Afternoon Adventures and Reluctant Readers

[The Shaman]

The gist of the discussion was that D&D fosters cooperation, enhances reading and math skills, and encourages imaginative yet structured play.

I thought it gave them a tendency to be influenced by external factors which could cloud their judgment, and that they may be detached from reality or have a weak personality?

I saw that in the news so it must be true.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'm glad WotC is doing this. I'm a librarian, but am not be able to take advantage of this as I work in a corporate environment. Encouraging imagination is important, just as encouraging reading is. A good deal of my introduction to D&D and fantasy in general was through libraries.

 

[CharlesRyan]

You do know that WotC employees read this board?

Yes, WotC employees read ENworld, including the WotC employees responsible for programs like this one.

No, we aren't going to go after Arbiter of Wyrms (despite the coveting of the dragon mini); it's clear he (she?) gets it and will be an asset to this program.

Best of luck Arbiter and Buttercup; let us know how it turns out for you!

 

[ElvishBard]

RedWick, are you a high school student?

If, so, what year are you starting? How do you think most high-schoolers look at D&D? It's been a while for me, but I'm fairly sure that it would have been seen as deviant and uncool when I was in school, and I'm trying to figure out how to circumvent that to encourage students to learn.

Many of the students I work with don't attend to their studies, in part, because they're afraid of be seen as "nerds" or "geeks," and equate scholarship with social ineptitude. If I can't get them to study because it's not "cool," I'm not going to get them to study for priveledge of doing something which is also seen as "uncool."

I graduated high school this year, so I can offer some insight ( I hope). D&D isn't really considered cool, most high schoolers have heard of it though. Some of my friends were into the "cool" crowd though, and once my friends and I got them to try playing they seemed to enjoy it. I am sure that you will get people to play, but I am unsure if you would be able to get anyone to play who wouldn't have normally played.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

I graduated high school this year, so I can offer some insight ( I hope). D&D isn't really considered cool, most high schoolers have heard of it though. Some of my friends were into the "cool" crowd though, and once my friends and I got them to try playing they seemed to enjoy it. I am sure that you will get people to play, but I am unsure if you would be able to get anyone to play who wouldn't have normally played.

Thanks for the feedback, EB. A secondary concern is fostering osctracization of the students I mean to help by the closed-minded, fickle, peer-enslaved, immature, "cool crowd." If the activity I sponsor makes life harder any student, then that's not fair to them and it makes my job harder, not easier.

I am looking forward to the chance to introduce adolescents to the game I love, and I really do think that this will end up a positive thing, hopefully encouraging reading by fostering a life-long obsession with the written word, and, almost as importantly, the habit of referencing printed authority, i.e. rules pamplets, core books, house rules compendiums, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and scientific journals. The concerns I express are out of a desire to be as prepared as is possible and to foresee problems as far in advance as I can.

No, we aren't going to go after Arbiter of Wyrms (despite the coveting of the dragon mini); it's clear he (she?) gets it and will be an asset to this program.

He, and I hope I can be an asset. I think I understand the motives of the program. I'm an enthusistic supporter of both these motives, and of this project specifically. As for the black dragon, won't my players be surprised when, after encountering this little guy a few times, getting powerful enough that they feel confident in their ability to defeat it, and I spring upon them the enormous, metal, Chainmail, black dragon I bought and painted for my wife. hehehehehe

 

[Meloncov]

If, so, what year are you starting? How do you think most high-schoolers look at D&D? It's been a while for me, but I'm fairly sure that it would have been seen as deviant and uncool when I was in school, and I'm trying to figure out how to circumvent that to encourage students to learn.

Many of the students I work with don't attend to their studies, in part, because they're afraid of be seen as "nerds" or "geeks," and equate scholarship with social ineptitude. If I can't get them to study because it's not "cool," I'm not going to get them to study for priveledge of doing something which is also seen as "uncool."

At my school, the people who whould dismiss it as geeky don't even know what D&D is, and therefore have no negative sterotypes in there head.

Additionally, chess is widely considered geeky. This hasn't stopped thousands of school chess clubs from being sucessful.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

At my school, the people who whould dismiss it as geeky don't even know what D&D is, and therefore have no negative sterotypes in there head.

Additionally, chess is widely considered geeky. This hasn't stopped thousands of school chess clubs from being sucessful.

Good points. Thank you, Meloncov.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

The package arrived today and I'm stoked with all the stuff therein. I'll have to look it over more thoroughly, but I think that I may be able to make real use of this stuff. The Basic Game really does have easy-to-use starter rules, even more so than the 3.0 version did, and the two novels look mildly intrigueing. I don't know that I'll go out and get a classroom set, but I think that they'll both see circulation and, if nothing else, the recomended reading list is well-thought out. I'll type this up and post it when I can.

Oh! I almost forgot! One of the coolest things included was a short stack of pamphlets for "parents of D&D players." I think that these might help a great deal with any wary parents.

The department head came in as I was leafing through the box and scoffed "Are you starting a D&D club?"
I said "Yeah! Check out all this cool stuff that came today." As he walked back out shaking his head, I shouted after him "You watch! You'll be my best player." I can't honestly say that I actually believed that.

 

[JoeBlank]

I have the 3.5 Basic Game, and agree with you that it looks even better than the 3.0 version, although I have not actually used it yet.

The pamplets sound interesting. I wonder where someone who is not connected with a school would get his hands on the materials that are not otherwise for sale. My wife teaches at our church preschool, but they only go up to pre-kindergarten, so I can't see using her as an excuse to order the freebies.

 

[MojoGM]

This sounds like a great program. I'd like to hear more about it and how it is working.