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Old 09-13-2021, 02:56 AM   #78 (permalink)
Watson
Dark Force Defense League

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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: RI/DUB
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Hogwarts RPG Name:
Octavius Jude Salander
Ravenclaw
First Year

Ministry RPG Name:
Arabella Morgenstern
Law Enforcement
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Slytherindor ♛ The Crazytastic Besties ♛ Shan Watson ♛

Simon smiled at Atlas as the boy offered his opinion. He LIKED hearing opinions whether they be differing and whatnot. He did not fault Atlas’ way of delivering what he had said. The boy was only thirteen. Holden did not expect him to have his words sharpened to a point. The material could be finessed. “Why not?” countered Simon before listening to Atlas explain his knowledge. The man found himself incredibly intrigued in the boy’s argument. And, in that moment, he decided that Atlas Flamsteed ought to see him after class to discuss Magical Debate Club. “Excellent points and articulation, well done Mr. Flamsteed.

He turned to Apollo, very pleased with how this student was acting. “Yes, there’s a Muggle saying along the lines of an eye for an eye… rooted in human nature perhaps one could argue?” he suggested. “Fantastic point. Thank you.

Nemesis was next to offer their opinion and boy was it an opinion. Simon could feel the room grow with tension. He had expected this and was prepared. He kept his tone neutral. “A confrontational statement. Aimed, perhaps, to stir up the rest of the classes emotions? An interesting tactic.” Upstead was a character - one that Simon found incredibly intriguing. He tilted his head to the side and paused before cautiously challenging the seventh year carefully. “Mr. Upstead, tell me who made you the Oracle on war? Surely it is your opinion….” He paused again when he heard Ivy’s comment and stopped himself. Miss Grimm was wise beyond her years. He turned his attention back to Mr. Upstead and looked at the boy who seemed uninterested in everything. Still….. what must have the seventh year gone through to feel such a way? Perplexing indeed…. “What is the purpose for a comment like that?” he added lightly. “If you are unable to voice a point of view without making it confrontational, then perhaps you should do well to remember that you may be dismissed and I will expect you to describe your view points it in a seven hundred word essay that will be on my desk by next Monday.. no later than noontime.” Did he make himself clear? If the Seventh year strayed further, points and detention would be in the conversation next.

Simon was impressed by Quinn’s statement. Another one for the debate club. Sure there was clearly emotion in her argument but she handled it with poise. “Well articulated. All of us are inherently biased.” And he left it at that.

He could always trust Claudine to get them back on topic. He offered her a kind, grateful smile and then listened to V. V’s answer helped take the point home even further. “Yes, Narcissa valued family above all else … that being Draco but not all families are like that… not all people have the same values or motivations. Thank you for bringing us back on track, Miss Blaze and Miss Gellar.

Simon cast his ice blue eyes over to Ash who spoke next on Regulus Black. Ah yes… Regulus was a favourite of his. “Indeed. Thank you, Miss Fox.” The next student, Evan, earned a deadpan facial expression at first when he voiced his opinion. “It is all speculation or an opinion or interpretation but isn’t an essay the same, Mr. Nam?” he countered the boy’s logic. “Nevertheless a good perspective. Thank you.” Another student to recruit.

He turned his gaze to Serena, grateful that she steered the class back on topic. And then Ollie added a similar perspective with an additional theory thrown in there. He chuckled slightly. “Perhaps … but yes love- our emotions can sway our decisions…

Charlie’s points earned a smile from him. Sometimes all you could do was survive. “Indeed, Miss Rivers. Loyalty can be for survival mechanisms…” Now they were headed down an interesting path. “And there may be great shame in just surviving and feel like they could have done more… A frustrating situation… but sometimes that is all you can do.. survive to live another day.” Hopefully none of the students felt shame for what had happened- it was out of their control. They were children after all.

Simon’s smile grew larger as Phoebe hit the point of the question firmly on the nose. He nodded thrice and his voice picked up in volume. “Fantastic, Miss James. Precisely the point. The point of these questions is to discuss bias. Because of bias… you must always have multiple sources especially for your essays.

Perhaps he did. He disagreed with his family so much that he was willing to oppose them through the Order,” he nodded at Miss Grimm’s comments.

Then Heath offered an answer in support of Quinn’s but expanded into so much more. “All tangible reasons and a well laid out argument, Mr. Jones. And yes, sometimes there is only one interpretation of right and wrong.” His eyes then cast to Valentina who seemed to be doing well.

Right.

Okay…… What next Simon? How do we proceed from here?

He paused, wondering how to move on, and then modified his lesson quickly. “Class. I’m well aware of the tension in the room,” he addressed it directly, thinking it to be the best thing to do. “There were great points about motivation and even some outside of scope of motivation but about the subject of history and bias…. Please remember these biases when you review any historical document.

While we may not all agree and while it may be uncomfortable, I thank you for voicing your opinion.” Simon pinched the bridge of his nose momentarily. “I’m going to go off script here … we talked about loyalty, love, survival, a desire to be different as motives…. But ultimately we saw a family torn apart by war which I’m sure many people saw recently. Sometimes differing parties cannot see the same point of view no matter how adept you are at the art of persuasion…

For our last question…. I will need you to imagine. Take the pre-reading assignment and source documents in mind and prepare yourselves for this question… It’s almost… historical fiction-esque. Take a deep breath too.” He waited. In fact, counted to twenty five before asking it. “Imagine how Andromeda and Sirius would have reacted, if they had known the truth about Regulus and Narcissa’s betrayal? How do you think Bellatrix would have reacted if she knew? Would she have turned on her sister? Provide the facts that would support your hypothesis.

OOC! WHEW! Thank you all- love reading the reactions. For this question, I’m going to give another 24 hours before moving on to our main activity. Thank you so far!!
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