| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Paj |
Posted - 11 Sep 2009 : 13:19:15
Im tempted, this year to start running a game of D&D at the school I teach at. Im going to use 4th edition D&D rules purely because they seem to be the easiest to run. The ages of the pupils are 11-16 and they get about an hour for lunch.
Does anyone have any tips or advice? like what age group you think will work best, how many players I should have, should I oregen characters for them initially etc. etc.?
D&D is thought of as the realm of the 'geeks' etc and I wanted to try reach out to other pupils, I was considering those pupils who like drama, the acting in character side of D&D would suit them and you have the team-building/maths skills that D&D generally teaches, so the game would be well recieved by staff etc.
Please post any tips/advice for running such a game. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 17 Aug 2010 : 16:34:25
I'll stick by my earlier advice:
run the game before or after school...kids need their lunch.
also...
make a club out of it if you can. If you school allows clubs, make this one of them. I would tie it in with Drama if you can AND G&T students as well. G&T students can benefit greatly from the social interaction as many of them are usually introverts that don't interact much with their fellow students...most go home and play WoW or something and develop HORRID social skills.
I would go with the pregen idea until you see a devoted group consistently gather...then you might want to consider allowing them to make their own characters.
have fun! can't wait to hear how it goes. |
| Paj |
Posted - 17 Aug 2010 : 16:23:34
**Thread necromancy FTW!**
Apologies for the lack of replies but I ended up being tasked with running a brand new course at the school which kinda scuppered any and all plans to run the D&D session as the new course took up pretty much most of any spare time I had at the school. 
However, before the school summer holidays this year I had the opportunity to run a semi-D&D session over the course of two 50 minute lessons.
I say, 'semi-D&D' because the class was too big and the time allotted too small to run a by-the-books D&D session. What I did was create a batch of 5 simplified characters using simplified rules (only one type of Armour Class, simplified damage etc.) I focused more on puzzle-solving using a few props I managed to make and downplayed the more 'roll for this' and spent more time asking the pupils to describe what their characters would do. The class size was 20 pupils and I split them up into groups of 4, each group controlling a character.
The first lesson involved them investigating why a village was scared of a mist that appeared and stole away villagers caught outside in it. It involved a few riddles and puzzles and a little bit of character interaction. The session ended with the pupils having to translate a scrap of blooded cloth with directions written on it in a different language, of which they had an incomplete list of letters, numbers etc.
The second session involved the players having to convince an old beggar to take them to the tomb that the directions revealed which I did as a mini-RP event, I didn't use the skills challenge as I thought for a quick lesson it would overwhelm them. This led to some amusement as the Barbarian wanted to tie the beggar up and drag him along the back of his horse until he agreed to take them, to the rogue offering food as payment while the Dragonborn Paladin kept ordering the beggar to in the name of 'Tyr the Justice-bringer'. The last part of the second session took the more traditional style of D&D, a hack'n'slash fight with legions of zombies.
The pupils seemed to enjoy the sessions (it was something different than being on a computer in an ICT lesson) and they grasped some of the concepts of playing D&D. The girls, somewhat surprisingly to me, enjoyed the thinking and tactics of combat whilst the boys seemed to enjoy the riddles, translation challenges more.
In fact, the room where I did it in is a 'video room' where a lesson can be video'd and used for teacher evaluations/observations so when school resumes in September I should have a video of the two session. I wish I could share them with you so you could have a look and criticise etc. but I'm not allowed for child protection reasons.
Running the sessions has re-kindle my desire to run a D&D campaign at the school. 4th edition recommends 5 or so players and 1 DM so I may start with that, although I'd like to maybe add up to 6 or 7 players assuming I can generate enough interest. I've decided to use 4e rules mainly because it seems a lot easier than 3rd edition (and I have no 2nd edition PHB, DMG etc. so cant use 2nd ed.), but am torn between using the new FR setting (1459 DR) or sticking with what 1370's DR.
