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Teaching Over 3 Cities - a Synopsis

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Elmer
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Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2017 7:57 pm
Character Name(s): Elmer

Teaching Over 3 Cities - a Synopsis

Post by Elmer »

I spoke with various dreamers and teachers from Lyra City, Idoclesia and our current City about similarities and differences in teaching. Some would rather not be named, so I will respect that. Some, I was not able to reach in time before this report, and so I have chosen not to quote those individuals.

In Lyran times the population was vast, and due to this teachers were very much in demand and always busy. Because of the sheer volume of dreamers, teachers would almost have to have preformatted tasks in order to meet the demand. I remember one Lyran teacher I spoke to some years back refer to these as "cookie-cutter" tasks. Some Lyra era teachers appreciate that in our times, they can take much more time to focus on their students.

Sphering in Lyra was a big deal. Most houses would not accept dreamers for initiation until they had reached First Sphere, and many times a First Sphere task was given to them in order to gain entry into Membership. All spheres were tasked, there were no simple interviews then to gain one and the tasks themselves were much more involved.
Quoting Drizzt Do Urden - "In Lyra, Third Sphere was a huge deal, Fourth was incredible and Fifth, almost unheard of. The first Dreamer to get 5th was a friend of mine named Kard. He was also the first Dreamer to get 6th Sphere.


Also sphere quests were much more involved and some folks took months or even, literal years to complete one.
In speaking with others from Lyra over my time dreaming, I have also been told that Spheres were a big deal and taken very seriously. Houses would gather together for the event and ceremonies were held for the student to be sphered and then a festive celebration party would be held afterwards.

Master Teachers were very few and it was not implemented right away in the dawn of Lyra. Drizzt told me that in his time, he recalls only 5 total Master Teachers, and he was the first Freespirit Soulmaster to be ordained as such.

In Idoclesia teaching was much different than in Lyra and in our current City. Gaining energy and progressing in Idoclesia was quite a bit more difficult, as they did not have lesser mares to hunt. In order to gain a halo, teachers were mentored by Elders only. The training was very involved. From the information I gathered is sounded as though the population in Idoclesia was comparable to our current times.

One I spoke to said that you worked hard for everything and had to earn what you got, nothing was given. Tasks would take months to complete. They were about research and advancing the city, planesmithing, energy, arts discovery. This dreamer felt that the dreamers in our current city are spoiled in this respect and that possibly too much is just given, without any or little effort.

In asking about time it took for folks to progress in Idoclesia, Krodoc answered,
At a snail's pace, my city had maybe one or two people that reached 5th sphere or higher by the end of it. I was 4th sphere and I was considered to be "high sphered". There were also always strict sphere guidelines in place form the beginning of Idoclesia.


There were very few teachers in Idoclesia, so Elders did most of the tasking until those few other teachers were able to raise their own arts. The most interesting thing I learned in my research about Idoclesia is, that Train and Sphere arts were given (or not given) after a large public interview. The Apprentice was brought to the Unknown to stand before their peers and the Elders. Everyone would "grill" said apprentice, as Krodoc put it and then there would be a vote at the end. Master Teachers did not come about in Idoclesia until towards the end.

Our current City for the most part, teachers are overall pleased with how things are and have evolved up to now. The arrival of the Oracle and her gifts is somewhat split down the middle. Some say it is a great idea and keeps newer dreamers engaged, while others think it does NOT keep them engaged, because they are not having to do the work required to receive these arts. The Library mission boards also have a favorable response, although, I must admit I myself forget about them and don't use them as much as I should, so will have to make a more concerted effort to do so.

Folks are torn on the interviews for First and Second sphere. Some think it is not enough, however, it depends on the teacher. Hopefully those who are giving the interviews are doing a thorough job of it and making sure that the student has the knowledge they should at those levels in order to move on.

On the new Sphere guidelines and requirements there were mixed reviews, some thought it was too much and too time consuming, but the majority seem to be in favor. In asking Soulmaster teacher Coraal about the new guidlines, he gave me this response"

Personally I like them. I think they give dreamers more flexibility in the pursuit of their Sphere without taking away the amount of time and effort it takes to justify the Sphere. I further like that the expanded system now allows additional teachers the opportunity to be involved in the process rather than just running around to ask for supports and doing a series of specifically themed events. To me, the dreamer working to get the Sphere ends up with much greater control over the process and that is as important to me, equally so is that with other teachers now writing support quests? More dreamers are now both involved and potentially invested in the outcomes. A very good thing.


Master Teachers are also in favor of the idea of being able to take on Apprentices and work with them along with the guidance of the Elders. It gives them more responsibility and they feel it is important for the Elders to put that sort of trust and confidence in them.

My overall closing thoughts and personal opinions. I think that the current teaching system is a good one, the only current issues I can see is, because of the Oracle gifts, teachers who have not plateaud their train, or have a low train, do not get much actual teaching in. Our community is mostly high sphered, so the demand is for teachers with Train levels of 30+. I think we do have enough of those to meet the needs of the current population at this time, and our community of Master teachers is growing rather rapidly, so that is good too.

I rather liked the idea of the Public interviews by peers and Elders in Idoclesia, because there was no place to hide and no way to skate your way through an interview, because you would never know what a person would be asking. The downside of it would be, it may turn into a popularity contest, or on the other side of the coin, a lynch mob, but that would all depend on a community.

I am not a Sphere teacher, but as a student, I do like the new Sphere guidelines, because for me personally, having multiple quests that tie into each other is a great way to showcase creativity and frankly, keep my brain from atrophying.

Thank you to all who participated in this and allowed me to interview them.
Whisperer>>elms<<Naturalist
-Greed breeds destruction-
-You'll only ever see what I choose to show you-
-Manners are free-
-The Music of Nature fills the cracks in the mind that words will never reach-
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