Can poker be used as a teaching aid?

Flyer35

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Absolutely! Hold'em played right is a complex game. Kids would learn a variety of useful skills such as behavioural psychology, recognizing gestures and body language, communication skills, statistics, budgeting and money management, anger management, mental math, acting, and most importantly how to combine all of these into a whole in real-time.
 
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thejuice1

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absolutely. one of the biggest thing someone of that age could learn and/or improve on greatly, would be their observation skills... watching the tells that other players would give off while playing, etc. also, would greatly help their math skills by learning percentages, when it comes to how many outs you have, etc. my 13 year old daughter sometimes plays in our low stakes cash game at home with my friends and family (usually a $40 buy in with unlimited rebuys and 25 and 50 cent blinds) and has done quite well sometimes. my dad taught me how to play poker at a young age, along with other games, and i have always loved playing all types of poker and other games since a kid, and i enjoy doing the same with both my daughters as well.

i mean i wouldnt want this teacher to spend a whole semester teaching poker lol, but if it was something that they taught a small portion of a semester for reasons like i listed above, i would have no issue with it at all. you can pretty much learn life lessons in any situation, so again, yeah id have no problem at all with this
 
tw082

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Sure, why not. Probabilities are really nonintuitive for most people. Starting them young will help to counter act this.
 
ZenonBR

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Somehow, there are much more effective ways to teach math without having to use a card game to do it.

There is no need for that.
 
MTCashman

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I think it'd be okay as long as you teach them self control too. There can be some good lessons coming out of learning poker. Patience, self discipline and calculating odds to name a few.
 
dimon4ik89

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I think yes, it's a good idea. It's not necessary to play poker for real money, you can just play for chips without money. I once read on a forum, one guy wrote that poker helps his children to develop better in mathematics. I don't know about mathematics, but I agree 100% that poker helps to develop thinking. It's not for nothing that this game is compared to chess. Also, by playing poker you can learn endurance, patience, composure and many other skills that will be useful in later life. That's why I love poker, it's not just a game - it's a whole world in which there are many moments and subtleties.
 
choche0372

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Yes, poker can be used as a teaching aid, but only for persons 18+, which are responsible for themselves. Many adults have problems with mathematics, so the teacher will have additional income;)
 
ninocabral

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In my opinion it is not a good idea to teach young people to bet, poker involves betting which I don't think is right for young people to deal with.
 
Marcwantstowin

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I think it has both good and bad reasons for doing it or not,

Pro's

Helpful with math
How to build good interpersonal skills
Understanding Risk and Chance. (Definitely two similar subjects but different ways of thinking).
Learning basic math, working out odds etc.re

Con's

The teacher would be hung, drawn and quartered in England if it was discovered.
Some people would see it as gambling when we all know it is not unless the person playing doesn't understand why he/ she is doing what they are doing.
It also could be good for giving the juniors an understanding of a better way of communicating. (Rather than texting or emailing), they might learn
how to talk to each other and give their thumbs a rest.

Overall I think it would be a good tool to use.
 
Balou1982

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I wouldn´t recommend to teach Holdem children under 18 because at this age most of them dont know which cons can bring playing cards and playing money games. In most countries it is strictly forbidden that people under 18 come in contact with gambling, so i think teachers would getting into trouble if they speak out positive affects by playng poker while teaching children mathematics.
 
oriole

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I think teaching kids probability is a great idea, as it can enhance their critical thinking and math skills. However, I’m not sure if using a gambling-related game like Hold'em is the best approach for that age group. There might be other ways to teach probability that don't involve a direct association with gambling.
 
gabryyyel31

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I would make a connection between poker and financial education. This could be an independent subject introduced in school for students. Poker has a close connection with money, it can help you learn and manage your finances better, it helps you make decisions and respect some limits depending on the budget/bankroll.
 
nelomec

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Your 7th grader's math teacher wants to teach the class Hold'em. Would you think this is a good idea?

bda81fc13d481ae34fdc7501ff926a26.jpg

Thanks to @nabmom for the topic idea.

Personally, I think the idea of teaching hold'm in the 7th grade is wrong, but the mathematical idea behind it I think is valid, as it is an area where it could really help children to develop the reasoning behind probabilities, statistics and such.
 
armoko

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I think it would even work for 7th graders. The game itself isn’t hard to teach, the rules are pretty simple, and I think the kids will have fun playing it.
 
Dmitriy_rus7

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Your 7th grader's math teacher wants to teach the class Hold'em. Would you think this is a good idea?

bda81fc13d481ae34fdc7501ff926a26.jpg

Thanks to @nabmom for the topic idea.
I would be against it. I think 7th grade is too early for gambling
 
Iryna Stryzheuskaya

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I think this is a bad idea. There is an 18+ rule.
 
patricia1

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I think yes but we have to be careful for not make the little babies gambling addiction. Its important that it's very controlled and for sure not with real money and only for the learning of the process.
 
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martDdart

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Knowing mathematics and patience helps to improve life and poker.
 
hilary antonik filho

hilary antonik filho

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I don't think it's a good idea to teach Hold'em to 7th graders.
I believe I started playing at the age of a 7th grader, with friends and outside high school
 
Mag_P1e

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I think it would be a good idea not to teach poker in general, but to focus specifically on poker math. (Although, in my school, probability theory, for example, was covered in the 11th grade, which is much later)
 
Bluffzone68

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To me poker is a great tool for life lessons.
It should be taught at all levels.
Poker teaches us a lot of different aspects of life.
Disculpe, aggression. Calmness, risk management and much more...
 
gustavofuentes2

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I think it is a good Idea for the teacher to show them hold em. They can be taught the basics along with game strategy and of course cause and effect of the game. This can be used in all aspects of everyday life. So, I think it is better that they be taught in how to apply these things from a school rather than in a basement with a bunch of buddies who want to use you as a fish and take all your money.
 
VictorOd

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I don't know. Is it possible? How far a teacher is allowed to deviate from the curriculum? The thread reminded me about "21" movie back from 2008. However students played another game there (blackjack) and counted cards. Kevin Spacey has been justified/uncanceled so I can recommend this movie.
 
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rsparente

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It can and should be used, kids play lots of other "less productive" games, but should let them know as well, it can be addictive, so should focus only on the statistics part of the game.
 
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