Educational Benefits of Chess Play
Welcome to our educator's page. Do you wonder why your student play chess on their MacBooks when they should be paying attention in class? (I do tell them not to play in class, BTW). Chess has become a popular game for a wide spectrum of students, each of whom may be playing for different reasons. If they are not student athletes, they may like the thrill that a team sport provides. (The individual chess pieces serve as proxy for an entire sports team.). If they are student athletes, they understand how the game translates to playing together as a team. I use sports analogies to teach these students. Other students like the immediate gratification gained when spreading their wings outside of their own comfort area. For example, a timid student can experiment with an aggressive personality on the chessboard. An irrational decision-maker in life may learn to make more methodical decisions when playing chess. For whatever reason draws the student to chess, the board provides a level playing field for all. Age, sex, race, physical ability and social status has no relevance to success in this game. From my personal observations this year, the concept of a level playing field is a large reason students are drawn to the game.
I like to tell students that "Chess is an easy game to master, but takes a lifetime to perfect." Many of our students may not feel they have the intellectual ability to play this game. After just a few short lessons, however, they begin to see the interesting complexities that this game can offer. Once a person learns to play, watching other students play does not seem like watching paint dry. When you know how to play, you broaden your social group to a wider circle of individuals, many of which may not look, sound or talk like you do.
Welcome to our educator's page. Do you wonder why your student play chess on their MacBooks when they should be paying attention in class? (I do tell them not to play in class, BTW). Chess has become a popular game for a wide spectrum of students, each of whom may be playing for different reasons. If they are not student athletes, they may like the thrill that a team sport provides. (The individual chess pieces serve as proxy for an entire sports team.). If they are student athletes, they understand how the game translates to playing together as a team. I use sports analogies to teach these students. Other students like the immediate gratification gained when spreading their wings outside of their own comfort area. For example, a timid student can experiment with an aggressive personality on the chessboard. An irrational decision-maker in life may learn to make more methodical decisions when playing chess. For whatever reason draws the student to chess, the board provides a level playing field for all. Age, sex, race, physical ability and social status has no relevance to success in this game. From my personal observations this year, the concept of a level playing field is a large reason students are drawn to the game.
I like to tell students that "Chess is an easy game to master, but takes a lifetime to perfect." Many of our students may not feel they have the intellectual ability to play this game. After just a few short lessons, however, they begin to see the interesting complexities that this game can offer. Once a person learns to play, watching other students play does not seem like watching paint dry. When you know how to play, you broaden your social group to a wider circle of individuals, many of which may not look, sound or talk like you do.
Your Move Chess Program. St. Louis, MO. Outreach to elementary through high school. Empowering Children Through Chess.