Teaching Styles

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 147795

Pat wrote:
> I agree, this is one very possible explanation.  But another might 
> be, that Spy!Snape *has* to keep his relationship with Harry just as 
> snarky as it is, because when he's in LV's presence, he knows that 
> LV will be performing legilimancy on him, to discover what his 
> relationship with Harry (and Neville) is like!  In other words, 
> Snape needs to keep his relationship with Harry on nasty terms, for 
> his own safety as a spy, if he is DDM!Snape (which I lean towards.)  
> By doing so, he protects not only himself, but also Harry from LV.  
> It's the same situation as Dumbledore not speaking to Harry all 
> through OoTP: so LV has no idea of the affection DD has for Harry, 
> and that their relationship is nothing more than headmaster and 
> pupil.  (I'll leave it to everyone's imagination to decide what 
> Snape's feelings toward Harry are :o) )
> 
> 

These are all very interesting and insightful thoughts.  I have little to add, but to say that 
Snape's nastiness towards Harry in particular might not be so much to fool Voldemort into 
thinking Snape hates him--as simply to keep Harry from entrusting him with any secrets 
that Voldemort might eventually access.

For example--and maybe this is a bad one--but putting Harry on detention for every 
Saturday cuts down on Harry's time with Ginny.  Now, maybe Harry + Ginny == TruLove is 
going around the school, but maybe it isn't.  With fewer public sightings of them strolling 
along the lake hand in hand, there's less liklihood of it catching Draco's attention (DDM!
Snape would have to worry most about him, wouldn't he?)

But I digress, because I wanted to add a thought about not every teaching style working 
for every student.  Not every style works for every student at every period in their lives, 
either.  The first school I attended was so cuddly that we had neither grades nor 
attendence records.  It worked well for students who excelled academically, and for those 
who tested very low.  It wasn't so hot for the mid-level students.

I excelled, and what I liked about the school was that it made very clear that education was 
*my* business.  I was in charge of how fast I wanted to learn, and to a certain extent what 
I wanted to learn.  I wasn't particularly social, but on the other hand, I wasn't shunned 
because I like to read the textbooks.  I had good friend, and since there was no hierarchy 
among the students, there were no real bullies.

But I knew that if I had been in a regular school, I would have been horrid.  I would have 
sucked up to my teachers and been a pet in every class--which would not have been fair, 
because memorization, reading, math--it all came easily to me.  So, I am sorry to say, did 
sucking up.

But when I hit the age of 15 or 16, I was tired of having freedom without any challenge 
and wanted something more structured.  I decided to attend another highschool for half-
a-day (it offered courses I couldn't get at the first school).  After the first half-day, I went 
immediately to the counselor's office and transferred completely.  The last two years I 
attended this school and enjoyed it immensely.  

Heh.  And the toughest teachers at the new school were my Jazz Dance teacher (who was 
worshipped by everyone) and the Drama teacher (who was new, but had been so 
worshipped at his last school that his former students followed him to ours).  

There's a time to be cuddled and a time to be challenged.  I feel for 11 year old Neville in 
Snape's Potion classes.  But I'll bet he surprised himself with what he got on his O.W.L. in 
the subject and he didn't seem to have any problem with D.A.D.A. with Snape teaching it.

Montavilla