[otakucode]

>His methods were in keeping with his approach to philosophy: he did not lay claim to any special authority and instead of expounding facts and theories he asked his pupils questions and left them to work out the answers for themselves. When Hermine happened to see him at work she marvelled at his capacity to hold their attention.

It sounds that he, quite before anyone else, had discovered the secret of teaching. Frederick Wiseman, a famous documentarian, produced a couple documentary films titled High School and High School 2. The first documented a typical suburban high school in the US. The second documented an experimental high school in an urban, low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhood. The second school was notable in that it went on to produce the largest proportion of students to not only attend college but to finish and acquire 4-year degrees in the nation. The 'experiment' they were trying was quite simple - every single class, regardless subject, was centered totally around critical thinking. No teacher taught by fiat. They served instead to aid and guide students as they explored the concepts being taught through relentless questioning, all including the teachers bound to the rational method.

It's unfortunate that this method of teaching demands a tremendous amount of integrity and knowledge on the part of teachers. I don't know that it would be particularly difficult for someone invested in the endeavor, but for a teacher used to ruling like a mini dictator and able to punish students for questioning their edicts it must be intolerable.