Critical thinking + games = mind expansion + intellectual fun! Brain Builders is not your typical class: it’s a collaborative learning experience in which students will work together to play critical thinking games, solve logic puzzles, crack codes, and devise their own games. Along the way, students will learn how to solve problems, think outside the box, explore how the brain works, and collaborate with other smart learners in an exciting environment that will challenge and inspire them. Each session blends play with purpose: while the games in this course are fun, they’re also carefully chosen to build mental flexibility, strategic thinking, and teamwork skills. Whether you're a puzzle pro or just curious about how your brain learns best, this course is a chance to strengthen your mental muscles in a supportive, low-pressure environment. If your student loves brain games and puzzles and wants to connect with like-minded peers, this is the class for them!
Brain Builders: Critical Thinking and Collaboration Through Games
Length: 14 weeks
Dates and times: Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:00 PM - 8:50 PM (EST)
First day of class: September 3, 2025
Last day of class: December 10, 2025
Ash DiCristofalo received her Bachelor's from Haverford College, where she majored in Biology and minored in Classical Culture and Society, and her Master's from the University of Pennsylvania. She attended the prestigious Iowa Young Writer's Studio, had her writing published in the encyclopedia American Myths, Legends, and Tall Tales: An Encyclopedia of American Folklore, and received 5s on the AP English Language and Composition and AP English Literature and Composition exams, all of which developed her deep appreciation of rhetoric and how writers, advertisers, and speakers persuade others - and therefore, how we must critically think about how we respond to persuasive texts in the age of the Internet and AI. She recently wrapped up her position working as the Director of Graduate Engineering Programs at Haverford College. Ash has successfully worked with My Ivy Education students for years, guiding them on application essays that get them accepted to the top colleges and private high schools in the country, all while incorporating her signature creative and analytical approach.