Wednesday, August 4, 2010

there will be no foolish wandwavings or silly incantations in this class.

I was reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as I do, and I came across a passage that was surprisingly similar to my very first day of AP Calculus....


"Settle down," said [Palmer] coldly, shutting the door behind him.
There was no real need for the call to order; the moment the class had heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped. [Palmer's] mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class's silence.
"Before we begin today's lesson," said [Palmer], sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, "I think it appropriate to remind you that next May you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical [calculus]. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' in your [AP test], or suffer my... displeasure."
His gaze lingered this time upon [Jessie], who gulped.
"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me," [Palmer] went on. "I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. [calculus] class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye."
His eyes rested on [Jessie] and his lip curled. [Jessie] glared back, feeling a grim pleasure at the idea that she would be able to give up [math] after [eleventh] year.
"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell," said [Palmer] softly, "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. [calculus] or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from [AP] students.



That dialogue was uncanny. I think my teacher read that passage before the first day of school.
But ohhh, I'm so glad that "happy moment of farewell" finally came.


I'll feel like a plagiarising criminal unless I cite this....
page 231-232, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

2 comments:

kyliebrooke|s said...

bwahahahaa that was like the funniest thing that i have ever read in my life.

jenna said...

oh no. no no no.
i am dreading that class.

i love this though.