Dungeons and Dragons for credit?

[sierramv1]

After much resistance on my part, my DS is obsessed with D&D. He has organized two different levels of games at our local Co-op. He does all the communicating with his peers and adults about using the space and providing supervision, as well as extensively writes the story, as he is the DM for both groups. I struggle with how much time he spends on this, but the skills he’s learning are valuable skills. However the time commitment is competing with other responsibilities, and ‘for credit’ school work.

 

I don’t know whether to limit his time, try to give him a creative writing credit, or chalk it up to just a big time sucking interest. Oh this sounds horrible as I write it, mainly because I fail to see the value in D&D. 😕 Am I being unreasonable? TIA

[klmama]

This shows off his leadership skill, organization, communication, and creativity.  Don't hide it in a transcript; highlight it as an extracurricular.  As for the time concerns, you might consider tying his ability to participate to his ability to get all of his schoolwork done.  All of my kids have had time-consuming passions; once they understood they had to get their work done to participate, they did.  In fact, it amazed me at how efficient they became.  You might find the same.

 

 

[regentrude]

This could be an extracurricular.

I would not give academic credit. 

 

And not everything our kids do has to end up on the transcript AT ALL. Some things kids just... DO.

[Jilly]

This shows off his leadership skill, organization, communication, and creativity.  Don't hide it in a transcript; highlight it as an extracurricular. 

 

:iagree:

 

With all the time he is putting into this, I would definitely list it under extracurriculars. 

Edited February 17, 2018 by Jilly

[sierramv1]

This could be an extracurricular.

I would not give academic credit.

 

And not everything our kids do has to end up on the transcript AT ALL. Some things kids just... DO.

I agree it’s not academic, which is why I struggle. He spends 8-10 hours a week creating, researching, and facilitating the sessions. I have a hard time justifying that every week when there are other things he needs to be putting time into. However, he shows significant leadership and organizational skills to pull it all off. As well as mediating arguments and disappointed players. He has shown tremendous maturity.....after talking it through, I guess that kind of character development is valuable in and of itself.

 

In public school I know they have classes for video game development, etc. Personally I think what he is doing is much more impressive!

Edited February 17, 2018 by sierramv1

[freesia]

Yes, it is impressive, but more as an extra curricular.  It should absolutely be highlighted. Colleges want to see interest and leadership outside of the academics.  He can use the experience to write essays.  It would also be good for scholarships (so many of the scholarship/honors apps wanted to know about most significant extracurricular esp. those that have leadership).  The hours per week would go on the Common App or resume, if he writes one.  You could highlight parts on the counselor letter.  Trust me, you can and should find a way to put it on the apps--but not as academic.

[regentrude]

I agree it’s not academic, which is why I struggle. He spends 8-10 hours a week creating, researching, and facilitating the sessions. I have a hard time justifying that every week when there are other things he needs to be putting time into. However, he shows significant leadership and organizational skills to pull it all off. As well as mediating arguments and disappointed players. He has shown tremendous maturity.....after talking it through, I guess that kind of character development is valuable in and of itself.

 

In public school I know they have classes for video game development, etc. Personally I think what he is doing is much more impressive!

 

Classes for video game development have instruction, which makes them academic coursework.

 

An activity your student spends lots of time at, but which is not part of the required curriculum and in which there is no instruction, is an extracurricular activity. He will have the opportunity to highlight this in his college application and can make it stand out much more there than in a credit buried in the transcript.

It also makes potentially a strong essay topic.

Edited February 17, 2018 by regentrude

[OneStepAtATime]

I am on my phone so hard to respond but I am a Dungeon Master myself and both of my kids play. Skills D&D can foster:

 

Leadership

Character development

Creative writing

Cartography

Life skills math

Improvisation

Group Dynamics

Organizational skills

Project planning

Problem solving

Crisis management

General social skills

Understanding of history and how history is a tapestry

Ability to work with different personality types

Better understanding of political structures

Tolerance for other belief systems and cultures

Acting

 

 

 

And so on. The list can be long, depending on how the game is played. I find it far more educational than standard board games/computer games and actually much more engaging than many standard academic materials.

 

My gifted dyslexic son who also has vision issues began reading a lot more once he started DMing for D&D. The material deeply engaged his brain and made the extraordinary effort he had to put into reading the material well worth it which in turn improved his reading/writing/spelling/organizational skills, etc.

