Harry Potter as an educational potential, not only for children

The process of raising a child is undoubtedly a great challenge for the carer: it involves taking responsibility for the young person, who like a sponge absorbs the knowledge and point of view provided by the educator. It is also a process ‒ in which an adult is forced to make many educational decisions, the sum of which will contribute to what kind of adult the child will become. One of these decisions is to choose the style of upbringing that the carer ‒ more or less consciously ‒ manifests towards the child. The following essay provides a short description of these styles, demonstrating their occurrence in the first part of J.K. Rowling’s novel about Harry Potter, and also presents some initial reflections on the power relationship between the carer and the child.

The process of raising a child is undoubtedly a great challenge for the carer: it involves taking responsibility for the young person, who like a sponge absorbs the knowledge and point of view provided by the educator. It is also a process ‒ in which an adult is forced to make many educational decisions, the sum of which will contribute to what kind of adult the child will become. One of these decisions is to choose the style of upbringing that the carer ‒ more or less consciously ‒ manifests towards the child. The following essay provides a short description of these styles, demonstrating their occurrence in the first part of J.K. Rowling’s novel about Harry Potter, and also presents some initial reflections on the power relationship between the carer and the child.