Teaching Styles LONG

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 147847


> Shaun:
> Trelawney says some rather mean things to Hermione, and she does it 
> because she dislikes Hermione (echoes of Snape and Harry):
> 
> "Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.
> 
> 'You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very
> little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of
> the future.'"
> 
> (PoA)
> 
> Note that - from the very first Divination class, a teacher who is 
> acting out of dislike publically seeks to tell a student there's 
> something wrong with them.
--
> 
> I don't think either of them are abusive, personally. I think both 
> show poor judgement in dealing with particular individual students, 
> but that is a different matter.

Finwitch:

Well, we must also consider the subject. Trelawney is teaching a
subject that *requires* a certain set of mind, which Hermione does not
have. While her mindset - logic, theory, abstract - is excellent for
theoretical achievement and applying a theory, also provide excellent
grades for many subjects, her set of mind does not help her to beat
her boggart. Harry's mindset OTOH - while not making him the model
student - is the sort that helps him defeat not just a boggart, but a
dementor and deal with TimeTravel in a deep, profound understanding
which Hermione did not achieve with a year of practice.

Note: Harry came to *understand* TimeTravel without theory trough ONE
practice. Hermione had theory and experience of being in 3 places at
once for a year, and yet she did not gain understanding. Seeing to the
future (Divination) is that kind of TimeTravel. It's apparent Hermione
can't deal with it (she realised it by the end of her third year).
Trelawney saw that in her - she can't deal different times - she can't
deal with Divination - and Trelawney told her so.

Everyone can't deal with unpleasant truth (like Fudge) - or
predestination that will happen no matter what (Hermione) - but that's
what Divination is all about. Wasn't it better for Hermione to learn
that early on and having the 'it's nonsense'-defence than learn how
everyone else can do something while she can't? And Trelawney didn't
call Hermione stupid - she said her mind is 'mundane'. Snape calls ALL
students potential 'dunderheads', and presumes they don't appreciate
the subject.

I see a difference in name-calling students including taking points
unfairly from Gryffindor-house (what was that thing with the library
book? or when Harry came in with Tonks in HBP?) and telling a student
she's not fit in the subject.

Finwitch