Question: I am appalled that my daughter's middle school math class is starting to play bridge during class time. Is there any academic value to this game, or is it just a waste of time? - Help me out
Answer: The game of bridge is now invading classrooms across the country, even in elementary school. Your daughter can definitely benefit from learning this game. When bridge lessons are given as part of the regular school curriculum, teachers are impressed with the results. They see their students' thinking skills improving as they learn to look ahead and to plan and predict.
Bridge is not a waste of time in math classes, as it helps students with the areas of probability, ratios, percentages and fractions. It also develops their number sense. Plus, playing bridge has been shown to improve students' reading, comprehension and communication skills as well as to expand their vocabularies. You can also expect such immediate benefits for your daughter as improved memory, concentration and reasoning skills as well as the ability to work with others in solving problems.
Bridge appeals to students of all ages because it's a competitive activity. Students definitely get wrapped up in the competition while improving a great number of skills. Some even enter tournaments and win prizes. If you don't know how to play bridge, consider learning the game yourself so you can enjoy playing a few hands with your daughter.