Teaching with Minecraft -- Who is Herobrine? An Answer and a challenge.

At some point in your Minecraft journey, you will hear your children referring, in hushed (or shouted) voices to a character named 'Herobrine' -- they may be chasing him (They often are) or debating his existence but you will find that every child has a strong opinion on this particular topic.

The problem arises though as to WHO or WHAT Herobrine really is -- and that short answer is: A Joke that went viral -- a joke that grew into a myth. Look HERE for a fuller explanation. Another, more graceful and story-like version can be found HERE.  

What interests me about Herobrine as an educator is the way in which the story evolved -- from joke into story to legend, from legend to myth.  And the myth continues to grow as children and teens tell other children/teens their stories about Herobrine. Chilren (mine, at least) play games involving Herobrine. (There is even a Herobrine plugin called Herobrine Unleashed that one can install if one REALLY wants to have Herobrine on one's game.) and the stories grow. So how, then, to turn this mushrooming tale into a tool for education?

So here is a thought -- Herobrine was a creepy pasta story started as joke. Notch, in an attempt to redirect the stories, has said, " there's never been any such thing as Herobrine, and that I don't have any dead brothers, and that letting too many animals die in lava is a fool proof way to summon him but that you don't need to be afraid of him. He only means well, he's looking out for you, trying to warn you of the dangers you can't see."

Herobrine, a ghost/demon, wears the Steve skin but has white glowing eyes.  So what if children were asked to create an answer to Herobrine? A hero to match Herobrine? Herobrine titillates. He frightens. He takes away control from players by sneaking in and leaving messages and signs. He is a myth because he vanishes as quickly as he appears. When children create a hero, they take back a measure of control. Herobrine might still exist but so does the Hero. Children already have their own character -- using character sheets, they can draw out the specifics of their Hero, listing their tools, their weapons, their armor. And they can write stories about the adventures that their Minecraft character has in whatever world he/she inhabits.

Create your own myths and legends

Myth Machine

Collection of Myth and Legend links

And if, at some later point, the myth and legends that your child writes grow sufficiently large and lengthy enough, your child can publish his/her book at: http://www.scribblitt.com/

I think we will work on that -- and in a later post, I will share some of what we create. Wish us luck.

Michaelmas Term -- September through Christmas

I was grieving a bit, this morning -- after a sunny long weekend, I awoke to a grey and rainy school day... my sons also woke grey and rainy. It is that time of year, here in the Pacific Northwest. Children who attend public or private schools are returning to them. And home schools (like ours) are also starting up.

In an attempt to brighten up our darkening skies, I thought I would follow the British pattern -- we would think of this as the 'Michaelmas Term' -- the term that extends from September to Christmas. So I started looking for something artistic to illustrate... 

"Brave and true will I be,

Each good deed sets me free,

Each kind word makes me strong.

I will fight for the right!

I will conquer the wrong!

Sword of Michael brightly gleaming,

Down to earth its light is streaming,

May we see its shining rays, 

In the Winter's darkest days."

And I found this verse on a lovely Squidoo site here which offers all sorts of ideas for celebrating the season.

I also found another popular Waldorf verse which I thought might appeal to my two boys;

Brave Saint Michael is my guide

As free and fearless forth I ride

With courage of Saint George of old

I dare to fight fierce dragons bold.

Mind, we are not Catholic but I have always liked the Archangel Michael and though the story of George and the dragon bothers me (I tend to sympathize with the dragon), there are versions of it that I do like...

                                                          

  So I think the boys and I will read that book for our George story... and maybe illustrate it. It is a much gentler version. Though Bruno Bettleheim

   (The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales ) would surely disagree with my choice.

Still, it is apple picking, sauce making, leaf chasing season -- so it can't be all bad, can it? And maybe a dragon will blow across the sky and spark a light in my children's eyes and we will see a bit of blue sky and sunlight to chase in  the waning of the year. One can always hope. One can always hope.