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<blockquote data-quote="Clint_L" data-source="post: 9292181" data-attributes="member: 7035894">One way that I think teachers often fail at our jobs is by forgetting that teachers are all people who were good at school. So we tend to wind up teaching as if everyone thinks like we do. This has the effect of making lots of smart, creative, interesting people feel like failures because they don't share the same the model of the mind that is prioritized in education. School becomes a place of shame and embarrassment.At my school, I run the D&amp;D Club. And during summer, I have run D&amp;D camps specifically aimed at cognitively diverse kids. Lot's of students with autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and so on. My own son has autism. And I've been teaching for decades.One thing experience has shown me is that every learner is unique. Some players will always struggle with some of the abstract concepts in D&amp;D, for example, and it's not because they aren't trying, it's because of how their brain works. My own spouse has been playing for years, and they still aren't sure when to add proficiency modifiers, and so on. But they are also one of the best role players you will ever meet, and incredibly fun to play with. Then I have players who know the rules inside out and are not much fun at the table.If a player isn't learning the rules or struggling with math because they don't really care and aren't that engaged, then I don't waste much time on them. They should find something that they enjoy more, and bless. Same if they aren't treating others kindly. But if a player is struggling because the D&amp;D rules are designed for a particular kind of brain, but is into the game and doing their best, then I will always keep helping them and including them, and expect everyone at my table to do the same. I have found that those players always make the game better. Always.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Clint_L, post: 9292181, member: 7035894"] One way that I think teachers often fail at our jobs is by forgetting that teachers are all people who were good at school. So we tend to wind up teaching as if everyone thinks like we do. This has the effect of making lots of smart, creative, interesting people feel like failures because they don't share the same the model of the mind that is prioritized in education. School becomes a place of shame and embarrassment. At my school, I run the D&D Club. And during summer, I have run D&D camps specifically aimed at cognitively diverse kids. Lot's of students with autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and so on. My own son has autism. And I've been teaching for decades. One thing experience has shown me is that every learner is unique. Some players will [I]always[/I] struggle with some of the abstract concepts in D&D, for example, and it's not because they aren't trying, it's because of how their brain works. My own spouse has been playing for years, and they still aren't sure when to add proficiency modifiers, and so on. But they are also one of the best role players you will ever meet, and incredibly fun to play with. Then I have players who know the rules inside out and are not much fun at the table. If a player isn't learning the rules or struggling with math because they don't really care and aren't that engaged, then I don't waste much time on them. They should find something that they enjoy more, and bless. Same if they aren't treating others kindly. But if a player is struggling because the D&D rules are designed for a particular kind of brain, but is into the game and doing their best, then I will always keep helping them and including them, and expect everyone at my table to do the same. I have found that those players always make the game better. Always. [/QUOTE]

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