Wednesday, March 7, 2001
|
Wednesday, March 7, 2001 |
|
Check it out: Chess programaids students academically Most people would not know what the terms "castling" and "en passant" mean. But students at East Fayette Elementary School not only know that the terms identify special moves used in chess, they also know how to execute the moves. At the beginning of the school year, fourth grade teacher Joyce Simpson had the idea of teaching her students how to play chess once a week after school. The idea came to her as she watched some of her students playing at recess with an old chess set that she had brought from home. She immediately drafted letters to parents to find out if they would be willing to let their students stay after school for one hour, once a week for two six-week increments. The response was more enthusiastic than Simpson had expected. Not only were her students interested in learning how to play, but students from other classes were also expressing an interest in participating in the game. "I would have never guessed that learning to play chess would have been so popular. We have a waiting list right now of students from other classrooms who want to play," Simpson says. Due to a limited number of chess sets and teachers to help with instruction, only students from Simpson's class are able to take part in the chess game. Currently, she has 13 students who come to play on a regular basis. "We would have many more children if we had the resources to accommodate them," Simpson says. Ed Higgenbotham, a parent of one of Simpson's pupils, donated the chess sets used by the students. He also volunteers his time on Friday afternoons to help teach the students how to play. The first half hour of the program is devoted to learning how to set up plays and strategies and logically work through different situations. During the last half hour, the students break into pairs and play the game. "Although the children do have a competitive spirit, we try to maintain a civil atmosphere. If there is a disagreement among them about a move, then the parent volunteer steps in to determine if the play can be validated," Simpson says. According to Simpson, the activity is helping her students learn to develop logical and critical thinking skills as well as improving their organizational skills. In chess, players have to stay at least two steps ahead of their opponents at all times and this requires a great deal of concentration and focused thought. However, the most interesting discovery for Simpson is that she sees her students in a different light when they are playing the game. One student, who struggles with homework, consistently wins no matter the opponent. "All of this time I had thought she lacked problem-solving skills, but she has shown me that she is more of a problem solver than what I had thought she was," Simpson explains. What the students like best about the program is that they know more about chess than their teacher does. During chess time, they find themselves reversing roles with Simpson: they become the teacher and she the student. "I am a student here with them. They try to teach me how to play, but they always end up beating me," laughs Simpson. Simpson says she would like to see all students at East Fayette involved in playing chess. Students as young as first and second graders have asked to be included in the program. The only problem is finding enough volunteers for the number of students who are interested in playing. Anyone who is interested in volunteering time to help with the program can contact Simpson at the school. In addition, extra chess sets are needed to accommodate more players. People who would like to donate chess sets can also contact Simpson. "A lot of what students learn from playing chess can be applied to their school work. I feel that this program would benefit all students who want to participate," Simpson says.
|
||