<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mathemagics" href="#" target="_blank">Mathemagics</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/liiga_s_art/?hl=en">Liiga Smilshkalne</a></span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s a maxim in <em>Magic</em> that’s been popularized by the Professor of Tolarian Community College: “reading the card explains the card”. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a teacher, tutor, and college professor myself, I’d like to explore whether reading the card can do more than that. What if reading the cards could make you not just a better player, but a better student?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To this end, we’re going to explore the <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/fdn"><em>Foundations</em> preconstructed decks</a> from the perspective of an educator. We’ll look into the philosophies behind the standards from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and use data to determine the educational value of the Foundations precons.</span></p>
<h2><b>What Defines a Text?</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Codie, Vociferous Codex"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the <a href="https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/testing-staff/changes">changes to the SAT recently</a>, the passages have gone from five passages with 11 questions each to 44 much-shorter passages, divided into two modules, the second of which is modular, meaning it adjusts in complexity to how the student did on the first module.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The standards from the NCTE give a range of text types, including classic, contemporary, and popular narratives, poems, songs, and plays.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But can <em>Magic</em> cards count as a text?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the NCTE:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Broad reading also includes informational and academic texts, such as textbooks, lab manuals, papers, and reference materials; student-produced texts, including peer writing, journals, and student newspapers and literary magazines; technological resources, such as computer software, computer networks, databases, CD-ROMs, and laser disks; mass media and other visual texts, including films, selected television programs, magazines, and newspapers; socially significant oral and written texts, such as speeches, radio and television broadcasts, political documents, editorials, and advertisements; and everyday texts, such as letters, bulletin board notices, memos, and signs."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Suffice it to say, there’s plenty of leeway here to squeak them in. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, from my experience as an SAT tutor and proctor, I can attest that even Reddit posts have been used as texts.</span></p>
<h2><b>Foundations Precons as Texts</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Codie, Ravenous Codex"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With such a wide variety of texts, what makes a text SAT-worthy?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">SAT passages are renowned for their Lexile Level, a standardized measurement that evaluates both a reader's comprehension ability and a text's difficulty on the same scale. It works by evaluating a text’s complexity by looking at sentence and word length.</span></p>
<h2><b>Examples of Lexile Levels</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Venerated Teacher"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, what do these Lexile Levels mean? And what do they look like?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>The Scarlet Letter</em>, often taught in High Schools, ranks at 1400L. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery</em> is often read by Middle Schoolers and ranks at 700L.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth</em> is often read by Upper Elementary Schoolers and ranks at 500L. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">SAT Passages wind up just under <em>The Scarlet Letter</em>, averaging 1050L.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how do the Foundations Precons rate? And how do they compare to an SAT passage?</span></p>
<h2><b>Foundations Precons Lexile Levels</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Level Up"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In order to get an accurate read on the Lexile Levels of each <em>Foundations</em> precon, I plugged every card into Scryfall and copied and pasted every card’s rules and flavor text into a Lexile converter app, which gave a readout that I logged in a spreadsheet. I did this for all 100 cards in all 5 precons. It was a <em>lot</em> of work.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s what I found:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Calling All Angels</em> had an average Lexile Level of 864.49L, including basic lands. This means that reading every single card in the deck is the equivalent of reading a high Middle School or low High School book. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But that’s a bit misleading. You see, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plains" href="#" target="_blank">Plains</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a Lexile score of 720L, which is well below the average. In fact, there are six cards in the precon with Lexile scores over 1000L, including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Segovian Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Segovian Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which has a Lexile score over the SAT average, at 1109L.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Keen Engineering</em> is a bit higher, with an average Lexile Level of 887.9. It has 17 cards over 1000L, highlighted by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Juggernaut" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Juggernaut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Foundry Inspector" href="#" target="_blank">Foundry Inspector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whirler Rogue" href="#" target="_blank">Whirler Rogue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all at or over 1040L, really close to the SAT average.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Wretched Ranks</em> has the lowest Lexile Level, at 858.4L. It only has nine cards over 1000L, and none over the SAT average.