Another week gone.

[alt_sinistra]

First, a note for students: It's possible we'll have a guest observing our classes some day this week. I know you'd all behave well, but a little notice sometimes makes it easier to concentrate (and those of you preparing for OWLS or NEWTS can't afford to waste a day of class, hmm?)

After the hustle and bustle of last week's excitements, it took a while to settle down to work again. And of course, there's the regular grading of papers and star charts to get through - especially for the older students who need a lot of feedback as we get closer to exams so they know where to focus.

I did get time for my weekly chat with Poppy. She admits she's gotten quite interested in my specialty from our conversations, and I've offered to loan her my personal telescope. (As some of you might remember, it was a gift from my parents when I got this position, so I'd have something to work with when I was on holiday or home visiting.) I obviously don't use it much during term time, since we have much more elaborate telescopes to work with here, and Poppy is so careful of her equipment I have no fears of loaning it.

I had quite a good time this morning selecting some introductory books and simple star charts to take down to her for use as a guide, too. It's easy to get into the habit of using our textbook (which is fine, and well-suited to what students need to learn), but there are also good introductory texts out there, and I don't always remember to review them as often as I should.

Found quite a good description of the myths behind the Orion constellation in one, and a really interesting discussion of the Pleiades in another. Both are visible to the naked eye, of course, but there are details that you can only really see with a good telescope, even my portable one.

Comments

[alt_harry]

What guest professor Sinistra?

[alt_sinistra]

Ah, now, if I was going to say, I'd have told you up front, wouldn't I?

I'm not certain it will happen this week, either - the person in question is quite busy with other things. I just wanted to let all my students know so they could stay focused on their work and not be too surprised.

[alt_poppy]

Thank you, Aurora. I look forward to learning a bit about what's in the sky overhead.

I've been thinking about what we learned when I was a girl, and I do, truly, think it was more rudimentary than what you teach today. It was certainly the case that they didn't urge us to continue with the subject beyond the first year: that was only for those with a real yen for star-gazing. As I remember it, the curriculum in my day was more focused on charms for daily living ('seven scouring charms to serve all purposes'), practical transfiguration ('a lampshade will do in a pinch'), and repelling magical creatures ('say goodbye to garden gnomes'). Herbology and Potions were more tightly interwoven, then, and I suppose it's no surprise that I found those rather more engaging than the rest. But perhaps I'm being unfair to the wand magics: we did have a deadly dueling club then, and now I think on it, they didn't stint us on hexes and defences. I still remember Professor Nogg declaring, 'You never know when you might need to drop an Erumpent at fifty paces!'

In any case, our pupils are very lucky to have you to teach them. And I am fortunate to have you, too. I look forward to seeing what I shall see with your telescope. You were very kind to lend it to me.


I suspect I shall repay you with a bushel basketful of questions next Monday!

[alt_sinistra]

I do agree - I spent part of a holiday, my first year, looking through what had been taught in previous years, going well back, and things have definitely changed.

And overall, we do seem to expect a higher level of theoretical understanding in all classes: certainly by my student days. We briefly discussed the housekeeping charms, of course, but I actually got practice with them helping out at home in the summer under careful supervision, as just one example.

I've also seen a difference just since my student days - these days, all our students come in with much more exposure to magic (even if they have only just gotten their own wand) that they have much more idea of what is possible and useful. We can move more quickly into deeper understanding and discussion than used to be the case.

As to your questions - they are always welcome, of course.