RPMiller

That's a great story.

I've got this nagging feeling I want to do something along those lines with kids at my school. Gaming really does help in most areas: literacy, numeracy, social interaction, history, science, politics... even Indonesian.

Yep, I'd like to do this.

I'll let you know... in a few months.

Tribe, please do. I would really like to see how this works in other schools and different settings.

thus was born "Homework: The RPG!"

edit: this is something I think about too. I reckon RPGs are great because they make learning fun. How many people kids/adults pick up skills they wouldn't usually pick up (languages, navigation, map reading, religion, memorization, noble tites, history, medieval history, maths, probability, 'working a system' etc) because they play RPGs?

Humans are born with a need to be creative...to create something, anything. Learning by being creative, 'creative learning' fulfills a core humanistic need, to be creative, and to learn about the world we inhabit. RPGs, by taking place in "another world" also can become allegorical which elucidates 'the human condition'.

Also, in about 2000 years ago there were the Greek Mysteries, which was revived to an extent by a fellow named Shakespeare. these dramatic scripts are fixed, and RPGs have the advantage of being fluid, to do as Shakespeare said "all the worlds a stage...". In other words, the RPG can in the hands of a GM familiar with the Greek Mysteries and Shakespeare can use RPGs to create an RPG campaign that utilizes these esoteric symbols of yore; just as the students in the article are oblivious to the fact they are learning basic school skills; the players in said campaign are oblivious that they are participating in a ancient ritual with a fluid script.

The word mystery is derived from the Greek word mysteria, which refers to a play in which the truths of life are both hidden and revealed. The idea of such a mystery is to give the student a direct apprehension of truth by experiencing it by means of the play, rather than just academic knowledge. Academic knowledge, learnt in the academies, was preparatory to and augmented the knowledge gained by experience in the mystery school. The two (academies and mystery schools) went hand in hand with each other.

RPGs isn't 'satanism'...they are God's gift.

ps: if you are interested in where I got the quote, I'll send you the pdf (the web page has been deleted)

I think one of the problems in previous attempts to use RPGs as a teacher has been the satanism stigma, but yesterday (talking with my wife) I realised that most of that is tied up with fantasy RPGs.

I'm still in the planning stages, but I think using HERO in a Legion of Super-Heroes campaign would bypass a lot of that criticism.

Plus I think a lot of the people who did play RPGs are now grown up, and some of them had babies who are now 12-14 years old.

So I am now semi-actively planning to use HERO to assist students this year, particularly those who need some help in subjects. I'm the Literacy Manager at the school (whatever that really means!) so I think my title will have some clout. I'm planning to run it weekly after school. We have a Homework programme in the library after school two nights a week, so I think I'll use the same time and location (it's a big library).

A lot of the kids I am thinking about are really hooked on RPG computer games (Warcraft etc) so I think the change to a pen and paper and dice game will be beneficial. I also think their parents would welcome such a move.

Has anyone on the Boards actually done this before, or know of one in action?

School goes back in 3 weeks (we're on Summer holidays). I wouldn't actually implement it until Term 2 which is in April, but I'd use the first ten weeks or so to interview students and get the parents behind it.

And, yes, Bazza, I reckon RPGs could do some pretty incredible things for students studying Shakespeare. We use Romeo and Juliet (in Year 9) and Macbeth (in Year 10).

Could be good... but I'll start with small steps!

I think my target audience will be Year 8s. I have a home group in Year 8 and I know the kids very well (and most of their parents).

@tribe

I reckon getting the parents behind it is a big thing, and I also think that a lot of it comes down to an issue of trust between you and the parents.

If needed highlight the literary souces of rpgs. (http://www.geocities.com/rgfdfaq/sources.html)

someone should forward the article to Jolly & Co, KODT Magazine. Get the word out to the wider gaming population, so to speak.

Thanks for the link Bazza.