By Tabitha Bozeman
I am not a gamer.
I have never found an online game, phone game or other platform game that I just felt compelled to play, especially when it comes to board games. I really hate Monopoly because it takes too long to play, and I have other things I’d rather do or books I’d rather read.
But I do love a lot of card games. We play Uno, Trash Monsters and Cards Against Humanity the Family Edition, of course), often with the kids.
It is not my relaxation of choice, but many family members, friends and students are passionate about games they enjoy. I will admit that there have been some pretty good movies and shows that started out as games, and that many games can help develop analytical thinking and problem-solving.
Gaming has been a theme I’ve noticed threading its way around and through my days and connections. At home, the girls will often request permission to download certain games to their phones or tablets, and I have to research them to see if those games fit within the parameters we have set as a family. Most of them do, but sometimes I’ll come across one that seems innocuous but is not. I won’t lie – that is one really stressful aspect of parenting I had no idea I’d be juggling as an adult. Trying out games, reading reviews, identifying anything I’d prefer the girls not be exposed to versus weighing the entertainment, skill development and social aspect of a game or app is time-consuming.
Many games and apps now include parent controls in the settings, which allows us to give space for learning without worrying the entire time. For example, we have a strict “no contact with strangers” policy when it comes to games and apps. If a stranger can message or contact them in some way through a game or app, they are not allowed to have it. As a mother, though, I know they need to develop the skills to navigate these experiences and apps, so there are a couple that we have agreed on, and walked through with them so that they can use to chat with friends from school.
I prefer the games or apps that develop problem-solving and thinking skills. Minecraft, for example, has options for single-play. My son started playing this game when it was still in development, and now my girls enjoy it as well. The game has taught them a lot about physics, chemistry, geography, mapping and programming. Have I ever felt compelled to spend a lot of time playing it? No. But my children enjoy it.
Gaming has recently played a role in my classroom, too. There are innumerable learning games online, and I have had several opportunities to support students by finding and showing them games designed to help build vocabulary, strengthen critical thinking and teach contextual reading. These games have boosted student confidence in fun and easy to implement ways. I have used a couple of card games my kids enjoy with students to help boost social and vocabulary skills for those still learning English. Cards Against Humanity (again, I use the kid-friendly Family Edition) has been a non-stressful and hilarious way to help these students gain confidence with their language skills and learn some culturally-specific humor. It also offers a respite from pages of grammar drills.
I have used many games as a parent and educator to teach, entertain and develop social connections, but the concepts of gaming have also played a role in how I approach giving advice to my own children as well as to students. Whether we are playing Chutes and Ladders or Trash Monsters at home or a Mario Brothers-styled vocabulary game in class, we win some turns and lose others. But after a bad turn or even after an entire game is played, we put it away and move on to something else. I often use these examples to remind my own children, my students and my advisees that they are never stuck in one game, path, plan or decision. They can always play it out, see what happens, learn from the experience and move on.
I see so much anxiety in the classroom over making the right/perfect choices regarding career paths, choosing classes for the next semester or even just deciding on a topic for a discussion prompt. For students, every decision often feels like the most important one they’ve ever made. Learning to sit with the discomfort of uncertainty, the disappointment of failure and the frustration of frustration is hard.
Although gaming is not my hobby or entertainment of choice, it does offer a way to experience these in a low-stakes situation. It teaches that, as Pascal said, “the only thing that is certain is uncertainty.”
I think that’s a good thing, as long as no one expects me to play Monopoly.
Tabitha Bozeman teaches English at Gadsden State Community College and is the editor-in-chief of the Cardinal Arts Journal. The opinions expressed are her own. She may be reached at tabithabozeman@gmail.com.