Plus side of 1459 is that its all new, so it gives me lots of opportunities for my own creativity, perhaps more so than the 1370 realms. However, if I use the 1370 realms I have a HUGE wealth of information to draw upon to create plot-lines, locations to travel to etc.
I think that if I do run a D&D session then I'll pre-generate characters, maybe even use the 4th edition RPG starter set for simplicities sake. I can also make good use of my ICT classroom to make PowerPoints, play music and even (assuming I can create something like it) draw the maps and battle-grids.
My issues are many-fold:
How do I advertise? I can link it into our school's Gifted and Talented (I recall reading somewhere that D&D is excellent for G&T pupils). I could also link it in with English and Drama, I think the RP side of it would work really well with Drama.
Time-wise, is it feasible? I'm pretty sure it would have to be an after-school event, although I could run it over a lunchtime and after-school on one day, giving roughly 2 1/2 hours per week.
Do I make it Hack'N'Slash? Or more RP oriented? Most of the pupils at the school are far more familiar with World of Warcraft, Call of Duty etc. than roleplaying in general, although pupils who take drama/english more seriously than others may well prefer the RP style of play.
Any advice would really be appreciated. I think it would be great to run something like this for the pupils. I do believe that props would be a must, giving the pupils something tactile to examine, tactile rewards etc.
I also think that the PC and projector can be a hugely useful tool. For showing images as well as doing the battle-grids etc. Incidentally, does anyone know of any software that could be used to do this? I guess it would be something like the mentioned-but-never-seen DDI Gaming table. I could always try and come up with something of my own if there's nothing available.
I'm going to spend some time over the next week thinking about how to do this, I'd really like to do it but I am cautious that there won't be much interest.
As before, any advice/tips would be welcome.
- Paj
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| Alisttair |
Posted - 19 Jan 2010 : 16:59:07
That's pretty good. I'd like to check out that episode. |
| bladeinAmn |
Posted - 14 Jan 2010 : 05:17:46
Really? I never saw that episode!
I actually saw the advertisement I'm talkin about in a hobby magazine in like 2007 while in a drug store. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 11:12:27
quote:
Originally posted by bladeinAmn
I remember it being advertised sometime in the 3.5e era something to the effect of "You can't play AD&D, and not learn a thing or two about courage".
That actually came from an episode of The X-Files. It was the "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" episode, if I remember correctly. |
| bladeinAmn |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 06:33:50
quote:
Originally posted by woodwwad
well I've gamed with a lot of folks that were in drama, they seem commonly interested in gaming. I think those ages will be hard to get to sit down with a teacher during lunch and that, that limited of a time will be really hard to run a game in. I did play rpgs during lunch when I was 10 and 11 but it might be hard, and the more players you have the harder it'll be, since time is such a constraint.
did you think of doing it after school?
I've always hated the stigma of geeks that is associated with gaming in general and D&D in particular. Gaming is a great hobby and something that anyone who's imaginative and creative can enjoy. The media images of a smelly 350lb, 40 year old virgin who lives with his mother or the 100lb 15 y/o spazz who plays D&D because he doesn't have friends and could never get a date, really bother me since a lot of people think of that and that gaming is for loosers if I say I play D&D. But if I keep the words RPG, D&D or Gaming out of it and explain what it is I do as a storyteller or a player, they have much different reactions which is nearly always one of a lot of interest and many follow up questions. I'm going to stop now before I get into a dyatribe, this is a real hot button for me. But I'll say do not present it as something geeky at all, explain what it is from the elements of storytelling and imagination. If anyone tries to come at you as it is something geeky try to get them to give it a try.
Yes, you should make about 10 pcs for them, that will cut down on the time and help them get into it. Let them make their own if they really know what they are doing or if they learn. Make the pcs as easy to play as possible.
LOL! What I bolded was actually the exact reality, for me at that age! I was constantly playing these old AD&D based games like Dungeons of Moria and NetHack.
