teacher quest (summer 1222)

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: The Prestige of Thebes
73

"Please sit," Christophoros gestures towards a chair. "Can I offer you some wine?" Again, the schoolmaster makes sure that the pleasantries are taken care of before proceeding to the main interview.

"Indeed, your mentor did write me about your seeking a position with us as well as your accomplishments." He pauses with a smile, "I was certainly left with the impression that you were competent for the job, but would you mind me asking some questions about your schooling and studies?" He then proceeds to evaluate the knowledge of Leontios.

"How is it that you are applying for a position with our new school, established in the solitude of the mountains, rather than seek one out from a more established and prestigious school? Or even building out your own clientele and teaching on your own?"

74

"I see an opportunity here, not just to succeed but to be, if you will pardon the word, immortalized. I understand you have ambitions for this school to grow to the point of a university, and that will take time. You are an older man, I expect we can get the school grown within your lifetime, and I want to be there beside you, building it into a monument to learning and a respected institution. I am hoping that my foresight, commitment and ability will put me in a position to succeed you and be remembered in posterity as one of the founders of the institution we can make this school."

75

"I see," Christophoros replies thoughtfully, "but what if I live longer than you would hope for?" The schoolmaster smiles, "For I do plan to live for many years yet and this may prove to be longer than you may hope for. Are you ready to wait another thirty years?"

"Also," he adds, "you should know that the patrons of the school may select another to succeed me, in any case. So even if you do demonstrate 'foresight, commitment and ability', there is no garantee that you will my successor. And," he concludes, "The school may not become the respected institution we hope for."

"In short, if succeeding me is your main reason for applying for a position... Well, I'm not sure it is the best of reasons."

(Stats?)

76

Ancient Greek:4, Philosophae 2-4, artes librales 3-4, SQ:9-11

"Success is the motivation for everything. I'm sure you wish to live so long, and certainly it is not beyond the realm of the imagination, but the same issues face me anywhere I go in terms of my ability to advance, here the risks are slightly higher, but the potential rewards significantly more so."

77

"Very well then," Christophoros says, "that explains why you would like to join our school. Now," he asks with a twinkle, "why should I chose you over other applicants? What is the attribute, in your opinion, that makes you different from anyone else? That would make you the one candidate that is particularly suited to the position?"

78

"I will be committed, above and beyond any other candidate, to the success of the school, as I have consciously staked my own future success to the school succeeding."

79

Christophoros moves on to a different topic, "What is your opinion on the education of women?"

80

He stops, as if he has never considered this before.
"The only issue I could see is that they aren't likely to be admitted to a university, unless I suppose it is for medicine. Then again if they are paying for education, I say we educate them."

81

"And if they were to be knowledgeable enough to act as a fellow teacher? How would you view that?"

82

"Right now that is your decision. 15 to thirty years from now... I would try and evaluate the individual, not the gender. Maybe the circumstances. The only way I could see gender being a problem is if some people would refuse to be taught as a result."

83

"Very well then," Christophoros rises as he concludes the interview. "I will be in touch soon to let you know if you will be joining us." He smiles and thanks Leontios for his time.

(What now? Any more candidates? Not that it is really necessary, as I believe I have enough to fill all positions that the school can afford at this time.)

EDIT: Added color to text and fixed a small typo.

84

We can go ahead and conclude here. Who is in what position for your final list?

85

I'm missing a key piece of information for Zaccharius, Samuel, Cyra and Leontios. What's theit Teaching ability like? You only gave me their SQ, but I also need to know how many students they can manage...

86

Zacharius and Samuel have 3, Leonitis and Cyra both have 5.

87

Christophoros will first invite Dositheos for a second meeting to make him an offer under the standard terms(1), with the understanding that after a year of teaching, if things go well, he might get a small raise and be moved to the rank of "regular teacher".

The second teacher to whom Christophoros will make an offer to is Cyra. Again, standard terms of employment, with the same understanding as for Dositheos. But also a warning that if she initiates trouble, he may have to (relucantly) let her go.

Two special case also. He will offer a position to Niketas, but mostly as an assistant and scribe for the school. He will also be called to teach music to those students so inclined. Wages would only be 1 penny per week, but otherwise the terms are quite similar to the standard ones. It also includes a promise that, if things go well, he will eventually get a raise. Christophoros couches this as an opportunity to continue his studies while working for the school.

