RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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So, how many of you are teachers. I know there are a lot of us.
hhehehee...
Elementary education was one of many majors I visited and then abandoned. I'd hate to see my multiclassing penalties . . . anyway, never got the degree, but all through High School I was sure I wanted to be a teacher, but my ex-wife was a bit more concerned about me actually making money.
Then she married a history teacher . . . ah, irony.
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Count me in. I'm just starting out after using 3 years to make enough money to pay for Teacher's College last year. Supply teaching gives me time for my hobbies.
Tarren, your library story is awesome. My elementary librarian was really great, too. She let us play chess during lunch breaks.
Tarren, I also noted you teach BEd. classes (in Canada?). What province are you in, because it would be pretty wierd if I was your student last year!
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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Count me in. I'm just starting out after using 3 years to make enough money to pay for Teacher's College. Supply teaching gives me time for my hobbies.
Tarren, your library story is awesome. My elementary librarian was really great, too. She let us play chess during lunch breaks.
Tarren, I also noted you teach BEd. classes (in Canada?). What province are you in, because it would be pretty wierd if I was your student last year!
I'm in Ontario.
There is one Paizonian who may be my student next semester if I pick up a B.Ed. course. ;-)
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I'm in Ontario.There is one Paizonian who may be my student next semester if I pick up a B.Ed. course. ;-)
Okay, the possibility is there. I'm in Ontario, too.
It's too bad we can't really share more. I'm really curious now. What B.Ed. courses do you teach? I'll understand if you want to avoid the question.
oops, I mean, . . .
Junior high English teacher here.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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I'm in Ontario.There is one Paizonian who may be my student next semester if I pick up a B.Ed. course. ;-)
Okay, the possibility is there. I'm in Ontario, too.
It's too bad we can't really share more. I'm really curious now. What B.Ed. courses do you teach? I'll understand if you want to avoid the question.
I taught PED 3102 last year.
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I taught PED 3102 last year.
I'm in Ontario.There is one Paizonian who may be my student next semester if I pick up a B.Ed. course. ;-)
Okay, the possibility is there. I'm in Ontario, too.
It's too bad we can't really share more. I'm really curious now. What B.Ed. courses do you teach? I'll understand if you want to avoid the question.
Okay, not my school, we had different course codes.
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Not a teacher yet, but I had my Orientation today! It was pretty exciting, I have to say. Strangely enough, even though I played a marathon D&D session the night before (ending at 3AM), I wasn't tired at all, and had a great day!
Classes start tomorrow, and the only thing that I'm sad about going into this program is the time it will take away from RPGing.
There is one Paizonian who may be my student next semester if I pick up a B.Ed. course. ;-)
Do it! :)
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Not a teacher yet, but I had my Orientation today! It was pretty exciting, I have to say. Strangely enough, even though I played a marathon D&D session the night before (ending at 3AM), I wasn't tired at all, and had a great day!
Classes start tomorrow, and the only thing that I'm sad about going into this program is the time it will take away from RPGing.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Actually, I found more than a few RPers in my program and made some new gaming friends. Also, the courses and content inspired me more as a DM and a player than anything I've ever done, both in terms of method and creativity.
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Actually, I found more than a few RPers in my program and made some new gaming friends. Also, the courses and content inspired me more as a DM and a player than anything I've ever done, both in terms of method and creativity.
I can definitely see gaming and teaching going hand-in-hand. It seems like many of the skills required to be a DM and a teacher overlap. Stuff like classroom management and keeping your group in the game are probably very related, plus there's all the improvisation involved, catering to each player's expectations/styles.
By the end of the year, I'm hoping to be a significantly better DM.
(And a teacher.)
I start my second year as a TA when I return to school at the end of this month. I'm teaching my first English 201 course this quarter.
I was a teacher on plastic arts for a couple of years. Nothing very serious thou... but haviong all the kids around having fun and learning was one of the most amazing experiences I've had so far.
I teach Drivers Education and 1 class of world history
this is my forth year teaching
I used to teach a performance lab at a local college, but i was only an adjunct professor so I'm not sure if that counts.
