About Game Schooler

Developed by two avid gamers, one a doctor of education, and the other an entrepreneur, Game Schooler began as an idea to use modern tabletop games to educate students in new and engaging ways.

As tabletop gamers, we were disappointed in the board games commonly found in classrooms and marketed as “educational” games. It felt like these games were developed 50 years ago with no knowledge of contemporary gaming standards, including quality and gameplay advancements.

We decided to find a way to take advantage of the games that kids and families already enjoyed playing and building educational tools around them, which became Game Schooler Skill-Builders©, Subject-Builders©, and Discussion Guides©. These lessons work in tandem with the game for use in home-schooling, after-school programs, youth groups, and K-12 by both parents and educators.

Meet the Crew

Doug Kotecki Owner, Chief Curator

Doug Kotecki is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, the founder of Tabletop Game Gallery, and the Chief Curator of Game Schooler. As a tabletop game enthusiast, Doug owns enough games to last several lifetimes, and his ability to discover great family-friendly games ensures Game Schooler is recommending and developing content for quality games across a wide variety of genres. Most importantly, he is a father of three, a husband of one, and a lover of tacos.

Dr. Michael McCabe, EdDOwner, Chief Educational Officer

Dr. Michael McCabe graduated from Creighton University with his doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership. He has over 15 years of professional experience in the public, private, and charter schools. Michael has presented across the globe in project-based learning, personalized learning, and his collective co-design framework is a methodology for youth co-designing their own classroom, program, or school. He’s passionate about basketball and loves to coach up whenever he has the opportunity. His faith and his family are his top two priorities. He is also a father a three and husband to an amazing high school art teacher.