He will also make a special offer to Leontios. He would officially get the same rank as the others, but initially half of his time would be spent to recruit additional students for the school and make it better known. As the roster of students increases, he would then move to more teaching. With the promise of the rank of "regular teacher" as well, if things go well.

Samuel has already been hired. For Zaccharius, Christophoros will write a letter to let him know that unfortunately he could not (at this time) offer him a position.

(1) The rank of junior teacher, 2 pennies per week as well as room and board, access to the school's library. Two seasons working to teach students.

At the end of Summer, when all the candidates are settled down at the school but a couple of weeks before the students start to arrive, Christophoros will hold a meeting with all of the new staff.

88

6xp, 2 confidence, go ahead and use this thread for starting the meeting...

89

Between this story and 1 xp from An honord visitor (summer 1222), and considering the seasonal activity he was performing (teaching), I would allocate 2 xp to Teaching and 5 xp to Leadership.

I have updated the Seasonal Activities 1222 topic to indicate this.

I will start the meeting later today.

90

“First, I would like to welcome you all to my school. I’ve met each of you several times individually to discuss, and I’m sure that you’ve had some time to talk to each other since arriving, but I felt it important that we get together to discuss the organization of the curriculum and assignments for each of us.”

“Our school is new and untried -- many of you lack the experience that studying in a great school brings, although each of you have previous teaching experience to varying degrees. But I feel that each of you have something to bring to the school and to each other. As I mentioned in my initial letters, I am convinced that with time, we will be able to make this school equal to the great universities of Italy and France.”

“But that is still years and decades away. For now, we need to discuss how we will teach our students.” Christophoros pauses to look each of them in the eyes before continuing. “You each have at least some experience as individual teachers. You also have a variety of knowledge in the arts, in philosophiae and in other subjects. But none of you,” he pauses and corrects himself, “none of us, not even me, is a master of all subjects. Thus, we all have more to learn as well as teach. Not only to our students, but to each other. So it is my hope that, under my tutelage and with each other’s sharing, we will be able to improve the quality of our teaching in the years to come.”

“For now, though, I would like to discuss how we will share the burden of teaching the students entrusted into our care. They are at different stages of education, and come from different background. Some of them were my students earlier this year, while others will be new students altogether.”

“So, based on this and discussions with each of you about your strengths, I propose the following structure for the first semester. Note that this may change as time progresses and that the next semester may very well be different.”

“Samuel and Leontios will take charge of the youngest students, teaching them their letters and introducing them to the Trivium. Samuel will be doing this full time, while Leontios will share his time between this task and another. That is, the recruitment of new students and making sure that our school. For, as I have mentioned before, it is my hope that our school will grow.”

“Cyra and Dositheos will take charge of teaching the intermediate students, mostly in terms of teaching the philosopihae, but also the beginnings of theology and medicine, as well as Classical Greek.”

“Niketas, in addition to providing administrative assistance to the school in general, will also give introductory classes on music and Latin, for those students so inclined.”

“As for myself, I shall split my time between the most advanced of our students, providing them with the higher teaching in the Quadrivium, Classical Greek and Latin, and with helping each of you advance your own studies.”

“Additionally, as I mentioned during your interviews, we will have access to a small collection of books to help us prepare our classes as well as advance our studies. I encourage you to make use of them in your free time, and though it is small now I plan on growing this library in the future. Also, I encourage you all to share your knowledge with each other.”

After the discussion of details of the curriculum, Christophoros will address another subject.

91

((Not sure how we should proceed for the meeting, since it is essentially Christophoros played by me and 5 redshirts talking to each other. If other players want to jump in and take control of the other teachers, we free to do so.))

92

After some discussion of the curriculum, and how the different teachers will organize themselves to cather to the students, Christophoros moves to another subject.

"As some of you may know, a recent resolution between Duke Geoffrey and the Vatican, to lift his excommunication, resulted in a the duke offering to promote Latin education and clergy. As part of this initiative, I received an offer for a Roman priest to join us at the school, to teach Latin and theology to our students. I would like you opinion of this, as I am undecided on whether this would be a good thing or not."