English Language and Literature Commons^™

Lupin’S First Lesson: An Example Of Excellent Teaching, Joshua Cole

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

A story is often better than abstract theorizing; and the best stories provide opportunities for readers to reflect on their own lives. J.K. Rowling's portrayal of Professor Lupin's first class with Harry's group of Gryffindor third years in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban embodies some useful pedagogical orientations and practices. It is particularly insightful about the importance of teachers working to understand their students. In fact, this pedagogical focus on the student is so central to the nature of teaching that Rowling's story is a sort of fairy tale of pedagogy.