I created The Roleplay Workshop to find a way to use the strengths of role playing to work with adolescents. Role playing fosters creative and abstract thinking and relies heavily on mathematics and statistics. It encourages cooperative problem solving by the participants. In 1989, I began designing a role playing game on a world I named "Abantey". I was teaching math and science at Archway School in Oakland. My students and their parents became interested in the game and I began The Roleplay Workshop.
My idea, which has been very successful with kids and parents, is to use a role playing game as a teaching tool. In some ways, role playing games are perfect for teaching. At heart, role playing is story telling. The players are the main characters in the story. They influence the direction and resolution of the story. The players are deeply and actively involved in the game. They are not resistant, or even aware, of the skills and information they are learning.
The program is specifically designed to teach real life skills in a creative, imaginary setting. We stress non-violent solutions to the "missions" players are given. Players work together to solve the fantasy scenarios with logic, common sense, and intuition. They learn biology, earth sciences, philosophy and ethics in a supportive and fun environment. The Roleplay Workshop is ultimately about learning to take personal responsibility for chosen actions. Playing the game allows kids to make mistakes and learn from them. This gives them increased self-esteem and intellectual independence.
My training and experience are important factors in the success of the program. I received my early training at the University of Michigan, and received a Bachelors of Sciences in Zoology in 1982. I spent most of the next year in the Philippines as a research assistant for an ecology research project. My experiences with the cultures in the Philippines provided much of the complexity found in the world of Abantey. The name Abantey is derived from a Bisayan (a dialect of the Philippines) word and means: "to forge ahead or lead".
The Roleplay Workshop offers a variety of programs, including: after school sessions, school holiday sessions, summer day camps, tutoring, birthday parties, and parent sessions.
I hope this letter has been informative. If you would like to talk to me further, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Becky Thomas, Director, Roleplay Workshop