HPISD, Preston Hollow students learn from classic, tile-based game
Students at University Park Elementary are using a centuries-old method to develop problem-solving, math, and social skills.
School librarian Mary Sutherland introduced mahjong to students after realizing that they would both enjoy and learn from the game.
But she didn’t start by trying to teach preschoolers through fourth graders the American version of mahjong. Even adult beginners, she explained, can end up overwhelmed by its plethora of choices and combinations.
Instead, she turned to Mini Mahjer, a version of the game created specifically to teach younger players by two mahjong instructors — Preston Hollow mom Kristin Erwin and her friend Marian Brisch.
With funding from HP Arts, University Park Elementary has purchased two sets of Mini Mahjer, which features kid-friendly levels of play from beginner to advanced, colorful and engaging tiles, and easy-to-follow instructions.
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Sutherland said that kids who learn to play Mini Mahjer — which she likened to mahjong with training wheels — are practicing key math concepts and good sportsmanship, as well as learning to identify patterns and develop strategy.
Once they’ve mastered the classic game’s simplified version, kids aren’t limited to challenging each other. They can join mom and dad at family game night and use their Mini Mahjer cards to take on skilled players.
“Kids are amazing,” said Sutherland, who also instructs mahjong outside of school. “Kids are so flexible and eager to learn. This is just really great for their brains. It’s also good for that social-emotional learning of winning and losing, and problem solving.”
Brisch, who helped teach lessons at University Park Elementary last year, said she and Erwin named their board game after the “mini mahjers” who play it. The duo has also instructed students at St. Rita Catholic School, The Hockaday School, and other schools in the Dallas area.
“It’s character building, but also community building,” Brisch said. “My goal is that more families are sitting around a mahjong table, learning, and playing, and having fun together without their phones. How many activities do we do now without any sort of screen or password?”
Since its introduction in the last school year, the screen-free fun has been a hit with young players at University Park Elementary. This year, Sutherland plans to introduce the game to all students. She began teaching fourth graders to play in September so they could enjoy mahjong as soon as possible.
Some students at a lesson on Sept. 26 said they were new to mahjong, while others, including fourth-graders Anna Shaddock and Elaine Lucia, were veteran “mini mahjers.”
“It’s a really fun game you can play with anyone,” Shaddock said.
“It’s a good way to bond with your friends,” added Lucia. “If you don’t really know a person, you could try to teach them how to do this.”
Lucia, who learned to play at camp, has already taught the game to two friends and her sister. Now, she has moved on to the game’s “old people version.”
“If you start young, you’ll get better over time,” said Shaddock. “And then you’ll be really good when you’re older.”
Students may aim to be ace mahjong players, but expertise isn’t all Mini Mahjer is creating, Sutherland explained.
“It’s social. You don’t even realize you’re learning,” she said. “You don’t realize you’re training your brain.”
