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Hi. Try to bear with me while I prattle on for a moment or two...
For those of you who don't know me, I'm a special education teacher at a high school in the South Bronx. I also run my school's Sci-Fi club. For the last five years I've been using RPGs with the kids to further develop their math, critical reading, writing, and social skills. So far its worked great, but I have no data to prove this.
I've written a proposal that's now part of a competition at We Are Teachers, a site for teachers to share their best practices and vie for grants. Working with a group of four tenth-graders (one student has mild learning disabilities, and another is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome), I'm going to begin a 4E campaign. The students will write backgrounds for their characters, keep journals, and all the while I'll be working with their other teachers to track their growth in relationship to their peers.
The grant will allow me to purchase the new red box starter set for each student, as well as their Players Handbooks.
If you can help me out with your vote- and if you could help by spreading the word about this- you can follow this link to my proposal.
Thanks for taking the time to read this (and hopefully for voting on my proposal!).
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Have you considered using a game system that isn't as combat focused as D20-Pathfnder-Fourth Edition?
I'm thinking something more like a Storyteller or Tri-Ace game if you want something that's more about character building then combat crunch. Even in terms of spells, White Wolf is more approriate instead of ticking off combat rounds spells have durations of instant or "scene", so there's less number tracking even in that area. The play is also a lot more freeform and I think is a greater ecouragement to move beyond a narrow box.
There's another one I can't think of the name at the moment that actually brought the term cinematic style to play.
I can wrap a fantastic story around any game, but for this I need a game that involves numbers. Besides, the kids want Pathfinder/D&D.
+1!
This is a great idea. I'd love to hear more about how this goes.
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I despise people bumping their own posts, but I'm kind of desperate here to boost the signal on this wherever I can. I'm in great shape at the moment in the voting, but I can still use all the help I can get. If you have a few second, please swing over to the site linked in my original post and vote for my project. Thanks! :)
I'd kind of hope that you didn't HAVE to bump because you SHOULD be overwhelmed with supporting posts of encouragement...
So heres MY post of encouragement, keep up the good work!
You have my vote, and I will try get some of my friends interested in it.
This kind of project is really close to my heart, as war games and roleplaying games played a big part in me overcoming my dyslexia.
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I see the merit in your idea, but given that I'm A... not a teacher and B. not in your district, I'm not sure it's ethical for me to try to influence a project decision this way.
It's a national competition, and voting is open to anyone who wants to join in. There's no worries whatsoever about unethical voting. :)
I voted for ya!
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Thanks guys! Every vote's going to be precious, because what I think all the people with proposals are doing are having their students vote. And while that is completely within the rules (I'm certainly doing it), I'm at a small school. Someone at a school with a few hundred more kids than I have is going to destroy me.
IF this effort falls over, I'd strongly consider writing to WoTC and explain that you did your best effort to raise the funds for the project and that you managed to get 292 people to vote for you (or whatever the number ends up) and ask them if they'd be amenable to donating the stuff.
At the end of the day they get the kudos; and its for the kids.
Good gaming.
Another possibility is that the Paizo community could maybe see our way to funding it in part or whole.
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Another possibility is that the Paizo community could maybe see our way to funding it in part or whole.
I can't tell you how wonderful that would be. I'd just be happy with the votes though. I swear, next time I do something like this I'm making the title of the thread "Hot Naked Female Drow Elf Needs Help." No one would pass that by. lol
You got my vote!
My wife used to play Top Secret as part of a creative writing class back in high school. So, I'm all for pedagogical uses of RPGs.
I voted for you--good luck!
As a teacher, I love to see creative teaching methods. A+ and voted.
As a plus, anything that helps put our hobby closer to the mainstream and improve its unfairly-tarnished image is definitely to be supported.
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As a teacher, I love to see creative teaching methods. A+ and voted.
As a plus, anything that helps put our hobby closer to the mainstream and improve its unfairly-tarnished image is definitely to be supported.
I have to tell you, after putting up with four years of Catholic school tyranny, during which I was almost suspended for having RPGs in my house and forced to go to mandatory religious counseling to remain in school, it's nice to be able to talk to parents about D&D and Pathfinder and tell them "It's just a game."
