Class Act
For a while back in 2020, I was out of a job. As we slowly return, I get to do the things that I love the most: beating children half my age at card games.
Middle-school students, some of the younger enfranchised players, have much different relationships to Magic than enfranchised adults. There are kids with the love of their game that ‘get it’ and will definitely be playing into adulthood, and some who merely enjoy it as a hobby. One of my students doesn’t know what a typeline is. And another one built an Alela deck with Blood Funnel because he knows how to stack his cast triggers, and is in the process of debating a casual Jund Reanimator vs. Rakdos Steal’n’Sac deck. They’re at different parts.
But also, different students have different ways of working with the game. My middle schoolers basically save it for playdates and the after-school program. In high school, we played in the mornings and at lunch, sometimes instead of eating. In college, we actually went to FNM, worried about budgets, had a club where we talked about GPs.
Magic has its own interactions with teaching and learning. The most prominent school is, of course, the Tolarian Academy where Teferi studied on Dominaria. You have Jaya who taught at Keral Keep, the entirety of the Jekai monasteries and their paths to enlightenment. But you also have the Dimir and their undercity secrets, the way that Garruk learned from his wild partners, the Abzan and their teachings of remembrance. And there are scriptures no eyes should see.
How does each color combination learn? How does each color teach? What’s a good flavorful representation of education?
> This week’s homework is to make a card that represents or is related to education or learning.
This contest is open-ended, intentionally so. You may choose to make a powerful bottom-up card based on concepts of learning/iteration/teaching with an educational flavor, or a top-down card based on the above concepts.
Possibilities include:
Lessons learned
Teachers of a craft
Scholarly discoveries
Students or lackeys
Teachings of the past
Magical books or scrolls
Revelation and ideas
Universities and schools
...and much more!
And, if you’re interested:
Bonus internet points if your card is both easily grokked and could teach new players about something in the game! This is optional and more if you want to challenge yourself; it will not impact chances of winning.
This week’s schedule:
Later today, I plan on making a pinned post as a general welcome to the Fair, for people who may be joining us.
Tomorrow, I plan on making a post talking about commentary and scheduling.
Tuesday, we’ll have a couple of judge designs.
Wednesday will be the usual self-reblog, Thursday will be the usual 24 hour warning, Friday will be entries/winners, and Saturday will be commentary.
Class dismissed! —@abelzumi
>> Your homework can be submitted HERE. >> Join your fellow students on Discord HERE.
