Azura raised her head from her hands as she heard her name being called and she smiled as she saw Esme sit next to her. "Thank you! We did it! Now I feel like I need to sleep for a week! My legs and arms won't stop shaking! Azura held her hand out to prove her point.

Yup.. shaking!

She smiled as she looked around and saw Jace and Rachel come in as well! They had both did it and she sent them a wave from a shaking hand before turning back to Esme.

Clever yes, respectful no." He had heard the Sltyherin and he wasn't going to say anything else on the matter. It was between him and the Ravenclaw. Glancing at the windows he stood from his seat and fixed his jacket. Walking around his desk he leaned against it and looked at the students already there. "I'm glad that many of you enjoyed my little test. Exercise in the morning is the best way to wake up the mind and get it ready for learning, but that wasn't why I did this today."

Glancing back at the window he jotted a few things down again in his grade book. "I will be discussing what the reasons were very shortly and some of you will understand more, but I want the entire class in here before I get to that. First though, I would like to know your thoughts on why I had you start right away on spells instead of teaching first? Why exactly would that benefit anything for myself or for you?"

..... and it seemed their conversation would have to wait. He gave Maggie a quick smile before turning to their Professor as the man started speaking, making vague conversation about his methods and this supposed test. The man was still a mystery... but not for long.

First of all, he called that exercise??? That was NOT exercise, that was barely a warm up. Secondly, the level of magic required was anything but testing. He wasn't a first year. And for first years... well... good luck to them. No, the purpose of the activity was more akin to a social experiment, and he was keen to have his theory confirmed. Hand raised, he waited for a sign that he was allowed to speak before sharing. "It didn't benefit most us, not really, but it benefits you," he started. "Being a new Professor, with new students, this way you could identify the first years easy, and take note on others that have... issues..." he may have glanced briefly in Daxton's direction at this point, "and identify those that are team players or have leadership skills and those of us who are too selfish to bother with helping our peers," what were they called? "individual learners."

Was he on the right track?

The screens. The screens said a lot. Why else watch them at every step? Hhmmm?

Also, he was still a tad bored, so could the others please hurry up?

Rachel pouted at Haddie. "I haven't got your smarts,'' she said and smiled. "But yes. The second room was much more exciting. I bet you loved climbing that wall. I actually got held up because Azura fell and I was checking to see that she was alright.'' She leaned over to peer into Haddie's notes. The Ravenclaw in her best friend was clearly taking charge.
Speaking of Azura. She looked up to see the other girl come in and wave to her. Rachel waved back, pleased that she was just fine.

~~~~~~~

When Professor Primeaux spoke, Rachel gave him her full attention. She considered the question for a moment before raising her hand. "I think you did this to get an idea of who are stronger and more experienced at spell work and for us to also realise that magic requires us to fully focus and isn't always as easy as it seems. It's something that we have to work hard at doing.'' It certainly had taken her a fair amount of time to get those locks opened and closed.

Haddie nodded at her best friends answer, but had a different idea in mind. "I think it's more because we learn better when it's something we teach ourselves and teach others. You have to approach it differently, and understand it better in order to teach it."

She shrugged then. "Or, you know, something like that."

Oliver had been trying his hardest to take a nap but as more and more students made their way in, they just kept taaaalking and he was finding it so hard to sleep. These people were so rude. Couldn't they seeeee he was exhausted??

And now the professor was talking to them. Which he was fine with, he supposed. If class could get started then he'd be able to get back to his dorm sooner and sleep longer before lunch, maybe. Ollie sat up in his seat and listened and groaned a little when the professor said they were going to wait for the rest of the class. It wasn't his fault people were taking so long so why should he suffer.

He put his head back down on the desk and considered answering the question that was asked. Whyyy would they be forced to do spells before learning anything? Well because it was a test, but they already knew that. Without sitting up but only turning his head towards the professor, he raised his hand to answer. "You made us do spells first because talking at us on the first day is too boring." He wasn't trying to be rude, but it was the truth.

When the professor began to speak, Janelle listened to what he had to say. The question he asked was basically, what was the purpose of his little exercise? As the students began to answer, she really began to worry. What Zeke said was probably true, just as she had suspected. Janelle was convinced that she had failed her first task with the new profesor and made a bad impression. Yeah, she had gotten the spells right, but was that really the point?

Trying to shake her paranoia, she decided to go for a more Janelle friendly answer and raised her hand. "I think that the task gave you the opportunity to she how much we know. Not only that, but it let you see how we deal with the unexpected and how we work under pressure." Yes, that was it........she hoped.

'Clever, yes. Respectful, no,' was a very accurate summary of Daxton in general; this professor was learning fast.

Daxton, still going over the letters of his name on his nametag, had glanced up when heard Magdalena Traulton's assessment of his actions, mildly surprised as it had been her spellwork he had stolen. It was not often that anyone complimented his considerable skills in such a context, especially when they had been the target. He looked at her for a moment longer, then went back to scoring away at his nametag with his pen, deliberately ignoring David Truebridge who had by this point entered the room and was giving him a look that Daxton recognised but did not understand.

When the professor started to address the whole class, Daxton's eyes flicked up briefly for just a second. He had no way of knowing what the professor had been thinking; in fact he was painfully aware that he never know what anyone was thinking, but he was working on it. Daxton would have thought that the exercise had been a chance to see how they worked on problem-solving when faced with a task requiring a spell many of them had not been taught, but seeing as he had earned himself the a detention and loss of house points for solving the first room, he doubted that. Not that he had any intentions of contributing an answer. Instead he kept his head down, missing the glance from the Gryffindor fifth year, Browne, that Magdalena Traulton was sitting with, and still going at his nametag with his pen.

Azura was quiet as the Professor spoke and she listened to all of her other classmates answer his questions.. She thought what they did really. He wanted to test their knowledge and their ability to work together..

At least that was her own opinion.. Also she nodded an older Ravenclaw's answer.. To see how they worked under pressure. That was also very true!

She apparently fell off walls under pressure.

She waved back to Rachel, but didn't add her voice to the din. There was no use repeating what everyone else was saying!

Poor Azura was shaking.

Esme was about to reply when the Professor started speaking. She knew better than to continue chatting even though the lesson technically wasn't starting until everyone had arrived. Instead, she raised her hand to answer his question.

"I think you started off by testing us so that you could see our different skill levels. That information is helpful when it comes to teaching, I believe." At least it seemed that way to her "It also helped us see the more practical side of the subject as well as work under pressure." She wasn't sure how to better articulate what she was trying to get across and hoped that what she had said was enough.

Passing into the next room, Callum stopped abruptly in the doorway, his expression confused. That... was all? This was the end?

His eyes drifted toward the professor, then to the two windows that showed both rooms, then to the other students who had already made it there.

He was annoyed. Very, very annoyed. The professor had been watching them, which ultimately meant that the man probably saw him leave, then Davie leave, then the pair returning together, working together, and Callum working by himself in the second room to come out successful in the activity. It kind of felt like a betrayal of trust, even though he had known all long in the back of his mind that the professor was probably looking after them somehow, but this whole thing simply added more weight to the displeasure Callum was harboring toward his new charms professor.

And it seemed the professor was already holding some sort of discussion when he entered, so Callum did a quick reading of the board near him before picking up a numbered name badge, scrawling out Callum Kettleburn on it, then stuck it on his robes as he took a seat beside second year Olly quietly, listening, observing, and generally scrutinizing everything about the massive man at the front of the room from where he sat.

