Mentorship and Why it is Necessary for Success

    In the article by Bogost, I found it very interesting to learn so much about the world of Animal Crossing, a game I have never played. I was surprised to read about how educational it was for young children to learn the basics of gaining wealth, paying off debts, and mortgages. As someone who doesn't consider themselves to be much of a "gamer," I also was unaware of all the gaming communities, including the ACC, or Animal Crossing Community. This was an interesting section of the reading to me because the author discussed how members of the ACC can get "adopted" by older, more experienced players in order to be shown the ropes (Bogost, 2008). These older members can help the newbies understand game strategy and tricks and also create friendships. I think that this is especially interesting to think about how these groups allow for the younger players to grow and create social skills in a new place, outside of the classroom. This all comes back to the idea of play and whether or not it can really be beneficial to a child's learning.

    In my own personal experience, I want to talk about a time that an older member of a group I spend a lot of time in was able to "mentor" me and benefit my growth among my group. I am on an athletics team here at the U, and my freshman year, I did not know what I was doing at all. Thankfully, the senior leadership on the team was very strong, and one of the senior girls took the role of being my "BIG" or my mentor. With her leadership and help, I never had a question unanswered and I always felt a part of the team. This was really important for my growth and development on the team because it made me feel like I was worthy of being a part of it all. I think in the same way, these online communities can be beneficial for younger players' communication skills. It also allows for them to grow in their gaming community and create friendships, problem-solving strategies, and potentially even pave the way for them to become mentors themselves. I think that this is another argument for allowing more play in childhood education. Video games may not always seem like an educational tool, but when you think about all the various ways they can gain knowledge in this environment, using video games as a form of learning can benefit children who cannot learn the same skills in such a formal setting.