From: salley@niktow.canisius.edu (David Salley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Clueless Classes
Date: 29 Aug 92 04:49:58 GMT
Organization: Canisius College, Buffalo NY. 14208

Arval writes:
> I think requiring a letter from the head of a kingdom
> guild, a kingdom officer, or other reliable source
> might be enough to ensure that most of the teachers are
> competent.
  
Unless it's the Arts & Sciences officer, I don't see how a kingdom officer
would be qualified to judge.  Under "other reliable source" I would include
A&S officers barony level and up, principality and baronial guilds heads
(generally, the lower the level, the closer the interaction between the head
and the members), Laurels in their field, principality and kingdom arts award
holders ditto, previous teachers of same/similar fields (Of course he's good,
who do you think taught me? ;-) )  If the teacher _IS_ one of the above
categories then outside verification should be utilized to avoid self-approval.

Vajk writes:
> Also, it would be unusual, I think, for a
> report to have been sent to a kingdom officer that
> so-and-so is doing research in such-and-such a field.
> While research into an unusual or unexpected field
> might be noted, reporting such things as "Vajk has
> researched Magyar history this quarter" is not likely
> to be done to any officer.  It's just too common,
> and most of us do some type of research during a
> reporting period.  Unless it was something specific,
> it will probably not be reported even to a local
> officer.
  
As AEthelmearc's A&S officer, I have to disagree (Hi Hillary! ;-))
The standard _baronial_ A&S report includes a paragraph on each guild or
great household with individuals completing 'great projects' mentioned by
name, BUT a typical _shire_ report generally mentions EACH member of the
shire and what they've been working on.  If the individual doesn't have a
specific project at the moment, "Vajk has researched Magyar history this
quarter" is pretty much the standard inclusion.  Again, this is my _personal_
opinion from my experience as AEthelmearc's A&S officer, your mileage may vary.

> In the long run, IF a kingdom officer or guild-head
> can vouch for someone, that's great.  If not, it
> does not mean that the person is incompetent to
> teach the class, and some other method would need
> to be found.

Agreed, I've been teaching juggling for years and none of the above criteria
fits me except the other teacher category.  I once had a beginning juggler
introduced to me as a "great-grandstudent" of mine ;-) [I taught the person
who taught the person who taught him]

> I really hope we can find some solution, as my own
> experience shows that anyone could teach anything
> right now.
  
Also agreed.  I once attended a university where it was announced that 'even
the queen was teaching a course'.  Since I considered her to be an egotistical
airhead, I checked the schedule to see what she considered herself qualified
to teach.  She was teaching _How to Wait on High Table_, something she's 
never done in her life!  It was a course on how to wait on her.  I stuck my
head in the door to see if anyone actually attended the course or if she
was sitting alone in an empty classroom.  Unfortunately, she did draw seven
or eight impressionable newbies. *Sigh*
                                                       - Dagonell

SCA Persona : Lord Dagonell Collingwood of Emerald Lake, CSC, CK, CTr
Habitat	    : East Kingdom, AEthelmearc Principality, Rhydderich Hael Barony
Disclaimer  : A society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers.
Internet    : salley@niktow.cs.canisius.edu
USnail-net  : David P. Salley, 136 Shepard Street, Buffalo, New York 14212-2029

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