Round One, Fight!
- I am judge, arbiter, and jury.
This is not one of the aspects of teaching or DMing that I enjoy. It is painful to post that grade book knowing students earned an F for the semester. It is also difficult to create tension in a D&D adventure if the players know you are a softie who won't kill their characters.
- Differentiation.
In education, this is the idea that students will learn the most if instruction is as individualized as possible. Students all learn differently, have different interests, and about a million other differences that speak to the need to teach them in the way that best suits them. Well, this may be the most important similarity between the two disciplines.
A DM must cater to each of the players at his/her table. Has Johnny's character been the focus of the last few sessions? Does Angelica like role play heavy adventures? A good mix of types of scenes/adventures that appeal to your various players' tastes is important. So is giving the various players at your table the opportunity for their character to be in the spotlight from time to time. (more on how this relates to 'player types' in a later post)
- Social risk-taking and the silent period
As a language teacher I see students who are reluctant to volunteer to answer questions in class. Sometimes it is because they are afraid they will make a mistake or sound silly in front of their peers. Some students who are new to a country, culture, and/or language experience what linguists call the "silent period". The student will literally sit silently in class, perhaps comprehending some of the new language, but basically refusing to produce it for a period of time until they feel more comfortable.
Who has not seen this with players new to RPGs. Especially if they are in a group of experienced players. They may have trepidation about their ideas being silly or their contributions being rebuffed at the table. They may literally not understand how have their character interact with the game world through the DM. It is something that I believe is unique to pen-and-paper RPGs, so the inexperienced can be truly baffled by the concept. Explain it, demonstrate it (model it), rinse and repeat, or send them this link:
Round Two...
- Homework. As a teacher and/or DM, you'll be the only one doing it.
- Minimal financial compensation
Only people at Wizards of the Coast get paid to DM. And, I suppose convention DM/GMs. Most of us are lucky to get pizza bought for us at a gaming session. Just like teachers, we do it because of our passion for it and the satisfaction derived from helping others (when not killing their characters).
- Improvisation
One never knows what will happen at his/her table or in their classroom. One must be ready to think on his/her feet and adapt on the fly. Going with the flow is key in both areas.
Round Three, Differences:
- Players are not legally mandated to be at your game.
- (Therefore,) Confiscating players' personal electronics is probably frowned upon in most groups.
What did I leave out? Comment below!
As a fellow teacher, I think this is spot on.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI have often found that the teaching vocation appeals to me due to my experience of DMing. It is comforting to know that my thoughts are shared by another. That said I have to say that I am a softie yet I have had the blood of close to 10 player characters on my hands. What's that? 5 of those only count as one because it was the same playerplaying them? Will my justification that my degree of satisfaction for each kill increased in a linear fashion be enough to convince you otherwise? That's what I thought. Homework? me? as a DM? Laughable... I come to gaming tables often with only a very vague idea of what to run, I go with the flow and depend on cues from my players and improvise like fuck.
ReplyDeleteLanguage! :)
ReplyDelete