Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 523 Engineers and Artists

Over the next two weeks, Ron’s individual mentoring of the other apprentices in the class also had a remarkable effect.

Ron felt a subtle sense of satisfaction whenever he saw Lila's third eye become more and more sensitive, and Garen's resonance with the metal arm deepen.

It's not just the sense of accomplishment for the teacher, but also the thrill for the chess player to see the key pieces placed.

"This kind of personalized training that cannot be mass-produced is the foundation of my position in this system."

While instructing the West German side, he analyzed the situation in his mind:
"What Vinard needs is not three hundred standardized, qualified wizards, but special talents who can change the situation at critical moments."

Only I am capable of recognizing and nurturing such a being.

The breakthroughs West Germany demonstrated in plant cultivation classes confirmed Ron's judgment.

He no longer simply converts light energy to promote plant growth.

They gradually learned to establish a deep connection with a special plant called "resonance moss".

This moss was originally used by the Danasu people as an auxiliary plant to purify negative emotions, and it has the characteristics of sensing and absorbing life energy.

When West Germany gently touched the surface of the moss, the emerald green skin began to radiate a soft glow.

But this radiance is completely different from anything seen before.

It is no longer a simple release of energy, but a two-way exchange of energy.

“I can feel their ‘desire’.”

West Germany closed his eyes, his voice filled with an almost ecstatic satisfaction:
"They yearn to grow, to bloom, to show their beauty to the world. And I am simply helping them realize this yearning."

Under his guidance, the magical flower, which normally takes three days to mature, completed its entire growth cycle in just one hour.

Even more surprisingly, the purity of these flowers' magic is nearly 40% higher than that of their normally cultivated counterparts.

"Ms. Ella, you should be able to sense it too, right?"

Ron explained to Ella, who was observing the process, that his real purpose was to have this "teaching outcome" documented:

"West Germany learned to listen to the plant's inner life rhythms and then synchronize with them. Plants cultivated in this way are not only of higher quality but also more vigorous."

Ella nodded as she took notes; she certainly understood what Ron meant.

The other party is using this as a way to repeatedly emphasize to the colonial leadership that outstanding talents like themselves are irreplaceable.

Alfred, who possessed a trace of dragon blood, also achieved a qualitative leap under the guidance of the "Resonance Method".

He no longer simply heated the surface of objects, but began to learn how to guide heat through the interior of metal along the most efficient path.

During an alchemy class, he needed to forge a dagger.

Traditional methods require heating the entire piece of metal evenly and then repeatedly hammering it into shape.

This process is not only time-consuming, but also results in a loss of the metal's intrinsic structural strength through repeated heating.

But Alfred took a completely different approach.

He placed his hands on the cold metal ingot, closed his eyes, and felt the molecular arrangement inside the metal.

Then, he began to "draw" the optimal path for heat conduction in his mind.

“Metal has its own ‘texture,’ just like the growth rings of wood.”

He explained softly as he worked:
“If you heat the metal along these natural textures, it will become more flexible and easier to shape.”

Under his guidance, heat flows through the metal as if it were alive, precisely softening the parts that need to be forged while maintaining the structural integrity of other areas.

After testing, the final product showed that the overall strength of this dagger was nearly 30% higher than that of similar works forged using traditional methods.

However, the progress of the other eight apprentices in the class was uneven.

Yura, who has a small amount of Danasu blood, does have an improved ability to communicate with plants, but to a limited extent.

Although it can sense some of the basic needs of plants, it is still quite far from being able to have a real "dialogue".

Bruno, a half-human stoker, has a slightly enhanced sense of metal, allowing him to distinguish the quality differences between various alloys, but he still needs to rely on traditional techniques in precision forging.

Because of this uneven quality, some apprentices began to show obvious psychological imbalance.

Ron keenly noticed this subtle change.

After a group meditation class, he deliberately stayed behind to observe the interactions among the apprentices.

"Lila's third eye has become stronger again. I heard that she can now see the history of objects."

The apprentices sitting in the back row of the classroom whispered among themselves:

“Garren almost overwhelmingly defeated the students from the year above him in the last simulation battle.”

"Kyle is the same. He can now 'talk' to all the plants in the ecological park. Even his mentor, Ella, says his talent is amazing."

