Three Things DM's can Learn from Teachers
Marta felt the ache in her back as she straightened. She had picked up the last piece of paper, and she looked with satisfaction at her neat classroom. Every year it was getting harder, and she knew that she couldn’t keep doing this much longer. Thankfully, she had Larilla helping on some of the days, and whilst Larilla had always been a shy little thing, even as a young girl when Marta had taught her, she was bright, she knew her numbers, letters, and geography, and she cared. She wondered what she would do without her, and she knew that she was lucky to have someone to take over. She knew of other villages without the money or a teacher, and the kids weren’t so lucky. She snorted to herself and thought of the “education” that that old fool Ellowyn gave them. When she felt too tired to cook, or the rare occasion that she hankered for some company, she would wander into the inn to join the others for some of Tarryn’s stew. There she would sit and listen as Ellowyn wove his tales. She would love to see him try to teach Svethina her numbers! She smiled at the memory of the successes she had had with the large girl: once the class bully. Whilst she hadn’t managed to tame all her wild ways, she now accepted Marta’s tutelage and could even be counted on to shush the other children when Marta was trying to get their attention. Her smile immediately turned to a wince as she remembered that Svethina’s unsettled home life could still mean that she had bad days.
Art Credit: Akhala-eila-Nernani
I have seen a couple of articles about what teachers can learn from Dungeon Masters, and I thought I’d write a little in response to those. Yes, we’ve all had terrible teachers, and I’ve sure heard of or had some horrendous experiences with teachers, but on the most part, teachers do their best, and we probably weren’t as appreciative of their good qualities or as thankful as we should have been. Unlike Dungeon Masters, whilst teachers do have a captive audience in a manner of speaking, that audience - their students, more often than not, would rather not be there. This means that they have to hone their craft to make learning… well, maybe not fun all the time, but significantly less painful. They work hard to convey the lessons well and to engage their classes.
Now to say that I was the epitome of good teaching would be to set myself up for embarrassment and failure, and as I mention later on, not all my students would sing my praises. As I have also mentioned elsewhere, unfortunately, the pressures of exams mean that teachers far too often have to push students through the curriculum. We would much rather spend the time taking the proper time to bed and understand the concepts, not to mention fanning the flames of curiosity and exploring the wonders of our subjects. Still, I have a good idea of what good teaching looks like and the traits that can be transferred to the role of the Dungeon Master. So here are three lessons that can be learned from teachers and perhaps things that you might employ, or at least think about, as Dungeon Masters.
Monitoring energy levels, watching for burn-out.
Far too often, I hear about Dungeon Masters who have given up or burned out. They have over-worked themselves, lost their enthusiasm, and/or run out of energy.
Obviously, and unfortunately, we hear about teachers who leave the profession all the time: burned out, disillusioned and exhausted. I have thought about it myself on occasion. Most teachers, however, find a way or the right school or environment to carry on.
My first piece of advice to young teachers is to figure out what motivates them. For many, it’s because they care, and they’re doing it for the children. It’s certainly not for the pay, even in the private sector. For DMs, it’s figuring out why you’re doing it, what you enjoy and what you get the most reward from.
However, this in itself is not enough. You have to find ways to conserve energy. Like teaching, being a Dungeon Master can be exhausting. You are presenting and giving yourself and have to be quick on your feet, performing mental tricks for a few hours on end. The prep you can do is never-ending. So, like teachers, find tricks to reduce the workload. Steal as many resources as you can. The internet is an amazing resource. This is why I put as many resources on my Facebook page and website as possible (nicely categorized if I do say so myself). Share resources with other Dungeon Masters.
During the sessions, try and build in encounters, puzzles, or tasks where you know that your group will have to discuss things amongst themselves. Get them roleplaying with each other. The more they interact with each other, the less time you have to work to keep up with them.
I almost quit during my teacher training. I was left alone in my training school, and I was struggling so much. At my lowest point, we had a half-term break, and I met up with others on my course. Talking to them, hearing their struggles, and sharing the pain helped a lot. This can be true for Dungeon Masters too. Find groups, either online or physically, where you can ask for help and resources… and encouragement. Talk to other Dungeon Masters and share your struggles. You will find that you are not alone.
Pace yourself. If you can find other Dungeon Masters, take it in turn. Talk to your group about your struggles. Perhaps one or two will step up to take a turn. Find other Dungeon Masters you can share your struggles with, ask for help, or find someone who understands what you are going through.
Allow yourself to take breaks when you need them. After four years of teaching, I returned to study for a Masters degree in IT. I was considering going into IT until I realized that not only did I miss teaching, but I was pretty good at it. After that break, I was a lot more content to commit myself fully to the career,
I could, and may in future, write a whole article about this, but for now: look after yourselves and one another.
Credit: consumeraffairs.com
Players, please take care of your Dungeon Masters as well. It can be a hard and thankless task.
