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Chess taught in Schools

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killthequeen

          Hi everybody this is Killthequeen starting this forum topic to address an issue that is close to me: Chess in Schools. I understand that it is already taught in some schools, but hardly any. I think that in well funded private schools in areas that have a large chess following should offer chess as a subject. Chess is a great learning tool and has many psychological and concentration benefits but this topic is not about the countless benefits. There are complications with introducing chess as a subject:

1. Teachers may be hard to find.-- There are plenty of retired club level people and uni students that could be happy to have a part time job.

2. Will there be enough following to make it worthwhile?-- In schools that have an interschool competition and many interschool teams, yes. And teaching chess will give the school prestige.

3. What marking scheme would be used? How would we give marks?-- I am not sure what marking system is used for schools that offer chess but it could be a combination of theory (e.g: history of chess) and practical aspects like problems.

4. What if the students are at different levels of ability?-- I am sure that in large schools people that select chess can even include 1st timers that want to learn, experienced players, and ocassionally extremely skilled and talented students. If the class is at very different levels then it can be difficult to teach. This may seem to be the main problem. What I know though, is that you learn in a pyramid. 8 months ago I barely understood how to promote a pawn, now I have an ELO of 1700. Without a teacher I worked hard and improved my chess. Beginners learn faster than grandmasters!

 

Well, all I can say is that in big cities with large chess following, chess should be taught more than it is now!

nizamious

See in my old school I had chess as an after school co curricullar activty. Bit like after schhol tution. Every tuesday after school a coach comes and teaches us opening and end games

Nytik

I tried to get it taught in my old secondary school, not sure if that will be taken up on though! It would certainly be of benefit to all the students, as not only will some of them find a new hobby, they will all find their average grades improving...

killthequeen

Not only this is the question but also what age? I think that round about grade 5, or 10 year old level is the way to go in big cities.

killthequeen

Thanks for the offer Josh, but what I mean is for it being taught in a classroom setting just like english or science. In schools with enough money, if it is started at a young age then it may definitely spark an interest. The best time to learn is before puberty. There are also many studies now coming that it helps other subjects, concentration, problem solving, etc, etc. A real problem though is that it is seen as being uncool and nerdy. If this image can be changed, then that will also play a big part in helping young people play chess without worrying about what's "Cool."

killthequeen

HAHA! You play chess, AND  you say "rofl" and "lol" out loud..so if the chess player image is correct, YOU ARE A NERD/GEEK/DWEEB/ETC!

but then again....I play chess AND watch science fiction shows..so who am I to judge...lol. Still I think that chess can do a lot.

killthequeen

Roflcopter? Lolcakes? I never knew you said those. And what  happened to the 't' in rofl. It sounds better leaving it out then rotfl. And check out my Halloween Gambit game against Harry-Dean:

http://blog.chess.com/killthequeen/my-double-rook--knight-sacrifice

 

(And for those viewing this topic as a serious one please continue to do so and if you have a serious comment then don't feel like your intruding on MagicMan01's and my slightly bizarre converstation...)

Thunder9

nice

K1LLM4ST3R

Well with all the people trying to get a good career in life in high schools and college well idk if it should be taught in a classroom setting. I'm an 8th grader myself and because of the fact that where chess is taught in schools is no longer effective to me and i came to this site for an alternative to sharpen up my skills by people from online and even to play online. So i'm looking for a chess.com tutor and friend to help me out. Please contact me if you feel up to it and I support your article.Smile

LostDreamer

Here in the entire city there's only one school that offers chess lessons and that activity started just a couple of months ago, I don't think there are more than 8 students that bother with it..

tornadofdoom

I think chess coaches should be offered as an extracurricular, but not in school. I hate to say it, but there are worthier classes to spend money on, particularly in high schools. In elementary, I doubt that there would be anywhere near enough money.

