Schoolteacher/Gamer multi-class

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Had a flash of insight recently: Some of the techniques used to get students thinking and interacting with ideas would be great when used in an RPG. I'm thinking of questioning techniques and methods of stimulating higher-order thinking. Very often the "role-playing" portion of my games is factual -- "where is the blacksmith?" for example. If I can get some good, thought-provoking questions to come out of my NPCs mouths, I might spark a more in-depth response from the players. Things like, "How is life different here than it was where you came from?" or "What made you decide to become a wizard?" or something along those lines could spark a conversation rather than a simple response that doesn't take much thought. I might need to add a line to my NPC statblocks: "Intriguing Question" or something like that.

Absolutely! I think the design sensibilities go both ways. More in-depth questions would definately enhance my game. Every good adventure, and most bad ones too, have plot hooks to get the PC's motivated to do something with the adventure. Too many lesson plans fail to do that. Even those that have "plot hooks," though, often don't have very good ones, and when a class doesn't bite, they get railroaded.

I think that many of the best teachers would make pretty good DMs.

 

[Umbran]

Too many lesson plans fail to do that. Even those that have "plot hooks," though, often don't have very good ones, and when a class doesn't bite, they get railroaded.

Yeah, but in a gaming session there's a basic unspoken contract - the gamers know and agree that they are present to have adventures, and the GM knows and agrees that he's there to provide them.

In a classroom, the teacher knows and agrees that he or she is there to provide education. In general, you have no certainty that the students agree to be educated. How good your hook is means nothing if the students don't want to bite. If they aren't hungry, you're in trouble.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Yeah, but in a gaming session there's a basic unspoken contract - the gamers know and agree that they are present to have adventures, and the GM knows and agrees that he's there to provide them.

In a classroom, the teacher knows and agrees that he or she is there to provide education. In general, you have no certainty that the students agree to be educated. How good your hook is means nothing if the students don't want to bite. If they aren't hungry, you're in trouble.

Isn't that what good teaching is all about, though?

I figure that you kind of have to sit down with your students at the beginning of the year and agree on where you're going and how you'll get there, in much the same way you would with a gaming group.

Instilling interest is an important part of a teacher's job.