As they spoke, the apprentices couldn't help but look at Lila and the others who were organizing their notes in the front row.

"We're also trying hard to practice resonance techniques, so why is our progress so slow?"

Yura, who was of Danasan mixed race, spoke very softly, but Ron still heard her:
"Is it because we're not talented enough?"

"Perhaps the mentor's approach is more suitable for... exceptionally talented individuals?"

Another voice carried a clear sense of disappointment:
“We ‘ordinary’ mixed-race people may never reach their level.”

This divergence in psychological state alerted Ron.

He understood that this was only natural.

When seeing their peers achieve remarkable success, feelings of jealousy and imbalance are unavoidable emotional reactions.

However, if not handled properly, this emotion could damage class cohesion.

It can even, in turn, affect the training of apprentices who progress faster.

"It seems we need to find an opportunity to help these children rediscover their own value."

However, given the current situation, this division is exactly what he planned.

His teaching value will only be fully recognized when the gap is significant enough.

"Let the storm rage on," he thought to himself with a cold laugh.

However, he also noticed another positive change.

It was because I personally witnessed the breakthroughs of Lila, Garen, and others.

All the apprentices in the class developed a deep admiration for Ron's teaching methods.

Even the apprentices who progressed relatively slowly began to faithfully follow the individual training plans established by Ron.

“Ralph’s method is indeed effective, but it may take more time.”

Although Yura was somewhat disappointed, her tone remained firm:

"I will continue to work hard, and maybe one day I will make a breakthrough."

"Yes, at least we can feel ourselves making progress, although it's not as obvious as it is for them."

Bruno agreed:

"Moreover, the mentor never gives up on anyone; he designs a customized training program for each of us."

This trust and persistence made Ron feel gratified.

But he soon realized that this unbalanced development model would become a point of attack for outsiders to criticize his teaching methods.

Sure enough, after the apprentice competency assessment at the end of the month, doubts began to emerge.

Silas resurfaced and began questioning Ron's teaching methods.

“Ms. Ella, I think it’s necessary to reassess the teaching value of the ‘Resonance Method’.”

At a teaching seminar hosted by Ella, Silas presented a thick data report.

Those meticulously drawn charts, sharp as scalpels, reveal undeniable numerical truths:
Over the past month, his students' total mana output has increased by an average of 12%, spell model construction speed has increased by 8%, and rune drawing accuracy has increased by 6%.

The corresponding averages for Ron's class were 7%, 5%, and an embarrassing 2%.
(Because the apprentices spent more time "feeling the emotional state of the runes", their drawing speed hardly increased.)

"Data doesn't lie."

Silas pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses:

“Ralph’s ‘resonance method’ is more like a regression of mysticism.”

Its standards are vague, and it relies heavily on the apprentice's individual talent and that elusive 'epiphany'.

"I must admit that Ralph's teaching methods did indeed produce remarkable results in some of his students."

The progress made by students like Lila, Garen, and Kyle is evident to all.

He paused, letting the acknowledgment settle in the air for a moment, before suddenly changing the subject:
"However, as educators, we need to focus not only on the height of the 'ceiling', but also on the stability of the 'average level'."

Silas unfolded the data report, its densely packed charts resembling intricate anatomical diagrams:

"Of the 12 apprentices in Ralph's mentor class, 3 performed well, 2 were good, 4 were average, and 3 were below average."

This extremely unbalanced development model is precisely the core issue I want to question.

His finger traced a clear divergence curve on the chart:

"In contrast, while traditional teaching methods may not be able to cultivate individual 'geniuses,' they can ensure that most apprentices reach a qualified baseline."

Of the 32 apprentices in my class, 28 met or exceeded the required standards.

Ella frowned: "Silas, you mean..."

“My meaning is very clear.” Silas stood up and paced slowly around the conference room.
"Mentor Vinard established this educational system in order to stably train a sufficient number of qualified wizards."

Our goal is to establish a replicable and scalable talent development pipeline.

"While the 'resonance method' can produce a few outstanding apprentices, it relies excessively on the teacher's personal ability and the student's talent."

The success rate of this method is extremely unstable, and...

He stopped and looked directly at all the mentors present:
"It cannot be scaled up."

There are hundreds of mixed-race apprentices at the entire Cuihuan No. 2 school. What we need is a teaching system that gives every child the opportunity to succeed.

It's not an elite training program that only allows a lucky few to stand out.

Silas's argument is logically rigorous and hits the core pain point of educational management. "Furthermore, the success of the 'resonance method' may be attributed more to the special talents of the apprentices themselves than to the superiority of the teaching method."

He turned to another page of the report:
“Lila is a three-eyed hybrid, which is the rarest of all hybrids; Garen inherited the metal arm of the Wraith Warrior; Kyle’s mother was also an outstanding hybrid of the Danasan. These are all unique conditions that are one in a million.”

"If we attribute our teaching success to this unique and unrepeatable quality."

That would be tantamount to admitting the failure of wizarding education, and acknowledging that only 'bloodline' can determine an apprentice's future.

This final blow was quite deadly.

Silas cleverly reinterpreted Ron's teaching achievements as evidence of "bloodline determinism" rather than a victory for teaching methods.

His conclusion was resounding and echoed throughout the conference room.

Ella fell into deep thought.

She had to admit that Silas's questioning did indeed touch upon a real issue.

How can we ensure educational equity and sustainable development while maintaining teaching quality?

These words were like a precisely launched alchemical bomb, igniting a heated discussion in the quiet conference room.

Several instructors who supported standardized teaching expressed their support and provided more quantitative data to support Silas's viewpoint.

"Indeed, the academy's responsibility is to mass-produce qualified wizards, not to conduct teaching experiments."

"Personalized instruction, while beautiful, is not practical in large-scale education."

“If every apprentice needs such meticulous individual attention, our teaching resources simply cannot support it.”

After listening to Silas's entire argument, Ron nodded to himself, agreeing that Silas had indeed hit the nail on the head.

He gained a deeper understanding of the cunning of this traditionalist elite.

The other party cleverly avoided his most successful case and shifted the focus to the systemic flaws in his teaching methods.

In fact, he had long anticipated such criticisms.

From the very first day of developing his teaching strategy, he had carefully considered the potential controversies that this "personalized teaching" might bring.

But that's exactly the result he wanted.

He can certainly master integrated, batch teaching.

Ron analyzed in his mind: But in that case, any experienced mentor could replace him.

Vinard didn't bring me here just to make me an ordinary teacher.

His gaze swept over the other instructors in the conference room, seemingly casually.

Most of these people use traditional, standardized teaching methods.

While they are stable and reliable, this also means that they are highly substitutable with each other.

What Vinard really needs is a "talent scout" who can discover geniuses.

As long as they can prove that they are irreplaceable in this regard, they can secure their central position in the colony.

In addition, this personalized teaching process is also the best way to improve one's own abilities.

The "resonance" theory learned under the guidance of "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things" is being transformed into real ability through teaching practice.

Ron chuckled to himself, thinking that this would be a win-win situation: he could secure his position, enhance his strength, and gain Vinard's continued resource support.

Thinking of this, he slowly got up.

"My mentor Silas's data analysis is indeed very professional."

Ron's tone was gentle and soothing.

But those who know him well know that this mild demeanor often foreshadows a fierce counterattack:
"However, before we discuss the merits of different teaching methods, I would like to ask everyone to consider a more fundamental question."

He glanced around at each of the mentors in the conference room, his voice neither hurried nor slow:
"All of us here are educational talents carefully selected by Professor Vinard."

So, what were the professor's criteria for selecting us?

This question made Silas frown slightly.

He vaguely sensed a trap in the other person's words, but couldn't find a flaw in them for the time being.

“Of course, it’s teaching ability and professional competence,” a young mentor replied.

“That’s right.” Ron nodded in agreement, then changed the subject:
"So, if all Professor Vinard needs is the ability to 'mass-produce qualified wizards,' why not just recruit more experienced, standardized teachers from the various academies in the main world?"

"With the professor's resources and reputation, he could easily assemble a teaching team of dozens of senior tutors and adopt the most mature assembly-line education model."

Whispers began to emanate from the conference room.

Ron's words touched on an issue that everyone knew about but rarely discussed publicly.

Very good, the guidance was successful. He nodded in satisfaction.

This technique of "first acknowledging the rationality of the other party's viewpoint, and then redefining the issue from a different angle" is a subtle rhetoric he learned from "The Complete Explanation of Extraordinary Things".

Ella keenly perceived the deeper meaning in Ron's words.

As the administrator of the colony, she certainly understood that Vinard's true needs were far more complex than they appeared.

This young man is indeed very intelligent, Ella thought to herself.

Instead of defending his teaching methods, he changed his perspective and began to redefine the entire framework of the problem.

“Mentor Silas previously raised an important issue—reproducibility.”

“I admit that my teaching methods cannot be mass-produced like a factory assembly line.”

Ron deliberately left it unfinished:

"But then again, who says we need to replicate the teaching process itself?"

This statement left everyone present puzzled.

"What we really need to replicate is the ability to discover and cultivate exceptional talent."

“Specifically,” Ron continued, expanding on his theoretical framework, “I propose establishing a ‘talent identification and targeted training system’.”

"First, we will develop a standardized talent assessment process to quickly identify each apprentice's area of ​​expertise;

Secondly, design corresponding training programs for different talent types;
Finally, train a sufficient number of professional mentors, each responsible for guiding different types of apprentices.

Silas frowned: "This still sounds too difficult..."

“But it will be extremely efficient once it’s implemented,” Ron interrupted before he could finish.

"Master Silas, when crafting a magic crystal, is it better to use a standardized industrial process or to have a professional alchemist customize it according to the characteristics of the raw crystal?"

This analogy left Silas speechless for a moment.

As an enchanter, he certainly understood the value of personalized treatment.

A brilliant counterattack; Ella nodded inwardly.
Using the other party's most familiar area as an analogy is indeed a clever technique.

But Silas quickly found a new angle of attack:
“Ralph, your theory sounds wonderful, but the problem is, we don’t have enough ‘professional alchemists’!”

"You just said that we need to train a sufficient number of professional instructors, but where are the people who will train them?"

"In the entire colony, how many mentors are there who can provide such personalized guidance as you?"

This is indeed a tricky question, Ron admitted to himself: but that's exactly the effect I want.

He pretended to ponder for a moment, then slowly began to speak:
“Mentor Silas mentioned the problem of scarce resources, which is indeed a real difficulty.”

“But,” he used that familiar transition again:
"Isn't it precisely because this ability is scarce that it proves its value even more?"

His gaze swept over each of the mentors present:
"If any wizard can do this easily, why would we 'elites' be needed?"

"Professor Vinard hired us precisely because we can do things that others can't."

Ron continued his argument:

"Furthermore, I did not say that we should train a large number of professional mentors in the short term."

I propose a gradual talent development system.

"First, the existing small number of professional mentors will focus on cultivating the most promising apprentices;

Then, once these apprentices grow into full-fledged wizards, they will be able to take on the responsibility of nurturing the next generation;

This process continues, and the number of professional mentors will gradually increase.

Silas sneered:
"How long will this take? Twenty years? Fifty years? What will happen to the apprentices who weren't 'focused on training' during this time?"

“They receive basic, standardized education,” Ron replied without hesitation.
“I have never denied the value of standardized teaching. I just believe that, when resources permit, we should prioritize discovering and nurturing the individuals with the greatest potential.”

"Cunning fellow," Silas cursed inwardly.

He astutely sensed the trap in Ron's rhetoric:

If this theory is accepted, then who will decide which apprentices are "geniuses" and which are "ordinary people"?
The answer is obvious—of course, it's those "professional mentors".

Under the system established by the other party, the only so-called "professional mentor" at present is Ralph.

At most, we could add leaders like Ella, Alistair, and Vinard.

For Ron, he will gradually gain the right to select and train all the best apprentices.

This kind of influence is far more important than a mere teaching position.

Thinking of this, Silas's expression became even more solemn:
“Professor Ralph, you speak eloquently, but in the end, your entire theory is based on one premise: that you are indeed irreplaceable.”

"If this premise is not valid, all your arguments are castles in the air!"

Under Ron's guidance, the topic strangely shifted to testing his own abilities.

This is precisely the point where he is most confident.

The outcome of this argument was actually predetermined from the very beginning, Ron calmly analyzed in his mind:

What Vinard needs is a 'talent scout' like himself who can cultivate exceptional individuals, not a 'factory manager' who can mass-produce qualified wizards.

As long as you can consistently demonstrate the ability to discover and nurture geniuses, you can maintain an irreplaceable position in this system.

(End of this chapter)