RazaAdeel

If the owner of a private school is a chess player, then only chess could be taught at that school. Otherwise few schools would really like this idea.

dsarkar

The problem is the opposition - not the chess kind!

People in administration who don't play/understand chess will vehemently oppose chess in school - saying it is a mere wastage of time (please note: they do not consider sitting in front of the "idiot-box" called TV a wastage of time).

I faced it in my school, and gave up! Wish you better luck than mine in this!

killthequeen

and also money..in australia theyd rather put money into a rubgy tour

ArtNJ
K1LLM4ST3R wrote:

Well with all the people trying to get a good career in life in high schools and college well idk if it should be taught in a classroom setting. I'm an 8th grader myself and because of the fact that where chess is taught in schools is no longer effective to me and i came to this site for an alternative to sharpen up my skills by people from online and even to play online. So i'm looking for a chess.com tutor and friend to help me out. Please contact me if you feel up to it and I support your article.


 See if there are any chess clubs in your area.  When I was about your age (a year or two older), my friend and I started playing at a local chess club.  Most clubs are perfectly accepting of kids if they are mature.   When you get smashed by better players, most are willing to tell you where they felt you went wrong.  Very helpful.

However, you perhaps do need a certain minimal level of ability to "fit in," around 12-1300 should be fine.  The best way to get there is improve your tactics.  Check out chesstempo.com.  No real need for a coach until you master some basic tactics -- just use chesstempo every day until your tactical rating gets respectable then go to a chess club regularly if you can.   

Baldr

In the Dallas/Plano area, several of the elementary schools (mostly private schools, but some public schools too) have after school chess programs.  The parents pay for their kids to attend.

It's good for the basics, and certainly more training than I had when I was a kid.  But it's only basic strategy/tactics, and about half of the time is spent with the kids playing other kids, so you're looking at about 30 minutes a week of lesson time and 30 minutes of playing.  If that's *all* you do, that's not going to turn an 8 year old into Bobby Fischer.  It gets them started, gives them the basics, and the ones that really want to learn will need to put in more time and use other resources.

killthequeen, in the Killeen area, I'd suggest checking at Ft Hood.  They had a pretty active chess program 20 years ago - I suspect they still do.  It was mostly military, on base, but civilians were allowed.

Mirigeganto

When I played for my high school team, there was a school that taught chess as an elective.  They were under 1600 USCF high school champions and easily went undefeated in our section..

Sigmoid_Flexure
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ChessCrazy22

I currently teach in an afterschool program here in California. I share schachgeek's concerns 100 percent.

I got involved with the company I currently teach for through a friend from college. I will be extracting myself from the situation at the end of the current term. The curriculum is terrible and the people running the company have no idea what they are doing. Unfortunately, though it is clear that they are relatively incompetent when it comes to chess (for instance, teaching a back rank mate as a "smothers" mate - lol), they do not want any input from someone who knows something about chess - namely, me.

Further, when I bring up the fact that the things they are teaching are not accurate or are not relevant when it comes to a chessplayer's growth, the Fried Liver and four-move checkmate are both stellar examples, I am told (in so many words) that their company is not about developing a player, but is instead about providing an afterschool activity designed to help kids stay out of trouble and do something productive with their time. All well and good, but if that's the case, then why aren't we teaching fingerpainting, pottery, or some other equally effective activity when it comes to achieving said goal? Why is it that they chose to disgrace the Royal Game? It's a real shame.

Chess in schools is a tough racket... It takes a lot of knowledgeable chess players to make it worthwhile, and as schachgeek has expressed already, there are a LOT of legal issues (especially in CA) when it comes to teaching in an afterschool program, which is the only way most schools - at least in the U.S. - can do anything of the sort.

JohnPacho

I am currently tring to put curriclum together to teach it in highschool classroom. 

Evaluation will be from setting up the board correctly and taking notation through openings and end game skills(checkmate with 2 bishops)

Please let me know who I can contact that is already teaching it in school.