I have a bit of blunt advice: Do the game afterschool, and if the kids are being called geeky and don't like it, then they don't have to play.
I remember it being advertised sometime in the 3.5e era something to the effect of "You can't play AD&D, and not learn a thing or two about courage".
I actually think I'm better off now (and then) than anyone I grew up with, for the things I learned through AD&D, and even the seemingly negative social experiences that came with it.
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| woodwwad |
Posted - 13 Jan 2010 : 01:20:20
quote:
Originally posted by Paj
Im tempted, this year to start running a game of D&D at the school I teach at. Im going to use 4th edition D&D rules purely because they seem to be the easiest to run. The ages of the pupils are 11-16 and they get about an hour for lunch.
Does anyone have any tips or advice? like what age group you think will work best, how many players I should have, should I oregen characters for them initially etc. etc.?
D&D is thought of as the realm of the 'geeks' etc and I wanted to try reach out to other pupils, I was considering those pupils who like drama, the acting in character side of D&D would suit them and you have the team-building/maths skills that D&D generally teaches, so the game would be well recieved by staff etc.
Please post any tips/advice for running such a game.
well I've gamed with a lot of folks that were in drama, they seem commonly interested in gaming. I think those ages will be hard to get to sit down with a teacher during lunch and that, that limited of a time will be really hard to run a game in. I did play rpgs during lunch when I was 10 and 11 but it might be hard, and the more players you have the harder it'll be, since time is such a constraint.
did you think of doing it after school?
I've always hated the stigma of geeks that is associated with gaming in general and D&D in particular. Gaming is a great hobby and something that anyone who's imaginative and creative can enjoy. The media images of a smelly 350lb, 40 year old virgin who lives with his mother or the 100lb 15 y/o spazz who plays D&D because he doesn't have friends and could never get a date, really bother me since a lot of people think of that and that gaming is for loosers if I say I play D&D. But if I keep the words RPG, D&D or Gaming out of it and explain what it is I do as a storyteller or a player, they have much different reactions which is nearly always one of a lot of interest and many follow up questions. I'm going to stop now before I get into a dyatribe, this is a real hot button for me. But I'll say do not present it as something geeky at all, explain what it is from the elements of storytelling and imagination. If anyone tries to come at you as it is something geeky try to get them to give it a try.
Yes, you should make about 10 pcs for them, that will cut down on the time and help them get into it. Let them make their own if they really know what they are doing or if they learn. Make the pcs as easy to play as possible. |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 17:24:45
Careful. Some teachers make fun of other teachers lol. |
| Amraz one arm |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 17:58:03
A quiet out of the way room. Cause as I remember it, playing at school involved friends dropping in. People making fun of the group. Not in your case, but teachers looking you up, out of intrest. Keeping it simple for first time players. And lots and lots of snacks and beverages :) |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 08 Jan 2010 : 05:33:49
I was just wondering how this all turned out? 
I hope all went well. |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 02:40:03
My success at running a D&D game at a school depended on after-school meetings, or even before school meetings.
Even with an hour for lunch...you will be lucky to get anyone involved in anything because they need time to get to lunch and to their next class. Counting time to get books out, get everyone settled in and etc. you will be lucky to get fifteen minutes of play time.
I would advise an early morning session for early arrivals to school and/or an after school activity group.
Just my two cents. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 17 Sep 2009 : 07:29:07
This is something I think that everyone should look over if they want to discuss D&D at all with people that don't understand what the game is about. It helped me in a discussion I had with a couple of other people a few years back.
Ethics in Fantasy |
| Teneck |
Posted - 16 Sep 2009 : 23:57:45
I was in a debate class in my high school and was on the Pro side of the D&D& debate (1986) against a very religious student.
His reference materials were a pamphlet and a letter from his pastor.
Mine...All the AD&D books in print at the time.
Needless to say ...I won the debate...but we all got a visit from the principal about the "Dangers" of extensive role play.
