Working With Student DMs
The next generation of RPG nerds are AWESOME people!
At Heroes’ Hall, we always use student DMs at our tables. If the ultimate goal is having independent tables so they can play anywhere, then the more independence we can give them, the better. Here are some tips about working with student DMs, and some tips from the DMs themselves!
Directly teach expectations - we have to assume they know nothing about how to be group leaders. Directly teach what being a good leader is and what it looks like. Feel free to roleplay and practice together. You need to find a way to give your student DMs time to reflect and grow if they are going to become better.
Don’t be afraid to let students homebrew …or use pregen adventures! - No one wins a prize for making a homebrew adventure. Give the students lots of resources. That being said, if they want to make something wacky, why not?
Watch the table interactions to see strengths and weaknesses - giving direct feedback with examples is super helpful to help student DMs grow.
Pair them up - logistically, this is a life saver when someone is absent. It also increases confidence and helps them solve problems.
If everyone is having fun, it is okay if it looks chaotic to our adult brains. - Middle schoolers work VERY differently than adults. If everything is going well, sometimes I have to just walk away, so that I do not try to make things more organized for me!
Old tired tropes are still new to middle schoolers! - They may find different things funny or compelling than we do. The sassy princess who runs away from a marriage to be an adventurer is a new concept for them. The warrior avenging their family might be a very new story. As long as it isn’t racist, sexist, homophobic or wildly inappropriate for school, it doesn’t matter if the story is as old as time, or even makes any sense to you!
Maps and outlines help with keeping focus - It is important for your student DMs to have some basic outlines of their story. I also encourage them to draw maps or other tangible items to help their players picture the scene.
Use your Adult Power judiciously - step in if you need to. However, every time you take over for the DMs, that robs them of a little power in the eyes of the table. So use it wisely.
Make time for problem solving - If you want your student DMs to grow and learn, you have to give them the time to do so. We have a totally separate meeting time for just the DMs to brainstorm and talk about any problems. If you cannot do that, consider having once a month DM meetings during club time where everyone else plays a GMless oneshot or boardgames.
Give lots of praise - this is a big risk for a middle schooler. They are awesome.