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Reign of Dragons</em> has the highest average Lexile Level, at 891.3. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Firespitter Whelp" href="#" target="_blank">Firespitter Whelp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlord&#039;s Servant" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlord&#039;s Servant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both have Lexile Levels at or above 1040, but none above the SAT average.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, <em>Tramplesaurus Rex</em> has an average Lexile Level of 871.2, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrashing Brontodon" href="#" target="_blank">Thrashing Brontodon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> above the SAT average at 1055, but it’s dwarfed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Imperiosaur" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Imperiosaur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s whopping 1136, which is the highest Lexile Level of any card in the Precons.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Verdict: the precons might not be SAT level, but they are great help for those struggling with reading comprehension. And if it seems like someone is struggling to understand what their cards do or say, bear this in mind.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Regal Imperiosaur"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Juggernaut"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Segovian Angel"></div></div>
<h2><b>Foundations Precons as Math Texts</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mathemagics"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the <em>Foundations</em> precons aren’t just helpful in reading, they’re also really interesting sources for developing math fluency.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The NCTM has both Content and Process Standards, which apply across the grades. The Content Standards include: Number &amp; Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis &amp; Probability. The Process Standards include: Problem Solving, Reasoning &amp; Proof, Communication, Connections, and Representation.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So which apply to the <em>Foundations</em> precons?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While there are some that can apply but are a bit of a stretch to see in the average game, like Algebra and Communication, and some that are evident by virtue of the analogical reasoning, like Connections, others can be more tangibly proven.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In particular, we’re going to look at Number &amp; Operations from the Content Standards and Problem Solving from the Process Standards.</span></p>
<h2><b>Number &amp; Operations in the Foundations Precons</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Osgood, Operation Double"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the base level, <em>Magic</em> involves a lot of numbers, like the amount of mana in the mana pool, the cost of a spell, the power and toughness of a creature, life totals, commander damage, and more. Heck, the trample keyword is in the name of one of the precons, and it requires knowing the total attacking power and the toughness needed to inflict lethal damage. Two of the decks feature flying prominently, so the amount of blockable damage becomes relevant.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So number sense is integral to playing a game of Commander with these precons. But what about Operations?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to telling what the numbers are, players need to do a lot of adding and subtracting on the fly. Players add mana to the mana pool, subtract mana to pay for spells, add up total attacking damage, subtract what can’t be blocked, subtract unblocked damage from life totals, compare attacking power with defending toughness, determine if a creature’s toughness reaches zero…and that’s a pretty basic turn.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And that’s all in a player’s head.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So yeah, <em>Magic</em> is an amazing game for developing number sense and working through basic mathematical operations, and that’s without factoring in the amount of multiplying effects that have been printed recently.</span></p>
<p>In fact, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endless Ranks of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Endless Ranks of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, from <em>Wretched Ranks</em>, uses division, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unnatural Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Unnatural Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in <em>Tramplesaurus</em> uses multiplication.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But does <em>Magic</em> help with Problem Solving?</span></p>
<h2><b>The Foundations Precons and Problem Solving.</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Don &amp; Leo, Problem Solvers"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are a bevy of decisions that a player makes over the course of a game: do I attack? With how many creatures? And what happens on the crack back?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We will focus on cards that make players have to make decisions. What modes to use, and when, are key to determining how prevalent problem solving is.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Calling All Angels</em> has tons of decisions to make over the course of a game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angel of the Ruins" href="#" target="_blank">Angel of the Ruins</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes the player choose whether to cast it or plainscycle it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes the player choose whether to cast it for its mana cost or its alternate cost. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Austere Command" href="#" target="_blank">Austere Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleansing Nova" href="#" target="_blank">Cleansing Nova</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both make the player determine which board wipe to use to affect opponents while protecting their own board. