Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Teaching and GMing: the key is Connection

I am suffering work procrastination, because of the continual negative association with the teacher and the subject matter. I find the game theory aspect more interesting and relevant but I am forced to look at it in a perspective that is old, out dated, and made to fit into a box.

Procrastination in my situation is caused by lack of an attainable goal with a definite pay off to me. School is supposed to give a pay off through the education and discovery, but stale and disinterested teachers are common obstacles.

making a subject matter, Interesting is not hard. GMing requires me to to make something Interesting and attractive to players, but the psychological sleight of hand is that The GM doesn't make things interesting, it is the players who create the interesting paradox. They do this through their own impulses unrestrained by conventional reality.

Students are quite the same. The world taken from the multiple perspectives of an audience creates a formula of shifting dynamic rainbows of thought. The way a stand up comedian manipulates societal idiosyncrasies and turns it to observational humor, the GM weaves mysteries from the very same questions that form in the back of the players mind.

What is strange is that there is no rocket science in this, it simply comes from the willingness to connect to the students and share in the experiences, observations, and the odd way it becomes the current reality.

Connection, Empathy and the Discipline required to have two other process occurring: Talking and Thinking. All these are honed in constant communication with new people, current events that affect how we now perceive the world, and humble quest for truth.

Gaming is so much in my system, I cannot help but go back to that simple ideas about productivity- where you invest your time and how you do more with what you have determines you competence.

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