I was trying to think of a top ten list of spells that I wish I could cast in the classroom (Grade 4)
Here's what I've come up with so far.
1. Wish and Miracle (probably tie for first)
2. Dominate monster
3. Charm monster
4. Fox's Cunning
5. Mass Command
6. Mass Suggestion
7. Deeper Slumber
8. Hypnotism
9. Forcecage
10. Finger of death (for special occasions only)
As you can see the enchantment school comes in quite handy.
Spells I wouldn't want to use:
Feeblemind
Insanity
Confusion
Hideous laughter
LOL! Since I have also taught children in a classroom environment I can understand where you're coming from perfectly.
As a Year 12 Physics teacher, there's generally only one spell that I'd need regular access to - Rouse.
Reggie.
Mind you - with my other hat as Assistant Principal, Mass Whelm would be a great attention getter for some of the little reprobates!
Fireball. Really good for PTA meetings, too.
I teach English. Allegedly, they speak it. I wish I could cast Tongues, just to be sure.
Control Weather, for a snow day when I need it.
Foresight.
Imprisonment.
True Seeing, so they could see themselves as others see them.
Magic Circle Against Dumb.
Geas. 140 castings later, and everyone does all their damn homework every damn day from now until they graduate.
Zone of Truth.
How could I forget, that definitely needs to be on the list.
Dude, come on!
Silence!!!
Azhrei:
Were these for the students or the education board?
I teach English. Allegedly, they speak it. I wish I could cast Tongues, just to be sure.
Control Weather, for a snow day when I need it.
Foresight.
Imprisonment.True Seeing, so they could see themselves as others see them.
Magic Circle Against Dumb.
Geas. 140 castings later, and everyone does all their damn homework every damn day from now until they graduate.
Zone of Truth.
I'm sure my old geography teacher used to have Truestrike relating to the ranged missle weapons: chalk and blackboard eraser! He could hit a kid in the temple from 30ft!
LOL! I teach English 11 and 12 in the virtual classroom (online - live, full audio).
Silence is definitely #1, though in VC, no one speaks unless I double click on the cartoon head. ;-)
Legend lore would also be useful for those on-the-fly clutch answers (even though the Internet is basically Legend Lore).
Mass charm and mass suggestion are great choices, though parents would probably have a problem with that.
Mass fox's cunning and mass owl's wisdom would work well.
Power word stun would also be very useful when students get rowdy (or in the worst case, violent).
Azhrei:
Were these for the students or the education board?
Mostly the students.
As far as public education goes, people just really need to accept that not everyone is capable of learning the same things in the same way at the same pace as others, and that some people are going to end up working unskilled jobs their whole lives no matter what.
Azhrei:
Were these for the students or the education board?
Mostly the students.
As far as public education goes, people just really need to accept that not everyone is capable of learning the same things in the same way at the same pace as others, and that some people are going to end up working unskilled jobs their whole lives no matter what.
That's not true; No Child Left Behind is doing a great job...*chokes on his own tongue, which is swollen with lies*
I spent 6+ years teaching 9th graders; many were of the "Vermin" type and were thus immune to mind-affecting spells. "Mass suggestion" would have come in handy to coerce the guidance department not to put pre-algebra dropouts into a class with an algebra prerequisite, though. And "remove blindness" would be a plus for some bus drivers... and maybe "power word: sober" for some administrators? Or how about "Mordenkainen's Protection from Litigation"?
I've taught mostly karate, but also scuba diving, and at the graduate level for management and organizational behavior, but my mom was a teacher for more than 30 years, so I have had a lot of exposure beyond my own experience.
I think you would want to develop some "class" specific spells (pun intended) for teaching - actually this is a bit of a thread jack but I have suggested on other threads that most of the spells in D&D are designed to serve adventurers - fair enough thats what the game is about - however it my humble (okay not so humble) opinion that in a world where magic was real most spells would NOT be adventurer specific - they would resvolve around - communication, agriculture, commerce, War (as opposed to the small scale skirmish nature of most combat spells), and education.