Ariadne wanted to hear more on what DAVIE had to say, but the professor started talking before that conversation could continue. She readjusted herself in her seat and turned to face the professor. This man seemed serious. Really serious. Ariadne didn't want to ever get in trouble by this man. Mmkay, so his 'little test'. Yes, Ariadne enjoyed it, but that was probably because this was her very first lesson ever. She didn't know if she wanted that kind of test before EVERY class.

So why did he throw them out there first and then decide to teach the class? Ariadne did some thinking before raising her hand. "You know what I think? I think it's because we won't ALWAYS have somebody like a professor with us to teach us everything to do. Sometimes we're going to be in a situation we're going to have to get ourselves out of, like the test you put us through today," she explained.

Cornelius walked into the classroom with a huge smile on his face. One would wonder if his face hurt or if he was celebrating something big. He kind of was celebrating, though. He had just finished his first pop test at Hogwarts in Charms lesson no less ALL BY HIMSELF. And he was still in one piece.

Grabbing a numbered badge he made his way toward the center of the room; not too at the front nor too at the back. Writing his name on it, he smacked the name badge onto his robes.

Quote:

Cornelius Orion Baltazar

This was just as the professor asked broad questions. Cornelius scratched his chin thoughtfully. Well, he wouldn't know, now would he? He wasn't a Legilimens. Not yet, anyway. He needed to get together with Mason and discuss that first.

Cornelius didn't think much about the professor's questions, instead he focused on what his classmates said. Answers lay in what they were saying--which was a bunch of repeated stuff. "Erm, because you can't make solid observations if we're just sitting in desks." He jerked his head where the professor jotted something down.

That's what the guy was doing, no? Observing and jotting things down. Cornelius could see, he could.

Name tags were boring. Dot didn't dislike them specifically, but it felt like everyone needed her to write down her name all the time. Why couldn't they just charm a seating chart and use that like a normal magical adult? She seated herself at her desk and crossed her legs, ignoring those around her for a moment while she cleaned her hands (still felt grimy from those gloves).

And... what were they doing? The professor wanted them to tell him how awesome he was to think of this test? "Maybe you just like to see us struggle, sir," she flashed a dimple to let him know she was kidding. "Or maybe, since you're new to us and us to you, you want to see where we are, rather than have us tell you where we think we are."

Jace felt a little pressured, as soon as he settled down in his seat. It was as if their every move was being tested. Surely, this is the kind of professor wherein he must have a ready mind ALL the time. The kind of teacher where he expects his students to be equipped with a little knowledge at the very least. He is the kind of teacher who Jace thinks won't spoon feed information to them. This man, Professor Primeaux was all about learning.

His reverie was broken, when he caught sight of Azura and Esme. The Ravenclaw grinned and gave them a wave and nod of acknowledgement.

Jace's head snapped back as soon as the professor moved from his position, and spoke with command. The Ravenclaw trained is eyes on him, and followed his every movement, while wrapping his brain around the words that he spoke.

As soon as the last student offered his answer, Jace raised his hand and offered his. "I suppose it's your way of knowing which student is willing to learn, Professor." Because he did everything he can to be in the classroom right now. He went through obstacles to learn on his own, and be taught more in the end.

It was so great to see Ariadne so excited about Charms. It really was. Davie had had his own doubts for a minute there, especially after talking to Callum, but Ariadne restored his confidence in Hogwarts' staff yet again. AND look, Callum had made it through with no visible problem. So did Olly. OH HEY OLLY. Davie felt like he hadn't seen him all summer! Which he hadn't, but oh well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Clever yes, respectful no." He had heard the Sltyherin and he wasn't going to say anything else on the matter. It was between him and the Ravenclaw. Glancing at the windows he stood from his seat and fixed his jacket. Walking around his desk he leaned against it and looked at the students already there. "I'm glad that many of you enjoyed my little test. Exercise in the morning is the best way to wake up the mind and get it ready for learning, but that wasn't why I did this today."

Glancing back at the window he jotted a few things down again in his grade book. "I will be discussing what the reasons were very shortly and some of you will understand more, but I want the entire class in here before I get to that. First though, I would like to know your thoughts on why I had you start right away on spells instead of teaching first? Why exactly would that benefit anything for myself or for you?"

The professor was talking now. He'd have to catch up with Ariadne later, and he showed as much by pressing his finger to his lips. This dude was like sleeping bags... he was INTENSE! Heh. Heh. No, uh, not exercise, no sir. David sat up a bit straighter as the professor spoke to them all, not just to Daxton.

"It was a test, sir," he answered, starting with the obvious and obviously with raising his hand. His answer to this was pretty much exactly what he'd told Callum earlier. "Well, a pre-test, rather. You wanted to give us these tasks as a pre-test, to see how we handled magic under pressure, and to see our strengths and weaknesses, not just as individual learners, but also as a collective group." He tapped his chin. "I find it interesting that we were only required to use two spells to complete the tasks, which didn't really build in difficulty of magic, but which required some strategy and minimal creativity."

Just saying. Also, was it too early for questions? David would hold most of his questions for the moment. "Could it be that these boxes, with the sets of numbers and letters, represent something... beneficial for us? And you?" Er? "Or at least your observations of us tell us how you can best teach us." Something like that, yep.

Olly did not really care why they had been tested first, before being taught. He thought it had just been a test to see what they knew. He didn't say anything out loud though, because anything he was thinking had already been said by somebody else. Whatever the method, it had made the lesson fun. Olly was not very good at sitting and listening to lectures and whatever. Too much at once just blurred together, and paying attention in general was not his strong suit. But activities like the ones they had just done was the kind of thing that he liked to do. Keep moving, keep performing as a way of learning that could actually hold his attention. Maybe this professor knew that some kids were like that, and this was a way meant to help teach them. Yeah, that might make sense too. Still, Olly said nothing and looked toward the door, waiting for more students to enter so they could finally get to the rest of the actual lesson.

