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Hi guys,

Long time forum lurker, first time poster.

I'm a teacher in a secondary school, and I've been asked to run a half hour lunch club every week for the students, and I was thinking on starting a magic club. Problem is, I don't really know how to start.

Option a) Teach them basic self working tricks each week, that don't require any sort of knowledge about magic or sleights.

or

Option b) Start from the ground up, teaching them the basics of card control, grips, glides, lifts etc. essentially working through something like RRTCM.

Essentially, I don't know whether to teach them tricks to show off with, or sleights, to become 'better' magicians.

Any thoughts on this would be amazing.

Kids need instant results to keep interested, show them tricks they can go and show people straight after the session. Then teach them sleights at the same time, no reason why you cant do both.

You could do far worse than to take Mark Wilson's Complete course as a text book. It starts off with some nice self workers to wet the appitite before going onto explain sleights and techniques.

Smimons wrote:Hi guys,

Long time forum lurker, first time poster.

I'm a teacher in a secondary school, and I've been asked to run a half hour lunch club every week for the students, and I was thinking on starting a magic club. Problem is, I don't really know how to start.

Option a) Teach them basic self working tricks each week, that don't require any sort of knowledge about magic or sleights.

or

Option b) Start from the ground up, teaching them the basics of card control, grips, glides, lifts etc. essentially working through something like RRTCM.

Essentially, I don't know whether to teach them tricks to show off with, or sleights, to become 'better' magicians.

Any thoughts on this would be amazing.

Hi there, as you mentioned in your post its always good to start from the ground up in magic just like the school days!! So magic is no different. There are plenty of basic books on the internet you can buy, and also plenty of free stuff you can download to help you along the way, Lady of mystery mentioned the book by Mark wilson which was my first book I used over 10 years ago, also the royal road to card magic is a excellent beginners book. Good luck Garry

Sorry to be a party pooper but I can't see a magic club in a school working very well. I see it not being long before so many of the students knowing how the effects are achieved that they will lose interest.

If you do go ahead I would suggest teaching some real skills involving slight of hand as these done well still look amazing even if you know whats happening.
I'd also teach the principles of not telling others how it done. Magic happens in the head and once the spec knows how its done it instantly stops being magical. You could start the club with a view to performing for the school and maybe other local schools and this might encourage the kids to keep their magic knowledge to themselves.

Good luck with it

For this age group (well, any age group actually!!), I cannot recommend 'The Secrets of Alkazar' strongly enough - ftopic19847.php

Here you have some very nice tricks, but also - far more importantly - real focus on presentational skills - I'm still learning new stuff, on each re-read

Karma wrote:Sorry to be a party pooper but I can't see a magic club in a school working very well. I see it not being long before so many of the students knowing how the effects are achieved that they will lose interest.

If you do go ahead I would suggest teaching some real skills involving slight of hand as these done well still look amazing even if you know whats happening.
I'd also teach the principles of not telling others how it done. Magic happens in the head and once the spec knows how its done it instantly stops being magical. You could start the club with a view to performing for the school and maybe other local schools and this might encourage the kids to keep their magic knowledge to themselves.

Good luck with it

I've seen magic clubs in school work very well, but yes there is a potential for disaster. Frankly I would go with one of the above mentioned books and work through it. The SAM and IBM and probably the British Clubs have youth chapters. I know the SAM has a very good publication that teaches how to teach young people magic and includes lesson plans, templates and all the rest. I'm not sure if you have to be a member to get the info, but you can check with them and ask.

Here is the addy for the SYM Society of young magicians. http://www.magicsym.com/index.asp
And the SAM http://www.magicsam.com/

I'm sure either one can help you out.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I'm fully aware that this may well fall on its face within a few weeks, but I figure, I was a similar age when I got the bug, so hopefully, a few of them have it too!

I think it's a great idea, best of luck with it and I really hope that it turns out to be a success.