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Destroy Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Destroy Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valorous Stance" href="#" target="_blank">Valorous Stance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have multiple modes, including what to destroy and whether to destroy or protect.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Austere Command"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephara, Sky&#039;s Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Angel of the Ruins"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Keen Engineering</em> has a bevy of choices to make, mostly related to instant-speed spells and activated abilities. How and when to tap becomes integral to playing the deck properly. But there are also cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Misleading Signpost" href="#" target="_blank">Misleading Signpost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which make the player reselect where attackers are going, resulting in some tough decisions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Wretched Ranks</em> has some interesting choices, like what to sacrifice and when. But <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sign in Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Sign in Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consumed by Greed" href="#" target="_blank">Consumed by Greed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are juicy choices. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sign in Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Sign in Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be card draw, a political tool, or even a win condition. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consumed by Greed" href="#" target="_blank">Consumed by Greed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets the player gift a card to an opponent, leading to some interesting decision trees.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Misleading Signpost"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sign in Blood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consumed by Greed"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Reign of Dragons</em> has a variety of abilities to use when <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atsushi, the Blazing Sky" href="#" target="_blank">Atsushi, the Blazing Sky</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> dies, as well as which mode to choose on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outpost Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Outpost Siege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and what to pitch to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrill of Possibility" href="#" target="_blank">Thrill of Possibility</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexpected Windfall" href="#" target="_blank">Unexpected Windfall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, <em>Tramplesaurus Rex</em> might seem like it has a simple plan, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elder Gargaroth" href="#" target="_blank">Elder Gargaroth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes with a suite of choices and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Collective Resistance" href="#" target="_blank">Collective Resistance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can find any number of solid targets.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every deck comes built in with a variety of problems to solve, from those that naturally arise over the course of a game to those that come up intentionally because of the specific card choices. All of these choices involve problem solving skills to parse.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outpost Siege"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elder Gargaroth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Collective Resistance"></div></div>
<h2><b>Conclusion</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So…do the <em>Foundations</em> precons have tangible educational value?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, the reading level isn’t quite to SAT level, but it is at the High School level, which is enough to be challenging. Heck, even adults can learn a lot from reading the cards!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They require number sense and use of basic mathematical operations, so they’re definitely challenging. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">They also challenge problem-solving skills with a range of choices, intended and otherwise.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Overall, I’d say that, yes, they are relevant tools for educators and a solid way to work on skills students need to be successful.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But they don’t replace schoolwork.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sorry, kids.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But what do YOU think about the Foundations Precons as learning tools? And how has Magic helped you with Reading and Math?</span></p>


The Educator's Guide to the Foundations Precons

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Professor of Symbology" href="#" target="_blank">Professor of Symbology</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.jasonrainville.com/">Jason Rainville</a></em></p>
<p dir="ltr">If you've played <em>Magic </em>for any length of time, you know all about the proliferation of <em>stuff</em> that comes with the hobby. You've got your desk towers, closet boxes, draft leftovers in the glovebox...all of it is basically a rite of passage. Largely, the vast majority of any <em>Magic </em>collection is worth next to nothing and only really takes up space, but most of us keep it around. Why? We all have our reasons, but for many, it might boil down to simply not knowing what to do with all those cards.</p>
<p dir="ltr">MagiKids has an answer, though. The organization collects donated bulk and assembles it into free kits for classrooms, libraries, and after-school programs. If you've been at any large event, you've likely seen their setup — a booth or table crowded with families of <em>Magic </em>players, plenty of buzz and activity, and of course, big bins of donated cards.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We spoke with <a href="https://magikids.org/">MagiKids</a> about the philosophy behind the program, and with Alex, a teacher at Eagle Rock Middle School who offered his own experience with that donated bulk, but on the receiving end. In honor of educators everywhere, and in the season of students worldwide returning to school, let's talk <em>Magic's </em>educational value.</p>
