Exchange of Realities

Teachers teach. It’s pretty much a given, and a matter of definition.

But what this means for us is that when we’re characterizing our mentors, we’re going to have to think about their teaching styles, as those are going to be connected to their philosophies, their relationships with their students, and, of course, how well they pass on their knowledge. It seems to me like many of the material in which teaching shows up focuses on either the lectures and essays we-as-students are used to, or the “Watch the move, now try to replicate it” style associated with fighter-training. (Limyaael has some interesting things to say about the latter.) Let’s vary it up a little, shall we?

The first thing to take into account is the balance between the theoretical and the practical. Most of us are used to theoretical study, since a lot of what we’re studying would cost too much to put into practice. But when most of what you’re learning is directly relevant to your life, particularly in a one on one or one on few teaching environment, there might be a bit more skewing towards the practical. On the other hand, there’s some magic that by its nature should stay in theory, and I imagine siege engine training isn’t often going to go beyond model-size. It’s all in the scope of the subject, the potential damage, and the availability of the teaching materials—greater scope and damage or less available materials will usually mean more theoretical focus.

Now, consider subjects like history, ones that don’t necessarily adapt well to fully hands-on experimentation. Leaving aside the issue of who has the time, inclination and need to study it, there’s also the question of how to get it across. Sure, you can do long lectures and longer papers, and students reading on their own time. But that’s not the be all and end all of the subjects. Consider, for instance, the introduction of maps, models and diagrams, letting people see where the borders are or how the wagons move or what the features that harness the energy a certain way actually look like. What about open discussion, and teasing the conclusions out of the student(s) through questioning? Ever hear of the Socratic method? One could even, in the case of subjects like history, go into a little bit of small-scale role-play for the immersion and semi-practical value.

Then there’s good old immersion and osmosis, most commonly seen in combat training and language study. Learning by doing, out of self defense, is all very well, and for some students it works like a charm—but it doesn’t always succeed, and even when it does it generally leaves resentment in the students.

A less intense version of the above is giving the student a strong positive incentive to work on the material. One of my favorite examples is the dumpling fight scene from Kung Fu Panda, but a direct tangible reward like that isn’t the only way. Some people are looking for recognition, others for furtherance of their own goals. Others seek other rewards. In a one on one teaching situation, incorporating these motivations can greatly improve the teaching experience.

Factoring in how the student learns can also make a difference. Some people are more visual; some have to hear to understand; still others won’t do well unless they can experience the material hands-on.

And why not bring in magic? Most of us are, after all, working in fantasy! History lessons through raising the ghost of a participant in the event, combining scrying and history, or use of illusions to simulate an incident can make for excellent history. Or in more physical or power-related things—one of my favorite characters could hear the flows of the power around her, and I’d always wanted a chance to illustrate how that influenced both her learning and her teaching style (“You’re a little flat in that fourth stroke. Try raising the sword higher or focusing the power a bit more.”). Or what about something like Merlin’s lessons-by-shapeshifting in The Once and Future King?  What if one hires a summoner to give the kid a beastie to practice on under controlled circumstances?

Teaching style—it’s characterization, it’s color, and it’s a good source of interaction. Cultivate a few for your characters today!