Teaching Styles

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 147775

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Bruce Alan Wilson"
<bawilson at ...> wrote:
>

> 
> Which brings me to Prof. Snape.  His two fields are DADA and 
> Potions. What is distinctive about those subjects?  This--if you 
> don't do it right, you can get yourself or someone else killed.
> 
> Has anyone here been in the military?  Was your drill instructor 
> in any way cuddly?  
> 
> Anyone here in the Health Sciences? Any doctors, nurses, 
> pharmacists?  Were your instructors cuddly?
> 
> Anyone here studied the Martial Arts?  Were your instructors 
> cuddly? 
> 
> I would say NOT.  Why not?  Because if you didn't learned what 
> your DI had to teach you , you could get yourself or your comrades 
> killed in combat.  Because if you didn't learn your lessons 
> properly, you might poison your patient. Because if you didn't 
> learn your techniques properly, you'd get pounded to a pulp on the 
> mat.  

<snip>

> Snape is a lot harsher than other teachers
> because he feels he has to be.  Perhaps he knows of someone whose 
> Potions or DADA teacher WASN'T that harsh and who got himself or 
> someone else killed or injured thereby?  Perhaps Snape himself 
> got someone hurt or killed because of some error or omission that 
> he (thinks) he would not have made if his teacher hadn't been a 
> little tougher on him.
>

Renee:
There's a lot to be said for this point of view. Except that I don't
get the impression JKR shares it. She called Snape "a very sadistic
teacher". On the other hand, Lupin, who also teaches DADA but whose
approach is more cuddly than harsh, is called "a wonderful teacher".
So, while I do see your point, I'm not sure it's the point the HP
books are trying to make.

Renee