 

I agree with tying your son's D&D stuff to needing to also accomplish his other academic goals. He needs to get his other stuff done. Absolutely. But keep in mind D&D can absolutely provide a fantastic avenue for improving traditional academic skills as well as life skills and job skills. Especially if he is the dungeon master his time spent is not wasted, IMHO. He just needs balance. Help him achieve balance.

 

And yes I would brainstorm with him and dig in deeper to find a way to officially acknowledge what he is doing on his transcript.

 

FWIW, my mother was a public school teacher for many years. She tolerated my brother and I playing but didn't pay that much attention. Now, with her grandson, she is paying closer attention and has been blown away by the wide range of skills he is acquiring. In fact she has frequently suggested that someone should write a curriculum based on this game because of the potential she sees across multiple disciplines.

 

In fact, it has been so useful that one of the local homeschool parents blocked out time every single week for her High School age son to come over to my house and play. He has to finish his other academic requirements but she has seen improvement in his writing/reading/math/organizational/leadership/group interaction skills/etc since starting the game last year.

Edited February 17, 2018 by OneStepAtATime

[sierramv1]

I am on my phone so hard to respond but I am a Dungeon Master myself and both of my kids play. Skills D&D can foster:

 

Leadership

Character development

Creative writing

Cartography

Life skills math

Improvisation

Group Dynamics

Organizational skills

Project planning

Problem solving

Crisis management

General social skills

Understanding of history and how history is a tapestry

Ability to work with different personality types

Better understanding of political structures

Tolerance for other belief systems and cultures

Acting

 

 

 

And so on. The list can be long, depending on how the game is played. I find it far more educational than standard board games/computer games and actually much more engaging than many standard academic materials.

 

My gifted dyslexic son who also has vision issues began reading a lot more once he started DMing for D&D. The material deeply engaged his brain and made the extraordinary effort he had to put into reading the material well worth it which in turn improved his reading/writing/spelling/organizational skills, etc.

 

I agree with tying your son's D&D stuff to needing to also accomplish his other academic goals. He needs to get his other stuff done. Absolutely. But keep in mind D&D can absolutely provide a fantastic avenue for improving traditional academic skills as well as life skills and job skills. Especially if he is the dungeon master his time spent is not wasted, IMHO. He just needs balance. Help him achieve balance.

 

And yes I would brainstorm with him and dig in deeper to find a way to officially acknowledge what he is doing on his transcript.

 

FWIW, my mother was a public school teacher for many years. She tolerated my brother and I playing but didn't pay that much attention. Now, with her grandson, she is paying closer attention and has been blown away by the wide range of skills he is acquiring. In fact she has frequently suggested that someone should write a curriculum based on this game because of the potential she sees across multiple disciplines.

 

In fact, it has been so useful that one of the local homeschool parents blocked out time every single week for her High School age son to come over to my house and play. He has to finish his other academic requirements but she has seen improvement in his writing/reading/math/organizational/leadership/group interaction skills/etc since starting the game last year.

â¤ï¸ Thank You ðŸ™

[Lori D.]

Don't underestimate the value that an activity like this can provide by letting it shine on the separate Extracurricular Activities document -- this is the sort of personal passion and dedication to developing an interest that makes a student really stand out in college applications. Because, JMO, counting it as a course *hides* all the great skills DS is using as *just hours toward a credit*, and is only seen as a course title on the transcript. 

 

In posts above, klmama explained how this activity can really shine, and OneStepAtATime provided a great list of skill words you can use in writing it up on the extracurricular list, and as part of an essay for admissions or scholarships. :)

 

The only aspect I am seeing right off the bat that could work as hours toward an academic credit would be the creative writing of the stories for the campaigns. That could certainly be counted as 0.5-1.0 credit of English: Creative Writing, depending on how much time and polishing goes into the writing. It might be possible to call this an Elective credit, but again, I would worry that would diminish the value of all the skills your DS really is developing.

