[Sca-cooks] Teaching in the SCA

Laura C. Minnick lcm at jeffnet.org
Tue Apr 22 23:05:44 PDT 2008


I've been teaching quite a bit in the past few years, formally and 
informally. The 'House of Pain' is always open for sewing and crafty 
stuff, especially on Thursdays, which is our Project Night. I do stuff 
on the weekends when needed. And I give the 'no, it's not ruined- you 
can still fix it' sort of advice online or on the phone.

Here in An Tir we have an internal university system, the University of 
Ithra, and they are nothing if not organized. Classes are run on a 
pre-reg basis only, so you know how many people to expect well in 
advance, which is really nice for knowing how many handouts to make, 
etc. I've taught a variety of things, but lately I've taught the 'Survey 
of the Middle Ages' class several times- it's rather like squeezing the 
essence of Western Civ 101 into one class. Very hard on the teacher, and 
not much easier on the students (one 4-hour class!), so I'm working with 
them to reformat a bit. Finding people to teach that one isn't easy, so 
I have a little leeway.

Personally, I love the Western Civ class because it's my favorite 
teaching style- basic classroom lecture. That's what I was trained to do 
(what else would my weird degree do for me?) and I like to think that 
I'm a pretty dynamic lecturer. Takes a lot out of me though. Last time I 
taught that class, I went through 2 liters of water. And I was pretty 
much a blithering idiot on the way home (Mel, don't you say it!).

My observation though is that most SCA teachers are happiest one-on-one 
or with small groups, and with an informal setup. Most people really 
don't like to get up in front of people if they can avoid it.

I hate putting together handouts. Hate it hate it hate it. Because no 
matter what I put in, someone always wants something different. When I 
am Empress of the Universe, I will make my students take their own 
notes! And I sure wish there was an easier way to write bibliographies, 
but there isn't. :-P

Is any of that any use?

'Lainie

-- 
"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."  -Albus Dumbledore

~~~Follow my Queenly perambulations at: http://slugcrossings.blogspot.com/





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