Me! Again! Finally! :-)
::eats apple, core and all, one bite!::
I used to teach a performance lab at a local college, but i was only an adjunct professor so I'm not sure if that counts.
I'm only a TA, and nobody has run me out of the thread on a rail yet, so yes.
So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching cirriculum yet? I thought I'd ask since a friend and I were just having one of our "Everything I need to know I learned from gaming" moments...
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So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching cirriculum yet? I thought I'd ask since a friend and I were just having one of our "Everything I need to know I learned from gaming" moments...
Well, I've used roleplaying references in a few lessons - the nerds were happy to catch on.
I also did an entire group presentation at College in the style of a D&D adventure. The class and the teacher loved it.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching cirriculum yet? I thought I'd ask since a friend and I were just having one of our "Everything I need to know I learned from gaming" moments...
When I bring boardgames into the ESL classroom, I often use d4s, d8s, or other dice depending on the pace of the game. Not so much incorporating RPGs into the class but do you remember the first time you saw those glittery dice? It also helps me to spot the gamers.
I teach physics (College Prep, Honors and AP) to juniors and seniors. This year, I've also been asked to teach a semester of computer programming.
So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching curriculum yet? I thought I'd ask since a friend and I were just having one of our "Everything I need to know I learned from gaming" moments...
While I haven't integrated anything explicitly in my classes, I think that DMing is fantastic preparation for being a teacher. You learn to prepare properly (not too much, not too little), think quickly on your feet, and engage different types of people in different ways. These are qualities of both a good teacher and a good DM.
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I teach physics (College Prep, Honors and AP) to juniors and seniors. This year, I've also been asked to teach a semester of computer programming.
So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching curriculum yet? I thought I'd ask since a friend and I were just having one of our "Everything I need to know I learned from gaming" moments...While I haven't integrated anything explicitly in my classes, I think that DMing is fantastic preparation for being a teacher. You learn to prepare properly (not too much, not too little), think quickly on your feet, and engage different types of people in different ways. These are qualities of both a good teacher and a good DM.
There is also a bit of the "personality matching" going on - those who love to teach will also probably prefer to DM a game, and those who make good DMs would probably enjoy teaching. If life happens the right way, I think there is a kind of inevitability there. Basically, eliminating muliple other factors, what I am generally saying is:
Show a teacher D&D and they will say "Can I DM?"
Give a DM a list of career choices and they will say "Can I teach?"
It seems like many of the skills required to be a DM and a teacher overlap. Stuff like classroom management and keeping your group in the game are probably very related, plus there's all the improvisation involved, catering to each player's expectations/styles.
Exactly my perceptions as well.
I taught remedial 9th grade Earth Science from 1995-2001.
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So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching cirriculum yet? I thought I'd ask since a friend and I were just having one of our "Everything I need to know I learned from gaming" moments...
I'm thinking of using GURPS Riverworld in my world history class and grading the students on how well they research the culture they decide their character comes from. However, because of the nature of my students I'm holding off because a lot tend to become obsesive.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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Too bad that this seems to be devoted to video games. Some of us might even be able to get travel grants to attend!
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Math and English teacher. Currently on leave to develop tests.
At the beginning of my career, I taught RPG's (2d6 + Stat + Skill vs. Difficulty number) as a unit in 7th Grade Reading, as a means of (a) literary analysis, (b) book reports, (c) creative writing. It was a hoot, and several of those students are now adults and still active in RPG's.
Teach media studies and disability studies at the college level. Certified to teach English and History at the high school level. Have volunteered to teach debate and have taught gaming to 4th-8th graders.
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Too bad that this seems to be devoted to video games. Some of us might even be able to get travel grants to attend!
Oh gods, the poodles have got you too? Somebody get some traps around here, we have a wererat infestation.
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I've been teaching 11 years now :). Taking a break next year to be the "stay at home dad". Maths, chemistry and Biology for high school (Queensland).