<hr />
<h2 dir="ltr">MagiKids</h2>
<p>Speaking for MagiKids is Natalie Rosin, Administrative Lead for the organization since May of last year and veteran of the nonprofit sector. Natalie, also known as <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/giraffanat.bsky.social">Giraffa Nat</a>, is also a cosplayer, content creator and <em>Magic </em>player.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>MagiKids talks about supporting the "<a href="https://magikids.org/mission">intellectual health</a>" of young people rather than test scores or grades. What does that phrase mean to you, and why is it the right way to frame what <em>Magic</em> does?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Intellectual health, for us, really embodies the vast number of skills that go beyond just standardized curriculum and classroom learning. We have seen how <em>Magic</em> can develop critical thinking, socialization, confidence, problem-solving and more. One of the beautiful things about the complexity of <em>Magic</em> is that it provides so many components. Just looking at the cards themselves, there's math, reading, art, language, history, and science. Once you get into the actual gameplay, you start bringing in the social aspects, decision making, and so on. Everyone has a different way of learning, and something like <em>Magic</em> allows people to utilize those preferred methods.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Codie, Vociferous Codex|SPG|157"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Walk me through Sort, Build, Play. Why those three steps, and what happens for a kid as they move through them?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The Sort, Build, Play curriculum is designed to provide a template. We chose these three steps because we found they are very applicable and flexible to all skill levels. As a veteran <em>Magic</em> player, you think about sitting down for a draft — once you have your cards you go through this same process. You sort your cards by color, type, or function, then you build your deck, and you play it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For a new player, sorting through the bulk cards first allows them to start recognizing patterns and allows them to discover interests. Which card is your favorite so far — why is that card your favorite? Maybe it's the art, maybe it has really big numbers, maybe it has an interesting name. Once they've done that, they start building their decks. For brand new players, this could be a basic monocolor deck of ten lands and ten creatures. As they advance they can start adding in other cards, another color, until they reach the level of comfortably building a normal deck. In this step, we are applying those patterns and themes and thinking about things like mana cost — math, in other words.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The last part is play, which is where the kids get to learn, play, and engage with their peers through the game. That's where the magic happens.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Donate"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>The whole model runs on donated cards that would otherwise go unused — turning bulk nobody wants into free kits for classrooms. How did that idea come together?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The concept stems from the idea that while something may not have a use to you, it can have a use to someone else. For us, education and the future generation is something we care deeply about. Many of the groups that we provide these kits to are groups that don't have the funding for something like an after-school <em>Magic</em> program. Teachers already spend so much money out of their own pockets for their classrooms. So we decided to take cards that would be otherwise thrown away and put them into the hands of teachers and educators.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As we've grown, we now do the same with unused donated industry products, so that these programs aren't just receiving cards in their kits, but all the accessories that go along with the cards to make it a fuller experience.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Library of Leng|SPG|158"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What's a moment from the past year that made you certain this is working?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">I wouldn't say there's just one big moment from the past year, but all the small moments that happen adding up together. Demand is incredibly high and our organization continues to grow. We've had an average of a 49% increase in kit applications this year compared to last. Every time we receive an email or a letter from teachers and students that demonstrate how important these resources are to them is a success for us. These teachers explain to us how they've seen growth in their students throughout the year.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Generous Pup|J25|4"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>If you could tell every teacher in the country one thing about what <em>Magic</em> can do for their students, what would it be?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Magic will help provide your students a sense of fulfillment. The beautiful thing about <em>Magic</em> is that it can be enjoyable for everyone, it helps create a sense of belonging, and the skills they gain will make an incredible long-lasting impact.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Generous Visitor|NEO|185"></div></div></p>
<hr />
<h2 dir="ltr">Alex, Eagle Rock Middle School</h2>
