Things that you wish were in the Harry Potter novels -- OWL System

[nikkalmati]

No: HPFGUIDX 192025



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Dave" <daveforgan at ...> wrote:
>
> > Bruce Mull <bpmull@> wrote:
> > <snip>
> > One thing that JKR truly got wrong is the OWL system.
> >
> > There are seven required magical classes: Astronomy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions and Transfiguration. With the possible exception of History or Magic, each has a Theory and a Practical OWL. Thus, there are at least 13 OWLs here.
> >
> > In addition, beginning the third year, students take at least two classes from Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Muggle Studies and Numerology. Admitedly, Arithmancy and Numerology should be part of Divination, but they are listed as separate studies. These would each have both a Theory and Practical OWL, as well. Thus, at least 4 more OWLs.
> >
> > The point is, each student would have to sit at least 17 OWLs -- possibly more. [Not to mention any nonmagical classes which there would most certainly be, but which are never mentioned.] Therefore, how can the 12 OWLs of Percy be considered good?
> >

Nikkalmati

I don't recall Numerology.  When was that?

Nikkalmati
> 
> Dave:
> Surely, although there are two exams/tests for Astronomy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, [History of Magic], Potions and Transfiguration, there are only seven subjects and students have to pass both the Theory and Practical exams/tests to gain an OWL.
> 
> So Percy would have had to have passed five of the optional subjects as well the seven compulsory ones to get a total of twelve OWLs.  I wonder which ones he took and whether he had to use a time-turner to get to all his classes?
> 
>
>
Nikkalmati

I too wish the classes had been a bit clearer.  In fact it is not clear at all.  I am American so I think of the classes as 6th through 12th grades, but 6th graders here would be 12 years old, not 11.  I guess they take OWLs at the end of 10th grade?   What are the required classes?  Are they the same every year -  a core curriculum?  Do we know all the electives?  Do they take any other regular subjects?  It would seem not.   How many times a week does each class meet?  Example: is Potions a double period three time a week like a high school science class?  Is History of Magic just once a week or every day?  I guess if I went over every book carefully I would get some answers but it would take a lot of work.

As for the teachers, it is not just that they teach every class in their subject.  The range of ages they have to teach is mind boggling.  No one can teach both 11 year olds and 17 year olds effectively.  My mother taught high school English, that is 9th through 12th grades, for many years.  I think she taught 5 classses a day, but that involved fewer preparations than 5 because some classes were duplicates.  She graded papers on the weekends. It was a lot of work and there were other teachers.  If teacher A at Hogwarts teaches all the DOD classes and the class meets 3 times a week, (even if houses are doubled up the years are not) he or she teaches two groups of each year (14 classes times three = 42 classes a week).  That's 21 preparations. Seems impossible. Of course 6th and 7th years do not take all the classes.  If you drop Potions, do you have an extra period or do you take an elective? 

  In grade school we had one teacher all day for two grades in one room.  Seemed to work but I'm sure it would be considered substandard and disadvantaged today.   No library, no lunch room, no gym (but we did have recess). 

Nikkalmati