Never used roleplay in my lessons, though I have joked about it with my students. They like to rib me about my nerdiness. The Fools!!! Don't they know I mark their tests! :)
There is also a bit of the "personality matching" going on - those who love to teach will also probably prefer to DM a game, and those who make good DMs would probably enjoy teaching. If life happens the right way, I think there is a kind of inevitability there. Basically, eliminating muliple other factors, what I am generally saying is:
Show a teacher D&D and they will say "Can I DM?"
Give a DM a list of career choices and they will say "Can I teach?"
Hmm...haven't thought of it that way before, but it makes sense. I always thought I wouldn't have the patience to teach, but when I think of the things I've put up with from my players to get a game run to the end, the classroom is a piece of cake by comparison.
I'm thinking of using GURPS Riverworld in my world history class and grading the students on how well they research the culture they decide their character comes from. However, because of the nature of my students I'm holding off because a lot tend to become obsesive.
That sounds like a lot of fun. Of all the supplements for GURPS, I found that one the most intriguing, having the potential to roleplay anyone who had ever lived, side by side with other historical figures.
I developed a little in-class game for my students to stress the importance of critical thinking in problem solving. I essentially designed a scenario in which my students play the role of middle school administrators dealing with a student who violates the zero-tolerance policy by bringing an airsoft pistol to school. They are presented with some basic background information, then have to investigate in order to find out exactly what is involved in the incident. Based on their findings, they then have to propose what to do about the situation. I've only had the opportunity to use it a few times, but it's been mostly successful.
University teacher for the last couple years, showing the marvels of the Hebrew and Phoenician languages to undergrads and teaching Ancient Near Eastern magic to PhD candidates.
I mostly use class/research materials for my games rather than the other way round (Egyptian spells and Mesopotamian demons are quite devious!), but I have found a couple D&D elements useful for posing class stuff, ie, the alignment system (for presenting mythical systems in which the Law-Chaos axis was more fundamental than the Good-Evil morals we are used to in modern Western societies) and some notions on planar boundaries, true names and deity domains... Yes, D&D does phrase in quite clear introductory terms pretty brainy stuff.
I'd also be interested in how many D&D players are involved in theater, but perhaps that is a story for another thread.
(cue conan music)
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So has anyone been able to incorporate anything they learned from gaming into their teaching curriculum yet?
Why my students write stories, they usually create characters who are good at everything. So we brainstorm some simple traits (smart, athletic, popular, etc.). We talk about what each trait would look like on a 1-4 scale - a 1 in smarts is dumb, a 2 a little slow, 3 kinda smart, and 4 really brainy, etc. Then I give then 8 points to spend. That way their story character is either really good at one thing and weak at the others, or just a pretty average guy/gal. Regardless, it helps them create much more interesting, well-rounded character for their stories.
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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I'd also be interested in how many D&D players are involved in theater, but perhaps that is a story for another thread.
(cue conan music)
My parents started taking me to plays when I was six. (Didn't go to a MOVIE theatre until I was nine -- saw Star Wars and cried when Obi Wan died). They put me in drama camps and such for years afterwards ... I think they thought it would improve my confidence. Theatre gave me the courage to get up in front of groups but DMing gave me something to say and the courage to trust my own ideas.
Why my students write stories, they usually create characters who are good at everything. So we brainstorm some simple traits (smart, athletic, popular, etc.). We talk about what each trait would look like on a 1-4 scale - a 1 in smarts is dumb, a 2 a little slow, 3 kinda smart, and 4 really brainy, etc. Then I give then 8 points to spend. That way their story character is either really good at one thing and weak at the others, or just a pretty average guy/gal. Regardless, it helps them create much more interesting, well-rounded character for their stories.
I wish you had taught Lee Child (my father-in-law's favorite author). Jack Reacher (Child's main hero) is 7 feet tall and stronger than a Russian weightlifter, is a better unarmed fighter than Bruce Lee, is the best sniper in the world, is the best investigator ever, can easily outsmart everyone in the FBI and Secret Service, and is irresistable to women even though he wears the same sweaty rags for a week on end. When my father-in-law makes fun of my fantasy novels, I reply, "Yes, Reacher is MUCH more realistic."
High School special education teacher here. 20 years in the teaching profession.