Now this was a proper classroom.

Desks…board…Professor!

Said board having instructions about what to do to settle in. Olivia took one of the numbered name tags and wrote her name down upon it in her neat cursive. Satisfied, she stuck it on her robe.

Quote:

Olivia Stone

“Good morning, Professor,” she greeted the man politely as she made her way to an empty seat near her fellow students. Time to relax and wait for what was to come. Like comments on their work…the Ravenclaw noticing the windows that showed the first two rooms right there for the first time.

Kaylee had to admit she was relieved when the next room turned out to be a normal classroom. She saw that Professor Primeaux was actually in the classroom this. "Hello Professor Primeaux. That was umm an interesting test." She hope he didn't witness her panic attack in the tiny room, she blushed when she realized that he probably had, due to the two big windows showing the two previous rooms...

Feeling a little awkward, she grabbed a badge and wrote her name on it

Quote:

Kaylee Harrison

, and found an empty desk, where she sat down and waited for the actual class to begin.

Katherine had tried to control her breathing and straighten her hair as she saw the third door. She still looked presentable, so she didn't worry about that much. But mentally?

Hah.

And to think charms would be her favourite class...

She was sure there was another test waiting for her, so she didn't even want to enter there. But she'd come this far, and she didn't want to throw it all away now, so after taking a moment, she opened the door... to see a proper classroom!?

She quickly whispered the letters to enter, and then lingered at the entrance to take it all in. There was the professor, watching them with a notepad, and the successful students, and then the note on the board. She read it quickly, and didn't even know what to feel - apart from... relief that this was the end, and betrayal for some reason. She gulped and picked a seat in somewhere middle. This was a bad omen: she ALWAYS sat in the front. Always. There never came a moment she had evevn picked the second row; but for the first time in her life, she didn't even want to be at class. So, somewhere in the middle like an average student it was, after taking a badge or whatever.

She heard the question as she sat down, and felt the anger rise again. It benefited no one. He could have seen their level just fine during a regular classroom. He could have tested them at the end of the term. He could have - there was just so many options he could have done if he'd really wanted to do all those things her classmates suggested he had been doing, so what he really did was being cruel in the name of teaching. But Katherine kept her mouth sealed shut, and opted to be busy with writing down her name on the badge: 'Katherine Moss'. She didn't even know how to stick it, unless it stuck by itself, so she left it on the desk and looked at a distant point on the floor in silence.

This wasn't her ideal start to Hogwarts at all.

Yes, their conversation would have to wait apparently.

Maggie scooted her chair back to the center of her desk and took out some parchment and her quill. In case there would be something worth taking notes of. So far, though, nope. The answer to the professor's question was kind of obvious. Or at least it wasn't exactly interesting.

So instead of replying, Maggie crossed her legs and glanced around the room at everyone who found it necessary to answer. And even at those who didn't. Eventually her eyes returned to Zeke next to her which was where they lingered for a few seconds longer than on the others before returning to the empty parchment in front of her.

Would they actually learn something today too?

Noticing a wave from Esme, Hady smiled softly and sent a small nod of greeting in the younger girls direction. She would've said something but being as it was Professor Primeaux had already begun speaking. Talking to anyone other then the Professor would just have to wait for now. Eyes fixed forward, feet on the floor in front of her she gave her full attention.

Raising her hand into the air at the question she gave her answer, "Honestly I think it could be for a many number of reasons Professor. Most important right now on the first day though I think would be to assess how much we already know and our willingness to ask others for a helping hand or to give that helping hand where it's needed." Being could they step up and look out for one another like a family should the need every arise.

Taking a few steps through the door, Marsha smiled a little at the fact she was now walking into a classroom. As much as she had enjoyed the two rooms, she didn’t really know what the point of it was.. Although it seemed like a discussion had already been started about … She listened for a few minutes to see if she could figure out what exactly they were talking about, and nodded her head as she figured out they were talking about the lesson so far… and perhaps why they thought the Professor did it in the first place?

Moving over to the table at the side of the room, Marsha wrote her name neatly on a name tag, stuck it to her jumper and then took a seat at an empty desk so that Mel could join her when she got through the last room if she wanted too.

As she had just joined the class and hadn’t heard the start of the discussion, she stayed quiet. Just in case she was wrong with what she assumed the question to be.

Yes, she was one of the students who did enjoy the activities before. Being someone who enjoyed practical lessons more than the theoretical ones, Ava didn't mind if she had to face some challenges before entering the classroom. That's why she was such a Gryffindor.

When the Professor asked them a question, the young lioness raised her hand and answered it. "I think because charms is more practical, so the best way to learn it is by practicing it and I don't really mind about it. And the second one is, those activities before is to know if the older students could be a good upperclassmen or not to the younger students. I know that all the first year students don't know how to use the unlocking and locking charm, so the older students had to show and teach them how to use those spells. And also be a good supporter to them." Wink.

Arista scurried into the classroom elated to see desks, thank Merlin they didn't have to climb walls anymore. Let's just keep the exercise to the minimum kay? She found a desk and quickly wrote her name on the parchment dotting her lower case 'i' with a crown instead of a dot. Just as she was finishing she heard the Professor whom she had noticed sitting in front of a window. Interesting.

Clever yes, respectful no.? What had she missed while she was taking that test. Enjoyed? Nope that was not a word Arista would use to describe it. Not at all exercise could be saved for later. Hearing the question Arista raised her hand in the air "I think you wanted to find out where everyone one was at on the charms scale of learning." Was that was it called Arista hadn't a clue but at least she tried giving an answer, that was good right?