To anyone who sees this and hasn't voted, please please please take twenty seconds to cast a vote for me, and reply here to keep the thread current. Everyone with a proposal is getting their students to vote, and since I'm at a smaller school the lead I have right now is quickly eroding. With another week of voting, I don't think there's any way I can stay within the top ten without the support of the people here.
I love the idea and have heard of other instructors doing similar things. In fact, if I'm not mistaken one of the editors at WotC is a former teacher who has written material for educators regarding the utility of games like RPGs in getting students more interested in math, science, history, and writing. You've certainly got my vote. Good luck!
If they're keeping journals maybe you could encourage them to post them on the forums here. That will do a few things:
1) Give them social interaction with the people on the boards.
2) Give them a chance to see how different perspectives can color different experiences by reading each other's journal posts.
I am definately voting and I'll bring it up to some of my players to vote too.
Sweet idea, 'scream. Good luck.
Having seen proof of how RPGs can help math, reading, and logical reasoning skills first hand, I whole-heartedly support this idea. Scream, you have my vote. Good Luck!
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Ico, I made the social media rounds linking to your proposal. I hope that gets you at least one or two more votes. :)
You might know a few more people in these circles than I do. :) Thanks, broseph. If I can ever convince myself that I'll be able to find things to keep me busy for four days at a GenCon and actually attend, first round's on me.
As a teacher, I love to see creative teaching methods. A+ and voted.
As a plus, anything that helps put our hobby closer to the mainstream and improve its unfairly-tarnished image is definitely to be supported.
I have to tell you, after putting up with four years of Catholic school tyranny, during which I was almost suspended for having RPGs in my house and forced to go to mandatory religious counseling to remain in school, it's nice to be able to talk to parents about D&D and Pathfinder and tell them "It's just a game."
To anyone who sees this and hasn't voted, please please please take twenty seconds to cast a vote for me, and reply here to keep the thread current. Everyone with a proposal is getting their students to vote, and since I'm at a smaller school the lead I have right now is quickly eroding. With another week of voting, I don't think there's any way I can stay within the top ten without the support of the people here.
I think your idea's wonderful, you've definately got a vote here. I was curious to see if there was any disapproval or backlash to trying to use mainstream RPG's in a classroom. I know when I was a kid I had gotten in trouble on numerous occassions for bringing RPG books and card games to school; it was claimed that the demons and devils and undead and such involved were offensive and abberent depictions of religion which may make some other students uncomfortable and were banned from the grounds. Of course that was nearly a decade ago in Nebraska's public schools.
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I think your idea's wonderful, you've definately got a vote here. I was curious to see if there was any disapproval or backlash to trying to use mainstream RPG's in a classroom.
As such things go, I hit the proverbial jackpot with my principal. Her brother is a gamer, so she knows what the games are and aren't, and recognizes their value as a teaching aid. For the parents of the kids that are going to be involved in this undertaking (I'm increasing the number from four to nine specifically chosen students, based on current performance and needs), next Thursday and Friday when we have our parent/teacher conferences, rather than just having the books there for them to peruse, I'll have the guys in my current gaming group (all of whom are graduates of the school) demoing the game. This way the parents can see that casting a spell in the game is as much an act of deviltry as having a child in The Game of Life involves coitus.
I think your idea's wonderful, you've definately got a vote here. I was curious to see if there was any disapproval or backlash to trying to use mainstream RPG's in a classroom.As such things go, I hit the proverbial jackpot with my principal. Her brother is a gamer, so she knows what the games are and aren't, and recognizes their value as a teaching aid. For the parents of the kids that are going to be involved in this undertaking (I'm increasing the number from four to nine specifically chosen students, based on current performance and needs), next Thursday and Friday when we have our parent/teacher conferences, rather than just having the books there for them to peruse, I'll have the guys in my current gaming group (all of whom are graduates of the school) demoing the game. This way the parents can see that casting a spell in the game is as much an act of deviltry as having a child in The Game of Life involves coitus.