If I remember right this whole thing started because a kid somewhere committed suicide..as a coincidence he had played D&D the night before and his character died in game.
What no one mentioned was that he was mostly at home alone (both parents worked)
He had many items of drug paraphernalia in his room (out in the open)
50 pounds (yes 50) of "satanic mateial" out in the open in his room.
Had problems in school...etc. etc.
This was clearly a case of the parents not being parents...but they managed to blame it on an innocent game and gave it a permanent bad rap.
NOTE: All the other characters in the game the night before died as well...they all talked about rolling new ones for a new game, even the kid who committed suicide.
*sigh* 20 + years later and we still fight the pre-conceptions.
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| xaviera |
Posted - 16 Sep 2009 : 21:38:13
quote:
Originally posted by Afetbinttuzani
I went to bat for him and it turned out that the vice-principal and others still had the ghosts of the 1980's hysteria floating around in their heads.
During those very same years we had a visit from the Vice-Principal of our high school who sat down and discussed the game with us, asking things like "Do you actually cast these spells?" Once we disabused her of the notion that we were closet satanists or lunatics, she had no problem with us. It probably didnt hurt that several of us (not me, though  ) were top students.
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| Aerik DeVallo |
Posted - 16 Sep 2009 : 05:36:28
lol, I expected to come in here and have to gripe at some kid who wanted to play D&D instead of pay attention to his studies. Needless to say, I was taken aback, as well as impressed. I wish I had a teacher that wanted to play D&D with me when I was in school...*sighs*
Very well. I think it would be a terrific idea, through and through. Although I disagree with you introducing potential new gamers to 4 ed. *waggs finger*, I do understand why you would do it, because it is rediculously simple. However, I do suggest you introduce them to 3.5 as soon as possible! Hehe...That's just my opinion talking, though. But seriously, if they enjoy it a great deal, 3.5 would be the best, because it opens up a lot of new possibilities.
I've been playing D&D for close to ten years, and my math skills are no better, but my social skills blossomed. Again, that's only a personal experience. Good luck in your endevoures! |
| coach |
Posted - 16 Sep 2009 : 04:45:41
an hour lunch?!? jeez we get 25 and have to like it
[/jealous]
seriously, i have thought about doing this at my school too
i wonder if in a school environment, taking away "DnD" moniker and replacing it with "Gamers" or "Gaming" might assuage the crazy nutcase 80's fanatics - heck they'd just think you were playing xbox or something
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| Dracons |
Posted - 13 Sep 2009 : 04:49:27
Well, seeing as your the teacher, I'm not sure how to help. Back at my middle school, a couple of us just got to gether, and asked a teacher to do it. (He was a gamer).
Funny thing was, none of us liked each other really, but we still had quite the bit of fun in DnD. |
| Afetbinttuzani |
Posted - 12 Sep 2009 : 23:31:58
My son (12 yrs) tried to start a D&D group at his school last year and was given the cold shoulder at every turn by the administration.
I went to bat for him and it turned out that the vice-principal and others still had the ghosts of the 1980's hysteria floating around in their heads. They told me they were afraid that parents on the religious right would react and raise a stink. It's incredible how the negative impressions and ignorance persists after more than two decades.
The reason I mention this is that, depending on the demographics in your area, you might want to head off any resistance by preparing some "D&D Apologetics" material explaining the educational benefits of D&D and dispelling the incredibly tenacious myths.
Cheers, |
| Wenin |
Posted - 11 Sep 2009 : 18:13:19
I would suggest PreGen characters.
No way, I could find a teacher running DnD in a US school =(
Drama people are just another breed of "Geek" =) |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 11 Sep 2009 : 13:37:36
What me and some teachers were gonna do where I work (we did this with 3E but will work with 4E)...buy the D&D for Dummies book and you can make photocopy handouts to help out. Other than that, there wasn't much interest in the grade 8s so we scrapped the idea...the older kids at your school might be more interested...the "social immage" seems to still be a biggie at that age. |
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