The Learning Game : Teaching Kids to Think for Themselves, Embrace Challenge, and Love Learning

About this book

How did we conclude that the best way to prepare kids for the future is to cluster them into classrooms by age and grade, forcing them to learn the same things, at the same time and pace, seven hours a day, five days a week, for twelve years? We trust the school system to prepare our kids for the future. We get excited when they get good grades, or disappointed if they don’t. But we rarely stop to question whether school is teaching our children the right things in the right way. Kids could get good at playing the game of school, but are they really learning? Teacher-turned-edupreneur Ana Lorena Fábrega, known by her students as Ms. Fab, invites us to rethink education. In The Learning Game, she reveals how traditional schooling has gone wrong, and proposes a series of actionable strategies to help kids learn. What if we guide kids to think for themselves? Should we encourage kids to take risks and tackle projects of their own? How do we help kids learn to love learning? Answering these questions and many more, The Learning Game will arm you with practical tools to design a new approach to learning―one that leaves behind the game of school and prepares your kids for the game of life. Review Is it possible that we all hope for the same things for our children? We want them to be kind, capable, collaborative, and curious. What do schools want for the kids they serve? Do they focus on adherence to a system of rules, standards, and protocols incompatible with reality, or do they spend time on what really matters? The Learning Game reminds us what is lost when we focus on winning the game of school. We know that our children shouldn't spend a thousand hours each year sitting in rows and laboring through worksheets to "earn" a grade. Ana Lorena provides an incisive critique of our current approach to education and outlines a compelling vision of what learning ought to be: collaborative, relevant, challenging, and fun. -- Joshua Dahn, Co-Founder, Synthesis and Ad Astra Ana Lorena has delivered an essential read―a piercing critique of our education system and a practical plan for reform. This book is a call to action for parents, educators, and policy makers to overturn the status quo, reimagine learning, and do right by our kids. -- Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Drive, When, and A Whole New Mind Ana Lorena offers an insightful and compelling case for how our education system is failing students by teaching them what to think rather than how to think. The Learning Game offers practical solutions for how to fix what’s broken, showing the way to foster creativity and a sense of agency in the next generation. -- Annie Duke, Bestselling Author, Thinking in Bets and Quit The Learning Game is a compelling reminder that we still have a lot to learn, unlearn and relearn if we want to bring children’s education in line with the needs of the 21st century. Every parent and educator needs this book. -- Jane McGonigal, PhD, New York Times Bestselling Author, Imaginable and Reality is Broken Profoundly simple, simply profound. Ana Lorena has the great teacher's knack for clear communication. This is an easy-to-read, fun book of wisdom and tried-and-true ideas for teachers, parents, and anyone involved with kids and concerned with their education. It's about how to help kids leave the "school game" and move on with the real game of learning, the great game that children are designed by nature to play. -- Peter Gray, Research Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, and Author, Free to Learn Every parent with school-aged kids should read this book! The Learning Game is packed with insights, surprises, and wisdom for raising smarter, happier, and better-adjusted children. -- Nir Eyal, Author, Hooked and Indistractable Ana Lorena is a teacher. She saw the system from within. She knows what's broken. And she has a vision to fix it. -- Balaji S. Srinivasan (@balajis), Former CTO of Coinbase, and Bestselling Author, The Network State Ana Lorena’s new book The Learning Game should be required reading for all educators trying to reimagine how we can overhaul the antiquated methods we use in teaching our children. Kids are natural learners―but to help them supercharge it, we need to make it exciting, fun, and more about how to think rather than what to think. What if we synthesize kids' natural curiosity, ability to question, and desire to play and have fun with a new curriculum and way of teaching? In that case, I think the results will astound us. I highly recommend this book. -- Jim O'Shaughnessy, Founder & CEO, O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC Ana Lorena presents a new model of education that transforms the learning process into a truly engaging and fulfilling experience. Get ready to revolutionize the way you approach education and inspire a lifelong love of learning in kids. -- Amjad Masad, Founder and CEO, Replit As a new father, I find myself spending a lot of time thinking about what my son’s education will look like and how we can do things differently to create a better experience for him than I ever had. The Learning Game is a brilliant look into the future of education innovation. With people like Ana Lorena leading the way, I am hopeful that the future will look much better than the past! -- Sahil Bloom, Writer and Investor Throughout my career working with elite professional athletes and coaches, one thing is evident - the ability to learn is a competitive advantage. If you are a parent, teacher, or coach and are serious about setting your child up for future success, The Learning Game is a must-read. Ana Lorena provides evidence-based mental models and tools in a practical, easy-to-read manner that will help you create an environment to unlock your child’s creativity, critical thinking, and intellectual independence. Ana Lorena is a master teacher; her ability to simplify complex concepts makes it easy for the reader to understand and apply these principles with your child immediately. -- Justin Su’a, Head of Mental Performance, Tampa Bay Rays As a parent to two growing kids, Ana Lorena's thoughts felt like a warm hug in response to my fears around schooling. I felt heard and liberated at the same time, through her suggestions and way forward. The Learning Game is a book of hope. Hope for our kids, for the future. A powerful, impactful and necessary read. -- Ankur Warikoo, Entrepreneur and Author In her book The Learning Game, Ana Lorena teaches us what we should've learned in school (but didn't). She expertly weaves in the latest research with her own extensive teaching experience and reveals just how much school failed to prepare us for the game of life. The book includes practical strategies for kids - and adults - to help them learn better, retain more, and have fun in the process. A delightful book that turns learning into a game you can't stop playing -- Polina Marinova Pompliano, Author, Hidden Genius