Page 71 - Best Chapter Spring 2017

1
. \»

lessons, much like art class or gym. For 30 minutes

each week, children in the 2nd through 4th grades

have a chess lesson.

3 n

“We felt that the earlier kids learned how to play, the V ‘ .

more benefits they wou.ld see,” Walker said. “We’ve h ‘

seen tremendous growth in our students, and we’re 3 ', ____ .

seeing the benefits of chess in all grade levels.” -‘ "' ‘ i W i h

l ‘ 1' r A ' .
Parents, teachers and even the students themselves I‘‘‘‘ § ‘ ‘i 4 5?: 1' '
report that playing chess helps students focus, ‘ ' ,2‘
become more creative, develop strategies, reduce C ' -'
anxiety and have more effective methods of calming i ‘ ' ' .'
themselves down.
,_ 1 ,

“The teachers tell us over and over how engaged the ‘ i ' ‘
students become,” Walker said. “They can focus and ‘ I _ U

listen better.” ' - W I “ f

/’ ' '~'

Shauna McDowell, principal at Pleasant Hill /' {

Academy, echoed these sentiments about the Chess 'I I :-

in Schools program and its impact on her students :5-1 l V‘

and their families. .7

u‘ \.

“This day and age, a lot of kids—and parents, too—

are used to immediacy,” McDowell said. “We don’t

stop and pause and talk. We’re immediate. And I‘,

when we don’t stop and talk about things, we miss '

a lot.” I

“We’ve noticed that through chess, our students take Students compete in one of 15 sections at the Queen

a moment. They decide what move they want to City Classic Chess Tournament-

make next. They are intentional about their choices,

and that has a real impact," McDowell said. “This the potential to become the most powerful piece on

translates into the classroom and, more importantly, the board."

into their homes and communities.”

To these students, the pawn can become a very

Some of those life lessons are about discipline and important symbol in their lives. Compared to the

patience. But other lessons are about hope and queens and the kings and the rooks, pawns can

promise. seem ordinary and unimportant. But when pawns

are played to their potential, they can become as

“My favorite piece is the pawn,” said Mike Donohue, powerful as the queen which is the most powerful

instructor at Holy Family Catholic School, to a piece of them a_ll—a lesson that Chess in Schools is

class of 6th graders. “I love it because every pawn has hoping these students carry for life.That despite >

BEST CHAPTER 7: