Character Classes and Your Students.

Hello all!

Well, school has officially begun here in my home district, and many of you are counting down the days until you're back in the classroom. A lot of excitement and honestly, fear about what this next year will bring is surely swirling around in your brain! If you're a new teacher, like me, you may wonder how you'll do in your first classroom, how seriously the students will take you, what the parents will be like. And if you're a vet teacher, you're probably checking and re-checking lesson plans and looking at student performance from last year. All of this is great and I'm excited for all of you to go into your first classroom or return to your classroom. However, what I'd like to talk about today is character.

More specifically, what kind of character are you preparing your students to become So much outside pressure and influence now pervades the school halls that its hard to know if and how you yourself as the teacher are influencing your students. And yes, this is a teaching AND gaming blog, so let me get to the base of what I'm speaking about: Character classes.

In video games, and many card and board based games, you are invited to take upon yourself a "Character class." What this dictates are certain characteristics and abilities you are in possession of if you play that character. Most often you find these in RPG based games, but more and more these principals are sneaking their way into multiplayer centric games. In games, you set your character up with specific load-outs to ensure that you are prepared for any "battle" situation. In RPGs, you may find yourself playing as a Mage, Soldier, or Assassin. In multiplayer games, its more gun oriented: Sniper, Assault or Close-Quarters Combat.

How does this lend itself to classroom instruction? Well, that's kind of up to you. How are you preparing your students for school and life situations? Are you preparing them to handle these situations from a distance as a Mage or Sniper would? Are you preparing them to rush into the fire like an Assassin or Close Quarters Combat soldier would? (I understand assassin's are stealthy--For the sake of argument, you win. But stick with me!) Or are you preparing your students to be more middle of the road when it comes to obstacles? Neither this, nor that but prepared nonetheless.

The middle school I am currently subbing has implemented this new program called "advisory". In this program, the students come to their homeroom teacher for 30 minutes once a week to discuss what is going on in their lives and at school as well as any additional pressures they may be facing. We as teachers can take this time to speak to students either as a group or give them individualized attention. It is a pretty great program that I hope the students can appreciate.

Until next time-

Gamer:Teacher

This isn't a topic that can easily be covered in one post, so I hope to continue talking about character on this blog. As brief as this was, I hope it gives some idea as to how students are being prepared for the real world.