[HPforGrownups] Re: Teaching Styles / Sorting Hat

[fair wynn]

No: HPFGUIDX 157956

wynnleaf
I love all of the discussion on Snape's teaching styles compared to other 
Hogwarts teachers and RL.

This is purely anecdotal, but I wanted to share this given some of the 
comments that 11 year old children would hate to be taught by a person like 
Snape.

I used to assume this was correct, and that Snape's overall approach might 
be more suited to high school and college levels.  I tried to recall 
teachers of my own or my children's teachers that could fit the type.  But I 
totally missed a perfect example from "teachers I have known" because of one 
major difference -- the most perfect example was a teacher whose students 
liked him.

Three of my kids experienced a science teacher when each was 10, who is 
very, very Snape-like in teaching style and personality.  My now 16-year old 
daughter recently characterized his classroom teaching style as "ruthless."  
My very literal minded 11 year old had him last year and was utterly 
convinced that he really would throw a student out of a second floor window 
(and probably actually had done so some time in the past).  He is very, very 
strict and precise.  He says dramatically cutting things.  He uses 
over-the-top threats.  He sometimes yells at his students.  They all start 
out terrified of him.  In the end, they are fascinated with him.  Parents 
request that their kids be in his classes because we know they'll come out 
more responsible people.

I asked my son why so many students like this teacher if he is, as my 
daughter said, so "ruthless."  My son explained that it was in part because 
the subjects he taught were so cool.  But also, my son said you could "learn 
really good lines" from him.  Apparently, this teacher's cutting remarks and 
other caustic comments are the stuff of legend in the school.  The fact that 
you could miss a highly anticipated school event, solely because one piece 
of homework wasn't completed properly -- well, the students seem to learn 
within the first month that in *his* class, you just don't have incomplete 
assignments.

I asked my son which kids *didn't* like this teacher.  He said it was the 
one or two students that continued to cause a lot of trouble even after the 
first month.  I'm not sure what the problems are, of course, but that's how 
my son put it.

This truly surprised me.  Once I actually thought of Mr. W, the "ruthless" 
science teacher,  I realized that I'd never seen the similarity to Snape in 
the past because Mr. W. is so well liked.  As a parent, I'd call him a 
little intimidating -- and very stubborn, too.  But there's no doubt that 
most of those 10 year old kids respond *very* well to his teaching style.

wynnleaf

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