Know your group
I remember once a sixth-former (17-year-old) wandered by my classroom. He saw me sitting at my desk whilst my class of younger students was working relatively quietly through exercises. They were not working in silence, and I like my students to collaborate and help one another and even have the answers they can check. He cheekily commented about how easy my job was. I laughed, knowing he was joking - he was a bright student, and he knew that I would often answer some of the hardest questions that he got stuck on - but despite this, I stopped the class for a minute. I proceeded to go around the class and talk about each student (it was quite a small class) and show that I could fairly accurately predict which question each of them was working on in the exercise, where they were making their mistakes, and whether they had checked their answers yet. This was partly because I kept a good ear out for what questions each of them were asking one another, but also because I knew the students well: I knew which ones needed more help than the others and the pace at which they worked; I knew which ones were struggling with the basic concepts and which ones were making silly mistakes and just needed to be careful; I knew which ones needed to check their answers, and which ones spent too much time on their presentation; I knew which ones needed encouragement, which ones needed positive praise, and which ones needed a gentle nudge or a more stern reminder. The example of Svethina in the opening story is also one that most teachers will relate to. It can be heartbreaking to know that a student is having difficulties at home or elsewhere. We do what we can to be gentle with those students while not allowing poor behavior and managing the classroom for the other students.
Knowing your group: watching how they interact, how long they need to think about strategy, how they get frustrated with other players, what they find difficult, and what they love will vastly improve your DMing skills. Read your group, and you’ll know the perfect time to interject before the “rules lawyer” starts their rant, or the “lore nerd” begins their lecture that will undoubtedly send the others to sleep. Encourage the more shy players unless they absolutely hate the limelight, give the “power gamer” their epic moment in battle, and set up those moments for the “amorous bard” (it’s not always a bard) to flirt. The better you know your group, the more you’ll be able to cater your adventures for them. Even if you are running pre-written adventures, I would always recommend reading them rigorously beforehand and tinkering with them. You can choose to change things up to pander specifically to your party. Also, the more likely you’ll know when they are having an off-day and whether it’s something you might want to ask them about and if it’s something you’ve said or done to upset them, whether it’s something unrelated to the game. It’s no wonder that tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons are increasingly used in therapy.
Sometimes it’s not you. It’s them
Dungeon Masters can often be their own worst enemy by being incredibly self-critical. If things are not working at the table, if players are disruptive, not enjoying your game, finding your playing style difficult. A whole host of other problems... sometimes it’s not your fault, and you have to learn to forgive yourself, especially if you have tried your best to accommodate them or change your style.
I have now been teaching for over 20 years, and even more recently, I have had a couple of classes that have really tested me. I have had lots of praise for my teaching and many great successes with students in the past, but sometimes some students don’t get what you are trying to do. As you become more experienced, you will learn more ways to cater to different students (and how to deal with really difficult parents), but there are some times when it just isn’t a good fit, or you have a bad start or first impression, and that can be true for Dungeon Masters too. I have literally had two students from the same class: one who loved the class and said I was the best teacher they have ever had (don’t worry, I try not to let it go to my head), and the other who said I was the worst teacher they have ever had and seemingly hated me (I try not to let that one depress me too much too). The latter was thrown into my class in the middle of a complicated topic and struggled to understand what I was trying to explain. I had the trust of the rest of the class that I could teach them, and they would eventually get there. This student felt immediately lost and so blamed that on me. I lost their trust for the rest of the year.
There’s been much said and written about the “Mercer Effect.” In the context of players, they expect that the Dungeon Master will be just like Matt Mercer and that the game will be similar to Critical Role. They are then upset when the Dungeon Master and/or group disappoints. Those expectations are usually unrealistic, and the Dungeon Master is most likely doing their best to run a great game. If a player does not like your Dungeon Mastering style, they constantly complain or are just wanting more from you, sometimes it might be better if they find another group that suits them better, and you have to have that conversation with them. They may leave with hurt, blame, insults, and recriminations, but let them go. You can’t be too hard on yourself in these cases. Don’t blame yourself, don’t take it to heart, and move on quickly. Please do your best, but it’s a game, not a job, and sometimes, it’s them, not you.
In writing this article, I am very much aware of things I need to implement/ do better in my own games, both with my students and adults. To continue to grow, learn, and improve is also the sign of a good teacher, or in fact, any professional. I am far from a top-tier Dungeon Master, but I think that these pointers will help me continue improving, and I hope will be something useful to you.
Reflection is probably one of the most important tools a Dungeon Master has to improve.
One more pointer, this time for players. Please do encourage your Dungeon Masters. Thank them for great sessions, tell them what they are doing well, and show your enthusiasm for their games. The best Dungeon Masters are confident Dungeon Masters, who know that what they are doing is what their players enjoy.
This article started with five things that DMs can learn from teachers, but I realized that it was way too long even after I tried to remain brief upon writing those. In preparation for this, I also have a list of at least another twelve points that I have used to encourage young teachers that can translate to be used to encourage Dungeon Masters too. That’s why this is just episode one.
To summarise:
Talk to your group, get to know them.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if it isn’t working out
Look after yourself.
Marta sighed and conceded that Ellowyn was a great storyteller. He had even come to ask for her advice. That took her by surprise, given the usual arrogance that accompanied that mischievous smile. Perhaps he had changed from the cocky young bard who had once chased her… along with every other pretty young lady in the realm. She had never given in to his charms but cleverly returned his charm with witty comments of her own, holding his interest until he had at least taught her the Minor Illusion cantrip. At first, she had used it all the time to wow the children with ever-increasingly fun displays, but eventually, she realized that it was no substitute for hard work and practice. Still, it came in handy and added to the tales that she wove to introduce new topics and impress the school’s sponsors and parents.
She thought back to Ellowyn and realized that his interesting tales did challenge her students so that her lessons did not and would only serve to improve her students’ minds. It wasn’t teaching... but it was education… of a sort... and he wasn’t bad looking for an old rogue either. Perhaps next time, he asked to take her for dinner...
