Diwan bookstore in Heliopolis hosted a workshop for parents to introduce them to the Mind Lab life skills development technique, to be implemented in Egypt for the first time. The workshop was presented by Mohamed Yassin, the project manager in Egypt, Sophie Mills, the project manager in the UK, and Suzanne Charest, an experienced Mind Lab teacher. The Mind Lab uses board games as educational tools to teach kids ages 4 to 14 a wide range of skills that they can use in different aspects of their lives. The program, which originated in Britain, has already been successfully implemented in over 30 countries. In the introductory workshop, the parents rediscovered the joy of board games as they were asked to imagine themselves in their children's shoes. Charest gave them abalone boards and conducted a Mind Lab session on them in order to demonstrate how these classes work. In the lab, students start playing a game and they are stopped at random points to learn strategies that can improve their performance. Then they start experimental learning which means that they play again using the new technique. In the transference stage, they discuss with their teacher how this newly acquired technique can help them in different situations in their life. Mills explained to the parents who attended the workshop that playing games is the easiest way to teach kids concepts which can otherwise be too complicated for their understanding, like resource management, team work and perseverance. Mills said, "There is a game for every child that fits perfectly with his or her level of understanding, his or her personality and the skills he or she needs to learn. Mind Lab uses a variety of over 240 board games from different cultures to cater to every child's needs. The Mind Lab helps children develop cognitive skills, like decision making and problem solving, social skills like communication and conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence like self-esteem and anger management. The range of skills taught in Mind Lab can be a great addition to the Egyptian educational system which develops only one skill: memorization. A study from Yale University has proven the positive influence of the Mind Lab on children's development. The study concluded that "the Mind Lab method significantly improves children's performance on standardized maths, verbal and problem solving tests. An earlier study proved that "Mind Lab produces a substantial and lasting improvement (in) children's strategic reasoning and problem solving skills. Mills said that even though Mind Lab is currently only offered in Diwan, her ambition is to have it taught at every school in Egypt. The Mind Lab starts its activity in Egypt with a four-week program to start after the Eid. To enrol your child in the class, contact Diwan bookstores.
