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Education in medieval fantasy worlds wasn’t as prevalent as it is in the real world nowadays. Based off on our medieval times, education was secondary to survival as people had to work hard to put food on the table for little money. Nevertheless, there were fantasy schools that taught youngsters the tools they needed for the future.
Schools in fantasy were smaller than their real-world counterparts. This is because there weren’t as many students that could attend. Only those with money — like the nobility — were able to send their children to school though there were educational institutions that catered to people who couldn’t afford them with little to no cost for them.
How then do fantasy schools help their students prepare for the world of tomorrow? Remember that this is fantasy which means that what they teach may not necessarily be what you expect them to teach. For instance, those in worlds teeming with danger may teach them the skills they need to survive so they make it into adulthood.
Despite that, there are common subjects that are taught in these institutions. Subjects like math and reading are essential to ensuring that students become productive members of society. They are training the future leaders of the world, after all!
The role fantasy schools play in the world is to get children ready to take the reins of responsibility upon reaching adulthood. For a fictional civilization to continue, it needs people who are committed to upholding its rules and laws so that they inspire subsequent generations to do the same.
This is the thirty-first article in the series chronicling the different kinds of fantasy buildings. If you want to see what else we have to offer, you can find tons more on our blog page!
Fantasy worlds have all sorts of challenges they deal with. For instance, they have to contend with beasts like dragons or malevolent sorcerers bent on world domination, especially if their survival is on the line. That’s where schools come in. Teachers help their pupils learn about the world, both the good and bad, so that they can be ready to face these challenges head-on should they arise when they’re adults.
One way fantasy schools do this is by giving their students the tools they’ll need to make it to adulthood. They train them to clearly recognize the dangers and what to do in each situation. Things like how to put out a fire the right way are taught to kids.
Teachers also show them how to properly interact with animals. There are many different kinds of fantastical animals, some outright dangerous whereas others are just simply adorable, and knowing how to interact with them can make the difference between being bit or walking away unscathed.
Fantasy schools also teach students life skills that will help them for the rest of their lives. Students learn a wide bevy of things such as knitting and distinguishing between edible wild berries and those that are poisonous. They are free to choose the ones that they’re interested in though some are mandatory for all pupils.
For those worlds where magic plays a significant role, instructors teach their students how to develop their magical abilities and to harness magic. They also teach them how to protect themselves when they’re blasted by a spell. Additionally, students also learn how to quickly mend themselves whenever they have minor injuries.
Pupils learn all about the different branches of magic in fantasy schools. They discover the magic of levitation, transfiguration, healing, and so on. Teachers also show them how to distinguish between each branch so that they can clearly tell which spell falls within which branch which will help them down the road whenever they fight an evil wizard.
Besides focusing on fantasy-exclusive subjects, instructors provide knowledge on subjects exactly like the ones in the real world. Just because they may be fantasy doesn’t mean that math and writing isn’t relevant to how it functions. Including these topics adds a realistic gravitas to your world as your audience will see how the people who live in the world you created know what they know.
Writing is the number one subject taught in fantasy schools. Learning how to write enables students to communicate, especially with people in distant towns and kingdoms. Furthermore, mastering the art of writing helps them get a leg up in society since they’ll need to write letters, memos, sign papers, and so on.
Besides writing, schools in fantasy have their students learn how to read. With so many things to read such as letters and messages, it is essential that children be able to read words written on paper and understand what they mean. If they want to be successful in their future careers, reading will go a long way in helping them realize their full potential.
Another subject taught in fantasy schools is oral communication. Instructors show their pupils how to speak properly and clearly. They have them stand in front of the class to give their report or presentation to gain confidence in their communication skills which will pay dividends when they’re adults since they’ll have to do those in professional settings or address a large crowd.
Let’s not forget how important math is to fantasy. Students need to have at least a basic understanding of math since they’ll be using it more than they think! Math is used across many careers from retail to negotiating deals between kingdoms over how much of a resource should be sold or bought.
Just as in the real world, learning history enables students to see how the world got to where it is now. They learn about ancient wars whose effects are still being felt today in fantasy schools. Pupils also learn about how their kingdom’s developed over time, vital knowledge that will shape the decisions they make in the future that will affect it in ways they cannot possibly fathom.
While there are some species that live a long time or are immortal, the majority of humanoid-like races have a certain lifespan. Thus, they want those who will come after them to continue building the world they created. That’s where fantasy schools come in.
The fundamental objective of schools is to prepare children for the role awaiting them in adulthood. Everyone will have a role to play and all of them help keep the civilization they know and grew up in going long after their parents have passed. Educating children is key to a civilization’s survival.
By having them learn all about the world they’re growing up in, fantasy schools also teach them the tools they’ll need to weather whatever challenges they’ll face come adulthood, for the world never remains static. New technologies and innovations will come as well as new threats and the children will need to be ready to deal with them when they come.
Another aspect schools focus on is having their pupils socialize with people unlike them. They could be people from different classes or other parts of the kingdom or the world and socialization with different people gives them the opportunity to learn how things are perceived in various parts of the world. As adults, they’ll interact with all kinds of people and knowing how to navigate them successfully fosters lasting relationships that can change the world.
One thing students of fantasy schools learn about is the process of decision-making. After reaching adulthood, they’ll be making decisions everyday and the choices they make will affect other people’s lives, for good or ill. They’ll learn about how to distinguish between a good and a bad choice so they can make the best one out of the options they have which they’ll use for the remainder of their lives.
Schools in fantasy are an invaluable part of civilization. Teachers instruct their pupils so that they can be ready to handle whatever life throws at them when they’re adults. Children learn many things during their years in school that they wind up using later on in their lives, even though they think they won’t!
Many schools are tailored to match the worlds they’re set in. For example, worlds where magic plays a prominent role in society have institutions solely dedicated to teaching youngsters all about magic and the various branches so that they can be familiar with them later on in life.
The subjects taught at schools differ from world to world. While there are some core classes like math and writing that appear across many worlds, there are also some that are unique to the world itself. These subjects give students an in-depth understanding of how the world they live in works.
The world benefits from schools in that they prepare pupils so that they’re ready to assume responsibility when they become of age. They know everything they need in order to make the best decisions that will shape the future of those who will come after them.
If you haven’t given much thought to bringing fantasy schools into your world, there’s no better time to start than today!
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