With that context in mind:
Confer information - caster can confer a bonus to a skill eqaul permananent bonus to a skill equal to 1/2 his ranks in that skill.
Understanding - after a number of skill checks made in the skill taught the recipient of this spell gains a bonus to that skill equal to the sum of the caster intelligence and charisma bonus.
Memory - the caster can confer in exacting detail a specific chunk of information (1 hour of actual memory, the highlights of a battle, the derivation of a proof, a detailed map and the issues following it, etc.), the emotions are that information, and the relationships of that chunk of information to other knowledge possessed by the recipient.
Revelation - the ability to understand material present as if your intelligence were 10 points higher.
Ganesh's Breath - the caster gains the abiltiy to remove obstacles to understanding - he intuitively is able to present material in a way that his audience can receive and understand it, +5 to checks profession teach/instruct, +5 perform (lecture), +2 to diplomacy.
Masters' Hearing - the caster is able to understand what the student is truly hearing, and identify what exact points the student is struggling with. Gains a +10 bonus to skill checks (profession teacher) made while the spell is in effect.
Teachers Gift - the caster gains the ability to inspire students with his voice and presence, his presentations pop, and his passion for the material infects his audience. +10 to perform checks (lecture) while the spell is in effect - stacks with bardic music.
Heal Soul - the caster is able to relieve the pain of life experiences. These experiences are not forgotten but are overcome and integrated into the recepients character so that they can function as healthy individuals unencumbered by travails that would otherwise impede their abililty to focus, learn, remember, and utilize what htey are taught.
Passion - the caste is able to infect a student with a passion for the topic so that while the spell is in effect the recipient is passionate about the material, does the work to the best of his ability, and sees the relevance of it in his life. Gains a +4 bonus on skill checks related to the topic, and as the spells effect begins to dwindle has the opportunity to expend xp to make the effects permanent.
Self Assessment - allows the instructor to assess themselves to determine if the in truth have the skills, patience, the passion, the energy, the will, the work ethic, and the gift to take on the responsibilty and be entrusted with the role of teacher. The spell also grants those who fail the assessment the courage and strength of character to walk away and find something else to do with their lives rather than waste the time and energy of those who want to learn.
command, command undead, and command greater, animate (any), aspect of the diety (lesser, any augmentation, augury, awaken, banishment, binding, brain spider, calm emotions, castigate, chalkboard, Clair(both), clarity of mind, cloak of bravery, clone (for those off days), commune with city, comprehend languages - am must- confusion, every cure in the book, deep slumber, most of the detects, discern lies; discern shapchanger, most of the dispell; sheesh this could go on for a while; a teacher needs to be fully armed to deal with a band of contagion 4th graders
As far as public education goes, people just really need to accept that not everyone is capable of learning the same things in the same way at the same pace as others, and that some people are going to end up working unskilled jobs their whole lives no matter what.
Indeed. Without the proles, our society would crumble! lol
And No Child Left Behind is a great idea! We'll have 100% proficiency in reading and math by 2014! 100%... At which point we will all transcend our physical bodies and merge with the Great Mother Spirit of Earth and ride time/space on the wings of dream butterflies. :-D
... At which point we will all transcend our physical bodies and merge with the Great Mother Spirit of Earth and ride time/space on the wings of dream butterflies. :-D
Is that how we're getting to Mars? Another grand idea from the architect of No Child Left Behind...
I would just write explosive runes on the chalkboard and then run like hell.
No Child Left Behind...
... and No Child Moving Forward.
Seriously, I had some of my favorite teachers tell me on the day of my high school graduation that I should not become a teacher, because of all the legal b$%@%+#& that the system is bogged with now. Considering that, just a few years ago, these same people had stated that they believed I could be a wonderful teacher if I chose that profession, I was completely shocked.
The mismanagement of public education in the name of political gain is one of the most infuriating, cruel things I can think of that occurs daily within our society.
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1. The system was broken long before the feds got their hands on it.
2. NCLB, while deeply flawed, is at least a step in the right direction in that it forces accountability on schools. It is ham-handed in the way that it does this, of course, and the negative externalities are significant.
