Hagrid as Teacher (was Hagrid as animal abuser)

[littleleahstill]

No: HPFGUIDX 166252

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, OctobersChild48 at ... wrote:
> This, to me, was *the* most ridiculous thing in the entire series. 
How can 
> someone who has not completed their own education become a 
teacher? I am 
> surprised that, Rowling being a former teacher herself, took this 
tack. Just because 
> you know of or about something doesn't mean you are qualified to 
teach it.

The problem is that we have been given no indication of any 
institution in the Wizarding World comparable with a university, 
teacher training college or college of further education.  After 
Hogwarts, everything seems to be learnt on the job.  Therefore, I 
suspect that Hagrid is not in any way unusual among the teaching 
staff at Hogwarts, or indeed any other wizarding schools.   Putting 
people straight into the classroom was the way teachers learnt 
before teacher training colleges were established, and that method 
went on in British public (ie private)schools for rather longer than 
it did in the state sector.  Of course the idea that because you 
know something you are qualified to teach it persists or persisted 
at universities for a long time, where being talented enough in a 
subject to carry out original research into it, also meant that you 
were required to teach undergraduate students.  I believe that there 
are now lecturing courses, but I, and I am sure many people on this 
board, have memories of being lectured both brilliantly and 
appallingly under that 'you know it so you can teach it' system.  As 
has been pointed out on many occasions, the Wizarding World seems 
rather old-fashioned in its approach in a number of areas, and I am 
not surprised to see Hogwarts functioning as an old fashioned 
private school in the area of teacher training (or not).        



(snipped) 


I like Hagrid, but he should never have been made a teacher, and I 
am with 
> Carol in thinking that the job should be Grubbly-Planks'. Any 
speculation as to 
> why DD gave the job to Hagrid when he had a fully qualified 
teacher available?
> 
> Sandy

I don't think Grubbly-Plank is qualified in the technical sense (see 
above).  However, she clearly is someone with teaching skills, and, 
we can probably assume from her age, a lot of experience.  I agree 
she would make a much better teacher, certainly up to OWL level, 
than Hagrid.  I think DD wanted to give Hagrid a chance to prove 
himself. Of course, Grubbly-Plank herself might not be available for 
full time teaching- she might have another job, be a breeder of some 
sort of fantastic beast, or just be enjoying a quiet life in the 
country.  (I have seen suggestions that Grubbly-Plank is someone in 
disguise, possibly the late Regulus Black, but if that were the 
case, I think DD much more likely to have made her a permanent 
teacher at Hogwarts, Trelawney-style.)  Moving back on topic, I 
think there would be some argument that at NEWT level, students 
would gain more from Hagrid's innate understanding of his subject 
matter and the experience he has gained.  As someone pointed out 
before, COMC is not a core subject, and I imagine that those 
students who do well in it and pursue it to NEWT level have some 
innate talent for it or great interest in it(could see Luna doing it 
for example).  

I think it's also worth pointing out that Hagrid's predecessor, 
Professor Kettleburn, retired to spend more time with his remaining 
limbs, which doesn't suggest a trouble-free teaching environment.

Leah         


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