Whether 'tis Nobler...

[doniago]

In my attempts to try to explain the Lyceum to people I feel like I've just made a mess of things. People aren't getting it, quite possibly because I'm not explaining it well. But the worst part is that I feel like people don't _want_ to get it to some degree. I feel like they're reflexively assuming this is some sort of attempt to supplant the EKU when it's nothing of the sort. I've thought about deleting my posts on the SCA LJ Community, I've thought about just freezing them, and I've thought about leaving the community entirely.

And I've also thought about trying to fight the good fight and continue trying to fight what I perceive to be misapprehensions.

What really saddens me? I point out that someone (I have no idea who) started talking up my posting to the Maunche list, and people are more concerned with the fact that I know about this despite being a non-Maunche, and that someone told me about it, than they are with the fact that someone didn't even have the basic courtesy to say "Hey, would you mind if I brought up the Lyceum on the Maunche list to see how people there feel?" Would it have killed someone to do this?

Sigh.

I still think the Lyceum is worth pursuing. I think some people get it. I think more people _could_ get it. I think there's a real chance I'm explaining it badly. I think there's a real chance that some people just won't get it until they have a chance to experience it.

I...I just don't know anymore. But I think it deserves a chance to be tried, and I'll do what I can to give it that chance. Why? Because if it succeeds in what it's trying to do, it could be totally worth it.

As to the SCA Community issue...like I said, I'm tired of playing Sole Defender, but if there are people who genuinely like to hear what I have to say, maybe it's worth it in the end, right?

[Poll #1180482]

Comments

[doniago.livejournal.com]

Okay, imagine that college classes were audited by default. Let's call this the EKU.

Now imagine that being graded in classes was an option, but not a requirement. Let's call this the Lyceum.

You see how one can exist next to the other without interference? The only people it matters to is the student who's being graded, the teacher who has to do the grading (and grading isn't an issue within the Lyceum), and the administration which has to keep records and such.

[derekl1963.livejournal.com]

No, I cannot see how one can coexist beside the other without interference - because ultimately they draw on the same limited pool of teachers, students, and weekends available on the calendar.

Grading v. auditing is utterly irrelevant.

[doniago.livejournal.com]

No...no no no no no...

I'm sorry, I'm just really burned-out right now...

Teachers teach at, say, Pennsic. At Pennsic they say "BTW, this class counts towards credit in the Lyceum." The class otherwise proceeds as it would ordinarily. That's all there is to it.

How does this interfere with the EKU? The same teacher could teach the class without it having anything to do with the Lyceum, and provided the students were interested they'd be there anyway. Right?

[derekl1963.livejournal.com]

So, you'll only teach an Pennsic?

[doniago.livejournal.com]

The point I was trying to make was that at any event where teaching already occurs there can be Lyceum-sponsored classes, but there wouldn't be any Lyceum-specific events that anyone not part of the Lyceum couldn't attend as a standard A&S event.

The only difference for teachers and students, unless I'm missing something (possible) is that teachers may need to say that the class counts for Lyceum credit, and students would have to advise the Registrar that they took the class if they wanted said credit.

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

But the Academy would be deciding which teachers were "qualified" and which weren't, and that opens the way to politics.

[doniago.livejournal.com]

Right now I'm more inclined to discard the whole vetting idea entirely and say "You want to teach as part of the Lyceum? Go you!" That idea seems a lot less resistance-prone.

Personally I really liked the idea of accreditation (the idea that someone can teach just because they claim to know the subject doesn't really sit well with me), but it doesn't seem worth the controversy.

[derekl1963.livejournal.com]

Then what is the whole point? As Cat points out you are increasing costs without providing any benefits in return.

[doniago.livejournal.com]

To get a scroll.
To increase the number of SCAdians interested in taking classes.
To learn in a more integrated setting than the EKU currently provides for.
To experience increased artisan interaction within the region.
To increase the number of A&S events within the region.
To burn off some of the free time we have.


Pick from any or all of the above.

What would _you_ like the point to be? I'm serious, if a Lyceum sprang up suddenly, what would you like it to offer you? What would you like to have the chance to do that you don't feel you can do right now?

I'm not sure what costs you're talking about besides the obvious potential for controversy.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

- To get a scroll.

For pity's sake, WHY? If you want a cookie for attending a class, ask the teacher for a certificate. There is no reason for this at all. Most of us in the A&S community are perfect happy to toil on without a nice little pat on the head to show that we mastered a "core curriculum" or whatever you're calling it.

- To increase the number of SCAdians interested in taking classes.

What reason do you have for thinking that there aren't enough students? The Novice Schola in Bergental attracted 150 students in 2007, and I haven't noticed any dearth of people at the Hrim Schola, the Nova Schola, the EKU, or Pennsic.

- To learn in a more integrated setting than the EKU currently provides for.

If you don't like the EKU as it's currently set up, contact Erland and offer to help her as a vice chancellor. Maybe there's a reason why it's the way it is, and maybe speaking to the Chancellor would clarify things. As it is, it sounds like you're trying to supplant an established tradition for no reason other than you don't like what's already there.

- To experience increased artisan interaction within the region.

What region? I haven't noticed any lack of interaction here in the Central Region, or down in the South, or up in the Ruantallan area. Perhaps you should start an Internet group to increase interaction, or contact the kingdom MOAS for tips. In fact, that might be more economical these days anyway, given the price of gasoline.

- To increase the number of A&S events within the region.

Again, which region is so lacking in A&S events? And if there's a lack, see if the local MOAS is willing to sponsor an A&S night before announcing plans for something as ambitious as a Lyceum.

- To burn off some of the free time we have.

With all due respect, if you have *that* much free time, you might want to see if Duquesa Isabella needs help with Katrina relief, or Baroness Sheherazade needs a local liaison for Toys for Tots. There are plenty of worthy SCA causes that don't seem designed to supplant an established Kingdom entity.

- ...if a Lyceum sprang up suddenly, what would you like it to offer you? What would you like to have the chance to do that you don't feel you can do right now?

a. I would run in the opposite direction, unless the diplomas, core curriculum, and teacher certification were dropped. This is needless and useless bureaucracy.

b. Encourage new teachers and new arts...which would be far more difficult under your system unless the teacher certification was dropped. Other than that, I'd do my best to ignore it.