Rest assured that your experience is entirely consistent with what I've seen at chess clubs :)
1. Yep, seen this. Do they know the main goal is checkmate? It seems like a stupid question, but often they get caught up in trying to get all their opponent's pieces (I've seen kids with two queens *still* hunting down the rest of the pawns on the board first). And the second thing, do they know how to checkmate? Show them basic mating patterns first before giving them a whole game.
2. Parents love talking about their kids. Tell them how their kid is doing, where they could improve etc. Otherwise maybe get a roster to provide snacks? Or help out around the club?
3. Blitz games elsewhere? Or get them to analyse the game they just played with their friends?
Good luck!
(I'm a writer and a coach on chess.com - feel free to message me if you'd like a free coaching game :)
I am going to be teaching chess to the youngest kids at a school soon. The purpose is just to let the kids play and have fun (they don't need to become grandmasters etc.).
Could someone here give some advice for the following cases that I've seen at other schools and tournaments:
1. The beginners aren't able to finish totally winning games. A player can be massively ahead (for example 3-4 pieces without any compensation), but just chases the enemy king around or promotes several queens without any reason and ends up stalemating his opponent or just spends a lot of time and suffers a loss because of it.
2. When parents wait during a tournament, how can I somehow involve them in an activity? Let's say they don't want to play themselves, but maybe want to help with the organization of the tournament?
3. What fun activity (that isn't loud) can be given to those who finish quickly in a tournament? Some kids always finish much quicker than others - how can they avoid boredom without annoying the rest?
4. What "fun prizes" can be given to kids at classes to encourage good behaviour etc.?
I'm a capable chess player myself (I started 20 years ago) but that doesn't automatically translate to giving good lessons to kids who are beginners - any help would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance!