Guest author Gabriel Morse returns with a new game-themed series for homeschool encouragement.
I’ll admit right from the start that although I enjoy using popular book or movie themes in the titles of my articles, I am not really a game-playing type of guy. Nope. Not at all. Just ask my family. I only play games like Clue, Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly, etc. when I am mostly outmaneuvered, blackmailed or guilted into it with the puppy dog eyes and quivering lips of those who lay claim to my affections. I like playing games as much as I like the hives. I’d rather read a book on the Theoretical Quantum Mathematics of Astrophysics, and that’s saying something. I’m sure there are things you don’t really enjoy doing with anyone either, whether it’s participating in sports, reading books with your children, or whatever it is.
Table games are a strange idiosyncrasy of mine I’ll admit. In my defense, there are multiple excuses, I mean, reasons.
- The first of these is that I like to think deeply through any subject I touch, and the act of moving little, colored plastic pieces in circles around on a cheap cardboard game board simply doesn’t intrigue me – at all.
- The second reason is that when I was young, I spent endless hours learning from someone who purposely taught me all of the wrong game rules so they could win. It took me years to figure out why I always lost at Chess or what “House Rules” really meant.
- Then, there are the friends who have special code words or places to exchange playing cards under the table all worked out (and you know who you are) just so you can win.
Trust me, I never said I was sharp as a tack in some things, and that hasn’t changed over the years either. I get invited/weaseled into various table games when there aren’t enough patsies around. What’s a patsy? By definition they are warm, loving, hardworking, and generous people who gets suckered in with statements like, “UNO is a great way to learn numbers” or “Playing games will be fun and draw us all together as a family”. Even the pint-sized cutthroats in my family leer at me with steepled fingers and crazed eyes as they warn me, “I really love you, but I’m gonna . . .” Brrrrrrr. With a house full of bloodthirsty table gamers around, it’s just cold.
Games and Homeschooling
So, how does this topic relate to homeschool? Hmmm. You know me. So many things come to my ADHD mind. So, let’s just start with how it relates to one of the most essential parts of “LEARNING” (and yes, I highlighted, bolded, and italicized it) and
how that requires INVOLVEMENT. Well, as human beings, we’re designed to learn best when those teaching us are involved in more than giving us bullet point facts. That’s not only a scientifically proven fact, but one with which I have anecdotal experience.
In previous articles I’ve detailed how desperately I struggled in school dealing with one-size fits all teaching styles, memorized lists, fact-learning without context, attention deficit issues, noise sensitivity, bullying, and yes – even angry and frustrated teachers. That seems like a pretty long list of challenges, but nowhere in there will you find that I struggled with too much involvement.
I fully understand that Public, Christian, Charter, or Co-op teachers don’t have the time to give each individual student like I needed as a child. Their task is to take a group of children through standardized materials at a standardized rate of speed. I know a fair amount of teachers in each of these education types, and believe me, I think most of them that I’m acquainted with are miracle workers who deserve far more appreciation than they often get.
We’re not talking about learning within those dynamics. This is specific to those of you who have made the bitter-sweet choice to homeschool. And yes, there will always be those who try to compare and inflate those other school systems with homeschooling. Don’t worry. It’s like comparing the mass production of a deck of UNO cards to a hand-carved ivory chess set, or even buying a minivan versus a limited edition touring car. One gets you down the road faster, cheaper, and with less personal cost, but at a loss in quality, character, purpose and lasting value. To give all of you homeschooling moms out there some hope, it can be the difference between helping build a Dodge Caravan versus a Rolls-Royce Spectre. Trust me, to say that there is quite a difference is an understatement. But in this, you get to be the engineer and mechanic.
The Key is Involvement
Your involvement in your children’s lives makes all of the difference. I understand that my personal journey is somewhat unique, but I’ve lived long enough and experienced enough to know I’m not alone. Sometimes struggling students are simply dealing with connecting how their brain learns to how something is being taught. I’ve even known brilliant kids who suffer with social interaction. The list of examples is endless, but hopefully you get my point.
Personally, I needed to know the Why and the context or my brain couldn’t seem to hold the What. As in, Why was it important to learn that right triangles matter? or that “I
comes before E, except after C?” or what period of history was Abraham in? …just to name a few things.
Some things I didn’t really understand until I had to do tasks for myself, such as gain a career rather than stock shelves at a supermarket, build a home, or spend time serving in the Middle East. You see, at these critical junctures I had the “memorize this fact” rule dominating my life, and limited interaction with those from whom I needed to learn. How much simpler it would’ve been to have someone show me how right angles are necessary for making furniture, building houses, setting fence rows, and a host of other necessities. Having someone read to me and show me how the mastery of words can change your life would’ve been so much easier than just “learn this because you need to know it.”
Invest in Their Learning
Everyone learns better with an arm around their shoulder, especially some of the most important people in your life – your children. How you react, how you think, what you’ve experienced, what you know, and how you’ve learned can have a tsunami-level impact on them. Get involved. Teach them the importance of fractions when cooking. Show them addition, subtraction, division, multiplication as you build a birdhouse, dog house, or piece of furniture. Read endlessly to them so they learn the value and mastery of sounds, and of words. Open the books and show them how history affects the current events of today, not only in wars but in cost to alliances, tourism, manufacture, shipping, and commerce.
Take the time to play games with them so they learn social interaction, math, observation, sharing, patience, integrity, critical thinking, strategy, and good sportsmanship. Did I say good sportsmanship already? All fun and games aside, make sure you are involved in things with your children even if it means sacrificing some of your time, energy, or sanity. That means even if you lose to the sweet-faced, bloodthirsty little minions – consistently. You never know what they will learn, or what YOU will learn from investing in them. In the game of investment, your best option is to win.
More About the Author:
Gabriel is a former homeschooled missionary kid and homeschooling father who adores his wife, children, and grandchildren. He is currently rebuilding a 130-year-old homestead, writing a historical fiction book on character for young people, and mentoring young men. He is a former U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondent, Army National Guard Photographer, and U.S. Army Deputy Public Affairs representative and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He lived in Central America during Junior High and served on military short and long-term assignments across the U.S. and in half a dozen countries, including Iraq during his military career. Besides his deep faith and his family, his passion is writing and developing young men into capable steward leaders. You can find Gabriel on Instagram here.
Love Gabriel’s writing? Get his recently published book The Secret of Lantern Hill and leave a review!
The post A Game of Clue: a Child, in the Dining Room, with a Card Game first appeared on Homeschool .com.
Read More [[{“value”:”This post starts a new series from guest author Gabriel Morse. Grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and read his encouragement for homeschooling parents.
The post A Game of Clue: a Child, in the Dining Room, with a Card Game first appeared on Homeschool .com.”}]]
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