Though I (unsuccessfully) write now I was hoping to eventually go into K-12 education, and encourage you to pursue this to the best of your abilities to pave the way for others to be able to do likewise with far less hassle. For this would be a teaching aid I would definately like to employ. I learned more problem solving skills from logic puzzles and mathmatical riddles in D&D than I ever did in school. Ironically the thing that is stopping me from getting into college is that I spend too much of my free time gaming to go and get my GED.
Remind me to vote later. My work computer isn't friendly with the link. The only reason I can get on Paizo from here is that the network doesn't recognize it as a forum, social networking, or chat site. Appearently my work thinks there is far too much friendly conversation going on at wherever that link takes me to keep me in a productive environment.
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Ironically the thing that is stopping me from getting into college is that I spend too much of my free time gaming to go and get my GED.
At the risk of sounding like a teacher, and having taught GED classes for years, go get the GED. The older you get, the harder it becomes. I've watched good people, smart people, with all the desire in the world to get that GED, not make because life got in the way. The dice will be there for decades, but the window to get into school might not be.
Sorry. I don't mean to preach. My INFP forces me to try to save the world. Off my little soapbox now. :)
I spread your link to the discussion pages of all the PBPs I play here. Sadly, that should net you about twenty-five extra votes (I play too much Pathfinder).
IF this effort falls over, I'd strongly consider writing to WoTC and explain that you did your best effort to raise the funds for the project and that you managed to get 292 people to vote for you (or whatever the number ends up) and ask them if they'd be amenable to donating the stuff.
At the end of the day they get the kudos; and its for the kids.
Good gaming.
What? The kids like Pathfinder??
Ok IF this effort falls over, I'd strongly consider writing to Paizo... :p
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IF this effort falls over, I'd strongly consider writing to WoTC and explain that you did your best effort to raise the funds for the project and that you managed to get 292 people to vote for you (or whatever the number ends up) and ask them if they'd be amenable to donating the stuff.
At the end of the day they get the kudos; and its for the kids.
Good gaming.
What? The kids like Pathfinder??
Ok IF this effort falls over, I'd strongly consider writing to Paizo... :p
The folks at Paizo have been kind enough to us already. To be honest, I feel terrible simply begging people for votes right now.
The folks at Paizo have been kind enough to us already. To be honest, I feel terrible simply begging people for votes right now.
Tis the season for vote begging. Besides voting for your proposal is free.
The folks at Paizo have been kind enough to us already. To be honest, I feel terrible simply begging people for votes right now.
Don't.
All you are asking for is a few seconds of their time, and you aren't asking them to open their wallets and let a moth out.
Its for a good cause.
In fact it's for the best cause; It's for the kids.
I remember on the extras to the D&D movie they said how learning from a young age to play D&D helps with the general skills you have already mentioned.
Using a simplified system like 4e is definantly a good start and open them up to a gateway of other gaming groups. I suggest keep doing what you are doing and submit your idea to various places. Doing this will spread the word on how educational it can be and proving that gaming helps people in early life. If all goes well then hopefully all that dirty history that gave D&D a bad name will be forgotten and whiped clean.
Added my vote. Personally, though, I'd like to see the (anonymous) results if this passes - ie, how much improvement did your group have vs. the control group. Also, what are the sizes of the groups involved? You kind of need larger groups to have more accurate data, but at the same time you can't put all those people in the same game. Which means that you need to run a lot more games - do you have assistant GMs?
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Added my vote. Personally, though, I'd like to see the (anonymous) results if this passes - ie, how much improvement did your group have vs. the control group. Also, what are the sizes of the groups involved? You kind of need larger groups to have more accurate data, but at the same time you can't put all those people in the same game. Which means that you need to run a lot more games - do you have assistant GMs?
It's just me running the games. There will be two groups, one with four players and one with five. They'll play on alternating weeks. I'm the English teacher for some of the kids. I'm collaborating with other English teacher and their Math teacher to collect data in and out of the classroom. It's not the most scientific study I could imagine, but under the circumstances the best I can do.