Teaching Styles

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 147986

> >>PAR:
> ==it's not as if there weren't other methods, even ones that were 
> not OOC for Snape.  While doing the same as Flitwick (who         
> tolerates well Neville's errors), IF Snape were both a good       
> teacher and truly 100% DDM, he could have done something like: 
> "Since you are so determined to show off Miss Granger, you can    
> tutor Neville and YOUR grade will be based on his success".  
> Unload the problem to someone who has actually shown she can help 
> Neville. Appear to be picking on Granger, while actually letting   
> her do "extra credit".

Betsy Hp:
This is totally out of character for Snape.  Or at least, as I 
understand him.  Neville is *his* problem.  Snape is the Potions 
teacher.  To foist his responsibilities off on someone else would be 
the ultimate falure, and disgustingly lazy and irresponsible.

Of course, I see both the Trevor incident and the 
subsequent "bullying" of Neville to be Snape trying to reach a 
difficult student.  That Neville passes Potions and doesn't seem to 
have similar problems in the next year suggests that Snape was 
finally able to achieve his goal.

> >>PAR:
> OR, if he's bound and determined to do it by threat:
> "For every error you make in potions Mr. Longbottom, I will deduct 
> 10 points from Gryffindor".  Appeals to the Malfoy crowd, does 
> the "threat" bit, but it might actually work for Neville if he (as 
> red hen has suggested) is trying to appear incompetent because he 
> doesn't want to be a wizard.

Betsy Hp:
Two things: Causing a student to be resented by his house peers is 
actually more McGonagall's style.  Snape is unfair to the 
Gryffindors, but he never tries to turn them on each other.  Seeing 
what happened to Harry, Neville, and Hermione after the "Norbert 
incident" something like this would set Neville up for some rather 
trying times in the Gryffindor common room.

Also, I interpert Red Hen's theory (which I do like) to be more of 
an unconscious block on Neville's part.  I really don't think he was 
messing up in Potions class, setting himself up for personal 
attention from Snape, on purpose.  

> >>PAR: 
> In regards to Snape teaching Potions well, I find HBP an          
> interesting light on that.  Here we have an individual who is      
> apparently VERY talented and inventive (assuming he didn't copy    
> the improvements from LILLY, which is entirely possible)...

Betsy Hp:
But opens up the can of worms that *Lily* invented the cutting 
curse.  Which would give an interesting new read to her character. 
<g>

> >>PAR:
> ...but there is no indication that Snape has done any of the      
> following:
> 1. TEACH the formulas he himself used.  He does use a book and 
> writes down the directions from the book -- there's no indication 
> that his board instructions differ or Hermione would have         
> mentioned it.

Betsy Hp:
But then why write the instructions on the board at all?  Why not 
have the students turn to the appropriate page and follow the 
instructions from there, rather than trying to peer around each 
other and through the smoke and mist rising from various cauldrons?  
And is there any indication that Snape uses a textbook written by 
the same author as Slughorn's textbook?

No, I think Snape *does* use his own formulas.  When his directions 
are followed, the potions turn out correctly.  As demonstrated 
positively by Hermione in Snape's classes, and negatively by 
Hermione in Slughorn's class.

> >>PAR:
> 2. Encourage in any way, manner or form any discussion or 
> inventiveness regarding either theory or in performing the potion 
> making.  It is clearly "by the book" only in his classes.

Betsy Hp:
I seem to recall Snape assigning rather difficult essays on the 
various natures of different ingredients and methods for homework.  
I seem to recall Harry and Ron being rather put out by the length 
requested and the research involved.

> >>PAR: 
> 3. Indicate that other books may have different                   
> formulas/approaches for the same potions (we only hear about Moste 
> Potent Potions as having ADDITIONAL, not different, formulas).

Betsy Hp:
Why, if Snape's formulas work, would he encourage his students to 
look at formulas that don't?  I would imagine his more creative 
assigments were given to his NEWT students.  It's too bad we never 
get to see him interacting with a NEWT level Potions class.

> >>PAR: 
> Possibly he would have addressed "differences" or "creativity" in 
> NEWT Potions, but there really isn't anything to indicate that.    
> He certainly isn't doing that in NEWT DADA either.

Betsy Hp:
Yeah, but there's nothing to indicate he wouldn't either.  Other 
than the fact that he's a rather creative thinker and his NEWT 
students would be the only people likely to have a chance to keep 
up.  

As to DADA, I'm not sure where your certainty comes from.  We were 
only able to see one class.  Though in that one class Snape opens up 
with a lecture that seems to *demand* creativity.  (The whole, ever 
changing enemy thing.)

> >>PAR:
> Snape may be DDM! but I don't think this extends to a willingness 
> to truly encourage brilliance in his students and IMO this is not 
> a teacher I would ever want to have or inflict on students.  

Betsy Hp:
I don't know.  Snape seemed to encourage Draco.  And he certainly 
set a high bar for Hermione.  Honestly I think Snape *is* a good 
teacher, of a type unfortunately dying out in these more modern 
times.  As someone who too easily snowed or intimitated many of my 
own teachers (until college, thank goodness) I think I would have 
liked someone like him as a teacher.  It would have been scary, I 
think.  But the challenge would have been nice.

Betsy Hp