<p dir="ltr">If Sort, Build, Play is MagiKids' philosophy in the abstract, middle school teacher Alex is the trio of verbs in action. Alex was one of those educators looking for a jumpstart through MagiKids to acquire the means to use <em>Magic </em>in the classroom, and he's got a lot to say on the subject.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>How did you get started teaching Magic, and how did MagiKids come into it?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">I started the <em>Magic</em> club here at Eagle Rock Middle School because I'm a huge <em>Magic</em> player. I found out that the only clubs we had available at our school were fishing (part of the year), skiing (part of the year), and sign language club. So, I brought in all of my old cards, built 40-card decks for the students, and started the club.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I came across MagiKids when I was Googling how to run a school <em>Magic</em> club and, more importantly, how to get more cards. At the time, I only had enough cards to make four decks. I was initially going to just print out a bunch of cards, but something told me the kids wouldn't have enjoyed that nearly as much.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patient Instructor|HOB|162"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>When it comes to using <em>Magic</em> as an educational tool, what are the kids actually doing, and what are they getting out of it?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Right now, we are facing a literacy crisis with students, and <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> has been a phenomenal tool for encouraging not only reading, but comprehension.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Students have to read and understand what their cards say and then figure out how those effects interact with the other cards in their hands and on the battlefield. It encourages students to read and reread, talk, discuss, and even argue about whether or not they misunderstood an effect.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Those are all skills that are difficult to replicate with a workbook. Our students weren't just reading because they had to, they were reading because they wanted to understand what was happening in the game and how to win.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Teachings|JUD|78"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Which skills do you see <em>Magic</em> building, both rote skills and soft skills, and which one surprised you most?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Magic</em> builds a surprising number of skills. On the academic side, students practice reading comprehension, critical thinking, problem-solving, math, planning, and following complex rules. They are constantly making decisions, evaluating consequences, and adapting their strategies based on what happens in the game.</p>
<p dir="ltr">On the soft-skills side, I've seen students develop communication, sportsmanship, patience, teamwork, and confidence. They have to explain their decisions, communicate with their opponents, resolve disagreements, and learn how to win and lose gracefully.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The skill that surprised me the most was confidence. I expected the students to improve at the game, but I didn't expect to see some of the quieter students become leaders within the club.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tidecaller Mentor|BLB|236"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><em>Magic</em> can look intimidating from the outside. How do you get a brand-new kid over that first hump and into the fun?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The biggest factor was having physical things to give the students. We found that when we gave a student a physical deck, they would fall in love with having "their very own" deck. They would bring it back week after week and show it off to their friends, even if they didn't quite know how to play the game yet.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Having a welcoming environment was also incredibly important. Giving students a place where they could bring their friends and interact with adults they trusted encouraged them to give the club a chance in the first place. Once they had that initial connection to the game and the club, learning how to play became much less intimidating.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcane Laboratory|USG|60"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What do you say to a parent or colleague who wonders whether card games belong in a classroom?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">It can be difficult to keep things creative and engaging in a classroom. My advice would simply be: give it a try before you make any judgments. You might be surprised by what students can learn when you give them something they genuinely want to engage with.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sylvan Library|SPG|155"></div></div></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Is there one specific student who changed what you thought this could do for kids? Tell me about them.</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">We had one parent pull us aside and explain that his student really wanted to participate but was struggling with anxiety. He described his son as a very shy, quiet student, but he still made the effort to come to the club.</p>
<p dir="ltr">After just three days, this particular student was practically helping lead the club. He was welcoming new students, explaining rules, and even helped organize a fundraiser so our club could draft a set.</p>
<p dir="ltr">By the end of the first trimester, the other teachers on his team had noticed that his normally quiet demeanor had shifted. He had become a much more confident student.</p>
<p dir="ltr">While that was the most notable and drastic change we saw from the club, I can honestly say that all of our students left the end of the year a little brighter than when they came in. That, more than anything, is what made the club worthwhile.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vinereap Mentor|BLB|238"></div></div></p>
<hr />
<h3><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cori Mountain Monastery|TDM|393" href="#" target="_blank">Come to learn. Stay to teach.</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span></h3>
<p dir="ltr">Next time you're lamenting all the space your draft chaff and bulk boxes take up in your house (and car, locker, desk drawers, and anywhere else you stack up cards), head on over to the MagiKids booth at an event or visit their website to learn about how to donate.</p>
<p dir="ltr">What's your experience with <em>Magic </em>as an educational tool, on either end? Can you point to a time when playing <em>Magic </em>had a noticeable impact on your own skills, social or otherwise? Or, if you're a parent or teacher, have you used <em>Magic </em>as a way to teach a kid? Let us know below!</p>


education

The Educator's Guide to the Foundations Precons

Magic in Schools: Inside the MagiKids Curriculum