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Since when did the word "play" become outlawed in kindergarten? I remember a time when kindergarten classrooms were stocked with wooden blocks, paint, and dramatic-play corners complete with costuming, furniture, appliances, and play food. Not so long ago, there was a period during the day when we encouraged kindergarten students to freely explore, create, and interact with the materials and people around them.

For a growing group of educators, the online role-playing game World of Warcraft is a place to go to relax, network, and discover potential learning strategies-- and slay a few monsters if they get in the way.

"Does anyone know where to find best practices for a unit on reptiles?"

Vyktorea herself belongs to Catherine Parsons, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and pupil personnel services for Pine Plains Central School District in New York state. Parsons is the founder of this "guild"-- a community of game players with a shared interest. Called Cognitive Dissonance and populated entirely by educators from both K-12 and higher education, it meets regularly in WoW's elaborate, monster-laden fantasy adventure world, where members play, share ideas, and explore possible instructional crossover. Parsons created the guild two years ago and now runs it with help from Sandy Wagner, director of technology for New York's Auburn Enlarged City School District.