville would have been happier, the class 
would have been more peaceful, and Snape would have had an easier 
job of it.

Neville would have flunked out, of course, of Potions at least and 
possibly even Hogwarts (as Ron and Harry hope will happen to either 
Crabbe or Goyle in CoS, IIRC).  But if Snape really hated teaching 
why would he care?  Instead, however, Snape pushes Neville, and 
pushes Neville and Neville passes, every year.  He even appears (his 
looking happy per Harry during the exam) to pull a Potion's OWL.  
That's a mark of a good teacher to my mind.

No, Snape is not the most perfect teacher I've ever seen.  Blatent 
favoritism is never a good thing.  But he's the sort of teacher I 
wish I'd had while growing up.  I went to good public (the US kind, 
not the English) schools, so I had good teachers, but some of them 
could be played so very easily (the grades I got while not doing any 
homework astounded me, even back then).  Snape, or a Snape-type 
would have been a refreshing (though rather scary, I'll admit) 
change. 

> >>Julie:
> > <snip>
> > (Does anyone but me ever wonder why there wasn't an *out and    
> > out* war between Snape and the Weasley twins during their years 
> > in Potions class?
> > <snip>

> >>Nathaniel:
> I'm not sure I'd call it respect per se.  Right before the Weasley 
> twins "pull a Weasley" they tell Hermione that they no longer care 
> about being expelled, but that previous to that moment they did    
> care. 
> <snip>
> It is just my opinion that they do not "respect" Snape or really   
> even fear him, but rather fall just short of crossing that        
> proverbial line that would really get them into trouble.

Betsy Hp:
Or, maybe since the twins have such an interest in potions 
themselves (see all of their candy products) they decided to take 
advantage of the opportunity to learn what Snape had to teach them.  

The twins do hate anything Slytherin, of course, so I doubt Snape 
was ever their favorite teacher.  Ron tells Harry in PS/SS: "Snape's 
always taking points off Fred and George." [scholastic paperback 
p.140]  Which means they probably acted up a bit anyway.  But I do 
agree, Nathaniel, that they'd be careful about crossing a certain 
line.  And I imagine they didn't have too hard a time keeping up.

Betsy Hp