3. The real problem lies in the duality of bloated administrative bureaucracies in school districts and insane schools of education.
4. None of this is really appropriate for a D&D message list, touching, as it does, on some pretty contentious political points.
I could add a lot to this, but I come on these boards to get away from talking about serious issues and things related to my current career, except when I joke around (ie this thread). I'll keep it brief. I teach in Canada, so I'm not too familiar with the "No child left behind." It sounds catchy, but I imagine its mostly just some flashy buzz words to make it look like the government is trying to do someting about a problem that they are more or less ignoring in favour of more external problems "ie WAR ON TERRRROOORRR!!! AHHHH!!". Wasn't that Germany's philosophy during world war one and maybe two as well. Start some wars abroad to solve the problems of peace. At any rate, I don't think that education is too high on the current US administration's priority list, so I imagine that lots of kids are getting left behind. Of course that's not to say that the Canadian education is by any means ideal.
1. The system was broken long before the feds got their hands on it.
2. NCLB, while deeply flawed, is at least a step in the right direction in that it forces accountability on schools. It is ham-handed in the way that it does this, of course, and the negative externalities are significant.
3. The real problem lies in the duality of bloated administrative bureaucracies in school districts and insane schools of education.
4. None of this is really appropriate for a D&D message list, touching, as it does, on some pretty contentious political points.
I teach in Canada...So, I have a question I've wanted answered for a while now and maybe you can do so. Here goes...
Do Canadians really hate Americans for stealing Wayne Gretsky?
No. We got even with you already when we shipped Celine Dion express-post to Las Vegas.
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So wait, if Celine Dion was retaliation for Gretsky, then what the hell did we do to deserve Alanis Morissete? I can't believe we've been THAT bad.Do Canadians really hate Americans for stealing Wayne Gretsky?No. We got even with you already when we shipped Celine Dion express-post to Las Vegas.
That is just because we Americans are a bunch of hosers;)
Gretsky is a pro hockey player, you know, the sport that they play on frozen water. I believe he has something like 8 teeth left (quite alot for the sport!)which obviously defines him as one of the greatest hockey players of all time.
FH (The Snarky)
Who's Wayne Gretsky?
A famous hockey player who's now making his second fortune appearing in television ads.
Who's Wayne Gretsky?
Blasphemy!!! LOL
A mighty Fonging! to quote FH.Seriously you should see the confused looks I get when I wear my Gretsky Jersey (Oilers of Course!!!) in Qatar LMAO
Hell, I'm a student and Mass Fox's Cunning would be the biggest blessing imaginable in my English class.
Why do people sum up Ender's Game as "kids in space"? Why? Whyyyyyy?!
Dude, come on!
Silence!!!
thank you. You can't enter a class room witho out silence
As a Year 12 Physics teacher, there's generally only one spell that I'd need regular access to - Rouse.
Reggie.
LOL. Our Physics Teacher is called Mr. Rouse.
That got me confused.... :S
AberZ, I too am a sick bastard.
If I had access to the spell "weird" i would probably never make it through one period back at my high school.
My spell of choice would be baleful polymorph. Turning my wily pupil into a chicken or any animal of equal culinary deliciousness. That should teach the little $hits for chewing gum in class.
Resurrecting this thread just because the idea is a fun one. The real life spell I'd want to have wouldn't be for education but another purpose: teleport so that when your moving you wouldn't need to rent a truck or hire movers, just teleport stuff to your new residence and actually right into the room where you want it to go. For education erase could be great for end of the day cleanup.
I teach in Canada...So, I have a question I've wanted answered for a while now and maybe you can do so. Here goes...
Do Canadians really hate Americans for stealing Wayne Gretsky?
No. We got even with you already when we shipped Celine Dion express-post to Las Vegas.
HA!
If you are a bard, all you have to do is fascinate the class and use suggestion as needed. If they get too rowdy, use Dirge of Doom. Also, max out Perform (oratory), Perception, Bluff, Intimidate and Sense Motive. Maybe a couple points in Diplomacy.
Of course, the best spell would be Haste so you could actually come close to having enough time to prep and grade.