[Ansteorra] Teaching on-or-off topic

[DonnelShaw at aol.com]

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Mahee is right. As teachers we are more likely to be the ones attending the
demos. I am more inclined to go to a demo than an event. Why? Simple. To
Teach.  We are an educational group. We like to learn different things but
that also means someone has to teach. Weather it is from the person who wrote
a book or the person that tells you that little fact that makes everything
worth while. Teachers are an interracial part of the SCA we either started in
college and became teachers or later in life became teachers. If you take a
roll call you will find there are many teachers in the SCA. They are a vital
part of our SCA society. It is their service mentality that helps us grow.

We talk about wanting our SCA groups to grow. To recruit new people. Think
about it. If we as SCAers were not learning and growing would we still be
here? Who helps with that learning? A teacher Certified or uncertified. When
a person takes a squire, page, apprentice, student, prodigies they are
agreeing to teach that person. That person wants to learn. (I hope) This is
how we keep people. Then we do demos to find and teach new people look to see
who is at the demos. I can tell you this it is not always the same one's who
are at events that same weekend. It is not that we don't want to go to the
events. But that the calling to teach is stronger.

Personally I believe that our future is in doing demos for the children. I do
demos each year in my child's classroom. I demo each day in my classroom. I
try and teach the values that have become important. I found my self saying
"Honor is doing the right thing when no one is looking." Wonder where I got
that...... I try and make time in the summers or weekends for other demos if
my personal life allows. (I now have my own children and their activities.)
In doing these demo we plant seed. It will not be an immediate reward or
recruitment but a future one. I attended the first TRF in 4th grade. The seed
was planted. It did not come to sprout till I was 19. Many others have stated
similar stories.

Now I need to talk about our own children. SCA has grown and changed over the
years. Most of us started as college students. And we had fun! It is amazing
how little we took to events back then.:) But as the years have passed most
of use now have children. The events are not quiet like they were. And
sometimes I am thankful. But we also have to remember our children and plant
the seed there as well. Teach them the skills they will need to be
productive. We are doing a better job than 10 years ago and are still
striving to do better.

So listening/reading about what a teacher goes threw and how they think is
important and on topic. It will also help you to understand why most of us
are not around in Aug or a little on the short side. But at the end of May or
early June you see us at events being wild for a change.  It will help you to
understand why we speak the way we do (If you ever notice I am big on eye
contact and I usually touch the other persons arm. This is habit to keep the
child's attention) and we are not normal till Sat evening. Or that we talk
your ear off because you are an adult :)

And why am I responding? To help others understand. To Teach.
Donnel

In a message dated 11/17/02 8:57:04 AM Central Standard Time,
mahee_of_acre at yahoo.com writes:

> Actually much of the teacher conversation directly affects the SCA, because
> simular thought and feelings go with demos. I have done a lot of demos, in
> schools, scout camps, and TRF. The next guy over says, "well, I did not
> join the SCA to do demos." Basically they said that they did not join the
> SCA to be a teacher. I do not fault them for this. Please, do not think I
> am.
> But, much of the feelings discussed here should enlighten you as to the
> feels felt by the people who have given up going to Crown Tourney because
> the demo near their home every year, or those who you do not see at events
> all TRF season because they are selflessly sharing their time answering
> questions and teaching skills to strangers at demos.
>