 

As far as this passion interfering with completing other credits... Can you sit down with DS and explain what is happening, and also let him know that the other credits *need* to also be completed. Give him some options as to how this could be resolved, and have him be a part of making the decision for how to resolve this. Some ideas:

 

- he delegates some of the responsibilities, and gives others in the group the opportunity to practice leadership

- he finishes out the current campaign, and lets the group know now to think about volunteering to step up and be the DM for the second half of the semester

- he finishes out the co-op, and then does summer school to complete the work that is being neglected for the other credits -- and there are different ways that could happen; for example:

* continue with all the courses, at the reduced hours/week, and then just go for as many weeks into the semester as it takes to finish off those courses

* drop one course for now, and use the time that would have been spent on that course during the semester on the other courses, and then do that one course as summer school

* drop one course for now, and add it into next year's schedule, so do extra academics next year

* drop one course for now, and in the 11th or 12th grade year do dual enrollment to "catch up", as a 1-semester college course frequently = 1-YEAR of high school

 

 

Good for your DS in working so hard and being so responsible with this co-op class in D&D! BEST of luck in together figuring out how to bring some balance and how to make his hard work shine best! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[cbollin]

This paper (for someone's phd thesis defense)

https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/19845/Stone%2C%20Ashley%20%28DM%20Voice%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

 

has some ideas about incorporating D&D into collegiate classroom. and includes some ideas for syllabus and assessment.  Maybe it's not out of the idea zone for fine arts in high school?  Interesting ideas in there and thought it might be enjoyed by others on the forum for academic discussion.

[OneStepAtATime]

This paper (for someone's phd thesis defense)

https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/19845/Stone%2C%20Ashley%20%28DM%20Voice%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

 

has some ideas about incorporating D&D into collegiate classroom. and includes some ideas for syllabus and assessment.  Maybe it's not out of the idea zone for fine arts in high school?  Interesting ideas in there and thought it might be enjoyed by others on the forum for academic discussion.

Thanks for this.  I am reading through it as I have time.  Interesting.  :)

[foxbridgeacademy]

I agree it’s not academic, which is why I struggle. He spends 8-10 hours a week creating, researching, and facilitating the sessions. I have a hard time justifying that every week when there are other things he needs to be putting time into. However, he shows significant leadership and organizational skills to pull it all off. As well as mediating arguments and disappointed players. He has shown tremendous maturity.....after talking it through, I guess that kind of character development is valuable in and of itself.

 

In public school I know they have classes for video game development, etc. Personally I think what he is doing is much more impressive!

I wish my kids only spent 8-10 hours per week on D&D.... not really, they LOVE it and it has changed their lives and outlook. Made them more social and creative. I am the dissenting voice here because I would and do give credit for D&D as an elective.  One year it might be creative writing another it's preforming arts, my kids truly improv and preform their characters. Since I'm in a state that doesn't tell me what counts for credit I can count it however i want.

[rocassie]

I know when I was in high school, we could apply for an Independent Study.  I don't know all the criteria because I never applied.  The few friends often applied so they could focus extra time on a passion.  One friend wrote a novel, another choreographed a ballet, and another composed a piano piece.  All three also did extra curriculars in these areas as well, but the completion and excution of their independent study built many of the skills that your son is exhibiting fueled by their passion in their chosen area.

 

While it is certainly reasonable to consider it just an extracurriculer, homeschooling gives us flexibility that not all schools have.  I know one of the schools by me that is STEM focus (I can't remember specifically what is called, but I know another school focuses heavily in the arts), the students can take a class that basically plans and executes their annual science/invention fair, but at other schools is an extracurricular heavily planned by the science teachers.

 

[City Mouse]

While I agree that D&D alone would not be a high school credit, my DS has incorporated his interest into two different essays for English. He just finished a descriptive essay where he wrote about his D&D character.

[katilac]

 He spends 8-10 hours a week creating, researching, and facilitating the sessions. I have a hard time justifying that every week when there are other things he needs to be putting time into 

 

 

Why? I certainly want my kids to have 10+ hours a week to spend on their personal pursuits, and myself and dh for that matter. 

[Mom22ns]

Why? I certainly want my kids to have 10+ hours a week to spend on their personal pursuits, and myself and dh for that matter. 

 

This was my thought as well.

 

Dd spent 20 hours/week in the gym (gymnastics) and ds spent untold hours on role-playing games (D&D isn't his favorite system, but he plays it occasionally) and nearly as many on his youtube channel as well. I vote keep D&D an extracurricular. I love what RPGs did for ds. Like the OP's son, he learned leadership, it was a great creative outlet, it improved his social skills and more, but none of that makes it an academic pursuit.