Edward finds a seat and listens attentively to the Announcer’s discussion concerning the best qualities for a teacher. He does not see the need for this challenge. Knowing how the various Ministry departments work is not going to make him a better auror. Edward picks up the pamphlet. I question if Dolores Umbridge’s comments are the best to use. The woman consorted with deatheaters. She never should have passed an auror screening. The woman was unstable. Of course I wasn’t training aurors back then. Edward opens the pamphlet and starts working on the challenge. Quote:
Extract from the Initial Report of the Hogwarts High Inquisitor
Charms:
While Professor Flitwick is cheerful and welcoming, the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, that is to say I, feel that this demeanor encourages the wrong sort of learning environment. While the students were focused on their studies, there were more mishaps than one would have expected, all of which resulted in far too much merriment.
Points for improvement: Professor Flitwick should focus on disciplining his classes when they step out of line, and conduct his lessons with a serious manner.
Action to be taken: Probation not deemed to be necessary.
Edward reads over Umbridge’s evaluation of Professor Flitwick. Edward has always had the greatest respect for the diminutive professor.
I never had any problems with the Charm work of the recruits who studied under the good professor. Charms:
I feel Miss Umbridge misinterpreted Professor Flitwick’s teaching abilities. Charms is a difficult subject to teach especially when young children are involved. Being able to put them at ease before lessons begin is an asset. I do not think it is fair to blame Flitwick because his students run into trouble mastering spells particularly the first through third years. I agree with Umbridge that discipline is inportant in any classroom situation. Teachers should try to be friendly with their students, but they should not try and be their best mates.
Points for Improvement: Professor Flitwick should try and keep order better in his classes.
Action to be Taken: I see no need for serious action to be taken at this time.
Quote:
Divination: Professor Trelawney lacks the basic skills of divination and teaching. Her predictions are a mixture of deduction and wild guesses. Her class control is minimal, she resorts to making ghoulish predictions in order to scare or bore her students into submission. She is also unable to make predictions on request.
Points for improvement: Professor Trelawney needs to revisit some tried and tested, ministry approved disciplinary procedures and apply them. She must also become more accurate in her predictions and teaching methods.
Action to be taken: Further inspection is required. Probation may be a necessary measure.
Divination:
I question the merits of teaching Divination to impressionable young children. I understand Professor Dumbledore’s reason’s for offering Professor Trelawney a position at Hogwarts. She needed to be protected from Lord Voldemort, and what better place for her to be than Hogwarts. From Ms. Umbridge’s report, she considers Professor Trelawney to be unqualified to teach Divination because she cannot make predictions on demand. I know of very few seers who can make predictions on demand either. For that reason, I do not buy Ms. Umbridge’s argument that Trelawney’s inability to make these prediction as a reason for her dismissal. I do agree that Professor Trelawney is not qualified to be a teacher. Using intimidation and ghoulish predictions as part of her teaching method is not sound teaching. From what I have read, Trelawney did not have a good grasp of the subject she was trying to teach. I doubt seriously that she was ever able to teach anyone about Divination. It has also been reported that Trelawney had an unhealthy like of cooking sherry. Teacher should not drink on the job.
Points of Improvement: I do not think there is much Professor Trelawney can do to improve her teaching skills. She can try studying Divination further and apply for the position again at a latter date.
Action to be Taken: Immediate dismissal
Quote:
Care of Magical Creatures
rofessor Hagrid is difficult to understand, intimidating to the students and seems to take pleasure in the thought of other people being hurt. His curriculum is vastly inappropriate for the age group he is teaching and he refuses to admit this. There have been injuries in his classes, one of which has led to a hypogryff being sentenced to death by the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, although the beast escaped, something that the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, that is to say I, am convinced was arranged by Professor Hagrid.
Points for improvement: Professor Hagrid should follow the lesson plans left by Professor Grubbly-Plank while he reassesses his curriculum so that it is in line with Ministry expectations. He should also concentrate on enunciating clearly so that the students can understand him.
Action to be taken: Further inspection is required. Probation may be a necessary measure.
