The OMT Learning System
Clarity Breeds Confidence
American Mahjong can feel overwhelming at first. There are unfamiliar tiles, a card filled with patterns and instructions, detailed rules, and many decisions to make during every game.
At On Mahj Time, Cheryll believes that learning Mahjong should never feel intimidating. With clear instruction, purposeful practice, and the right support, even a complete beginner can learn to play with confidence.
Cheryll's goal is not simply to teach players the steps of the game. She wants them to understand how those steps work together, recognize the reasoning behind them, and develop the skills to play independently.
A Thoughtful Approach to Teaching
Cheryll is passionate about helping players build confidence, sharpen their strategic thinking skills, and—most importantly—have fun while learning the game.
With more than 25 years of experience as a corporate trainer, instructional designer, communications and knowledge manager, Cheryll has spent her career helping people understand complex concepts, develop new skills, and gain confidence in their abilities.
Today, she brings that same experience and passion for teaching to the Mahjong table. Every On Mahj Time learning experience is intentionally designed to be clear, engaging, approachable, and enjoyable.
Known for making complex concepts easier to understand, Cheryll combines proven adult-learning techniques with a patient, supportive, and encouraging teaching style. Her lessons focus not only on the mechanics of the game, but also on the thought process behind successful decision-making.
Cheryll believes that Mahjong is learned best when every concept learned is built upon the last and then reinforced with hands-on practice. Players learn how to recognize opportunities, evaluate their options, adapt their strategies, and approach the game with greater confidence and purpose.
Cheryll's Teaching Philosophy
Confidence Before Complexity
New players do not need every rule, exception, and strategic nuance presented at once. They need a strong foundation and a clear path forward. Cheryll introduces concepts in manageable steps, building new knowledge on what players already understand. She adds complexity gradually, after the foundational skills are in place.
Understanding Over Memorization
Mahjong is not learned by memorizing a long list of rules. It is learned by understanding how the pieces of the game fit together. Cheryll explains both the "what" and the "why." Familiar language, meaningful analogies, visual examples, and hands-on activities make abstract concepts easier to understand and remember.
Progress Over Perfection
Mistakes are a natural and valuable part of learning. Questions are encouraged, uncertainty is expected, and progress is celebrated. Cheryll does not expect players to master everything in one session. The objective is to understand enough to keep moving forward, know where to find and how to apply the answers, and become more comfortable with every game.
Purposeful Practice
Information becomes useful when players have an opportunity to apply it. Cheryll reinforces each new concept through guided activities, practice hands, situational questions, and game play. Players do more than hear an explanation—they identify tiles, build hands, organize racks, complete the Charleston, evaluate possibilities, and talk through decisions. Practice is structured, supportive, and directly connected to the skills players will need at the table.
Independent Play Is the Goal
Cheryll's goal is not to make students dependent on an instructor. She wants to prepare them to sit down at a Mahjong table, follow the flow of the game, use the NMJL card, make informed decisions, and continue learning through experience. By the end of Fundamentals Bootcamp, players have practiced the complete game process and have the tools and resources they need to begin playing independently.
Enjoyment and Connection Matter
Mahjong is more than rules and strategy. It is also a shared experience. Cheryll weaves good etiquette, sportsmanship, patience, and respect throughout her instruction. Players learn how to participate confidently while helping create a welcoming and enjoyable environment for everyone at the table. Learning should be productive—but it should also be fun!
How the OMT Learning System Works
Learning Follows a Clear Sequence
Cheryll introduces concepts in the order players need them:
- 1Becoming familiar with the game and its equipment
- 2Recognizing and naming the tiles
- 3Understanding and navigating the NMJL card
- 4Building legal hands and applying Joker rules
- 5Setting up the game and organizing the rack
- 6Completing the Charleston
- 7Drawing, discarding, calling, and exchanging Jokers
- 8Applying scoring, etiquette, and sportsmanship rules
- 9Bringing everything together through guided play
This intentional sequence reduces confusion and allows each skill to support the next.
Players Learn by Seeing, Hearing, and Doing
Mahjong is a game of both looking and listening, so Cheryll incorporates multiple ways of learning into every training experience. Players see visual examples, hear Mahjong terminology used correctly, handle and identify tiles, arrange hands, practice procedures, and participate in guided game play. This combination helps learners make meaningful connections and strengthens recall.
Questions Guide the Learning Process
Rather than always providing an immediate answer, Cheryll frequently uses guided questions to help players think through a situation:
- What patterns do you see?
- Which section of the card looks most promising?
- What does the instruction beside the hand require?
- Where can a Joker legally be used?
- What information do the exposed tiles provide?
- Which choice gives you the greatest flexibility?
This approach helps players develop the reasoning skills they will need when an instructor is no longer sitting beside them.
Reinforcement Is Built In
Cheryll designs On Mahj Time training materials as part of a complete learning system. In the Fundamentals Bootcamp experience, the participant workbook, guided activities, Coach's Corner insights, Rules to Remember, progress checks, practice exercises, and quick-reference Game Aids reinforce key concepts and give students useful resources to revisit after class. (Note: The Essentials class covers the same training curriculum and includes two Game Aids, but it does not include the full training portfolio or participant workbook.)
Every Learner Is Different
People learn at different speeds and in different ways. Some players understand a concept after hearing it explained. Others need to see an example, handle the tiles, ask questions, or work through the process several times. Cheryll's small-group learning environment allows her to observe how each student is progressing, provide individualized clarification, and adjust her explanation when a different approach would be helpful.
What You Can Expect
When you learn with Cheryll, you can expect:
- Clear, structured instruction grounded in official NMJL rules
- Plain-language explanations of unfamiliar concepts
- A welcoming environment where questions are encouraged
- Hands-on activities and purposeful practice
- Guidance that explains both what to do and why
- Opportunities to talk through decisions and receive feedback
- Practical resources that support continued learning
- An emphasis on etiquette, sportsmanship, and respect
- A learning experience designed to prepare you for independent play
The On Mahj Time Journey
Learn with Confidence
Build a strong foundation through clear instruction, guided practice, and an encouraging learning environment.
Play with Purpose
Strengthen your skills through practice, thoughtful decision-making, and continued learning.
Find Your People
Connect with other players and enjoy the community, friendship, and shared experience that make Mahjong so special.
Knowledge builds confidence. Confidence makes purposeful play possible. And purposeful play opens the door to a community that extends far beyond the Mahjong table.
Ready to Begin?
Whether you are picking up a Mahjong tile for the first time or are ready to become a more thoughtful and strategic player, Cheryll offers a learning experience designed to help you move forward with confidence.
Learn with Confidence. Play with Purpose. Find Your People.