Care of Magic Creatures:
Professor Hagrid was an invaluable member of the Order of the Phoenix and deserves his place in wizarding history. In my opinion, Professor Dumbledore lost his mind when he made Hagrid a teacher. He does not have the educational background necessary to teach any subject including Care of Magic Creatures. Even if Hagrid had such a background, I question if he would be the right person to teach young children. The man also had no common sense. Anyone with an inkling about teaching Care of Magic Creatures would never choose the creatures Hagrid did for class. I question if Hagrid was qualified to handle such dangerous creatures as hyppogryffs, thestrals, and blast-ended skrewts. Why he thought young children would be able to handle these creatures is beyond me? Hagrid love of dangerous creatures blinded his good judgment. Just because he thought they were misunderstood, does not mean students would love working with them, which brinks me to the problem of Hagrid’s poor judgment. His decision to use a hypogryff as a subject for class resulted in a student being injured and the hypogryff being condemned to death. He should have been sacked after this incident.
Points for Improvement: Hagrid should have a qualified teacher teaching his classes. He should watch what the professor does and try to learn from his example.
Action to be Taken: Immediate dismissal
Quote:
Herbology: While Professor Sprout has a sound knowledge of her subject and so she is able to convey this knowledge to a reasonable standard. However, she allows her pupils to use foul language in her classes, something that the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, that is to say I, find most abhorrent and unnecessary. The amount of group work that is undertaken by Professor Sprout’s classes is also of concern, as they seem at times to almost be teaching each other, rather than receiving instruction from her.
Points for improvement: Professor Sprout would benefit from revisiting and revising some basic teaching skills, including what is acceptable language for the classroom.
Action to be taken: Probation not deemed to be necessary.
Herbology:
The average School of Magic does not have the financial resources to provide a magical plant for each student in a class. Some plants require more than one student to handle. The Snargaluff stump is one such plant that require more than one student to handle. In Professor Sprout’s sixth year class, three students were needed to harvest pods from this dangerous plant: two students to control the vines and force the plant to open up and the third to plunge his hand into the hole and pull out the pod. I see nothing wrong with students working together. Professor Spout supervises the students in every class, so they also get her attention. She does not sit at her desk and let the students work on their own. As far as the complaint about foul language, I remember using some salty language during Herbology class too. I found it hard to act nonchalant when being attacked by a Venomous Tentacula or bouncing bulbs. Professor Sprout is a darn good teacher in my opinion. Students taught Herbology did exceptionally well in potions and antidote class in Auror training.
Points of Improvement: She might consider buying a new hat. The one she wears is getting old.
Action to be Taken: No action necessary at this time.
Quote:
Potions:
Professor Snape is a highly competent Professor who had excellent control over his classes. It is clear that he has consistently and throughly educated his students throughout his tenure at Hogwarts. The Hogwarts High Inquisitor, that is to say I, have doubts about some of the potions that are currently on the syllabus, for example Strengthening Solution. However, there are other considerations to take into account which outweigh this. Professor Snape seems to be highly skilled in many areas and seems to be an asset to the school.
Points for improvement: Professor Snape should consider revising which potions are on the syllabus as some of them are too advanced for young children.
Action to be taken: Probation not deemed to be necessary.
Potions:
My only beef with Professor Snape is the way he showed his preference for Slytherins. He never hid the fact he liked them best. This prejudice tended to cloud his judgment where other students were concerned. Snape would never pass muster with you. He would never win a popularity contest. Snape generally disliked every student he taught. He took pleasure in belittling them on a daily basis. His stern ways did keep order and discipline in class which is inportant when teaching Potions. Student brew Potions during class. Joking around and chit chat should not occur while you are trying to work. Discipline is necessary in this type of class. The teacher should not try and be the student’s buddy. They need a qualified potioner. I may not be wild by Snape’s methods, but he was the right man for the job.
Points for improvement: Try and be less rude with the children. Do not belittle them in class particularly Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws.
Action to be taken: No action to be taken at this time.