Hello all,
I'm a high school teacher in the Los Angeles area and advisor to our school's chess club. We're fairly new (started in April of last school year) but have grown substantially this year do to more active recruitment. We have about 18 regulars and are currently playing our first blitz (5 min.) round robin tournament.
I'm hardly an expert, but neither are the kids, so I'm TRYING to just stay a step or two ahead of the better ones (I've had fun playing a few on this site). We're all having a great time doing it.
We work within difficult time constraints, most play occurring during lunch (only 35 minutes), but we meet three lunches per week. So far, one is devoted to the tournament, one is open play, and we're trying to use one as a "theory" or improvement day. On the "theory" days we go over mating patterns, opening principles, opening lines, etc. I've started to try and introduce articles from Dan Heisman's Novice Nook (a personal favorite) on Chesscafe.com. We're working to get a group together for longer play after school once per week (unfortunately, most of my kids think G/15 is a LONG game, something I think we definently have to change to improve).
Enough background...I'm looking for new ideas on good general lessons/things to capture the attention of multiple teenagers that can be taught in a 30 minute period. Any tips would be appreciated.
If anyone else out there runs a scholastic club/team, I'd love to open a dialogue about how you do it.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers.
Originally posted by xnomanxSeeing as you do indeed have a reasonably sized group, I would consider dividing your students into groups based on skill level. This might help you realize what material would be most appropriate for what students.
Any tips would be appreciated.
Also, don't neglect endgame studies among the other studies you listed. Silman's Complete Endgame Manual, if you don't mind buying a book, would be a very good place to start, especially since it works gradually from beginner to advanced.
Originally posted by chessisvanitychessisvanity is very right with this statement...
try harder.....if they think 15 minute games are too long then throw them a basketball.
you can implement some kind of adjournement thing(start a game in the first break)-one will envelope his move...continue the game in the second break, and the 3rd...etc.
Make the kids play ONLY very LONG games...(I would advise something like 1 hour each...and never allow them to play games with less than 30 minutes each)...blitz should come much later, when they play for fun...as you do not improve much your long chess with blitz games...
In the short breaks you can play with them by giving them tactical/strategical problems and discuss on them (like silman does in his lessons workbook)
Being a scholastic player myself, one thing I've always enjoyed had been analyzing other player's (in the club/group) games. I just went over a game today and had a lot of fun.
I also love puzzles. Which, if you want to do something with the whole group, might be good. Tactics, no matter how basic, are very important, so skill level isn't a big deal here. Everyone can learn or enforce something already learned.
Just my piece.
Originally posted by xnomanxWhat ages?
Hello all,
I'm a high school teacher in the Los Angeles area and advisor to our school's chess club. We're fairly new (started in April of last school year) but have grown substantially this year do to more active recruitment. We have about 18 regulars and are currently playing our first blitz (5 min.) round robin tournament.
I'm hardly an expert, but ne ...[text shortened]... 'd love to open a dialogue about how you do it.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers.
D
Thanks for the responses so far.
I fully realize the need for longer games, but again, we're working within given time constraints. Finding a day that a dozen+ people can meet for hours is tough- some players are athletes, some musicians, etc., all with busy schedules. While I agree that blitz isn't a good format for improvement, the tournament has proven to be a great recruitment tool- it's peaked the interest of many students, most of whom are now staying around on the other days wanting to get more "serious".
Longer games are definently needed- I had never thought of adjournment, it's a good idea and thanks for the suggestion. (sorry I can't respond individually to you all, but I'm in a hurry)
As far as the ages of the players, I have Freshmen through Seniors (14-18 years), but predominately Juniors and Seniors (16+).
We've yet to get into game analysis/annotation as a group- another good idea. I've gone over games with small groups and they all seemed to enjoy it; another thing to incorporate.
Thanks for the responses so far.
If there are other coaches/teachers out there, maybe we could keep this thread going as a resource for everyone?
Originally posted by xnomanxThis is a thread which should help you out...
Thanks for the responses so far.
I fully realize the need for longer games, but again, we're working within given time constraints. Finding a day that a dozen+ people can meet for hours is tough- some players are athletes, some musicians, etc., all with busy schedules. While I agree that blitz isn't a good format for improvement, the tournament has proven ...[text shortened]... /teachers out there, maybe we could keep this thread going as a resource for everyone?
Thread 78922
D
Originally posted by xnomanxAs an element to one of your sessions you might be able to have the whole class play a consultation game against another class/group of similar age students somewhere else in the world...maybe one of the other coaches on here would accept a challenge and it could be on RHP as an unrated game.
Thanks for the responses so far.
I fully realize the need for longer games, but again, we're working within given time constraints. Finding a day that a dozen+ people can meet for hours is tough- some players are athletes, some musicians, etc., all with busy schedules. While I agree that blitz isn't a good format for improvement, the tournament has proven /teachers out there, maybe we could keep this thread going as a resource for everyone?
This might bring the benefit of longer thinking times...as they can go away and think about the move for a day or two...but only needs to take up 10 mins of a session while the move is discussed.
You might find some stronger players in your area...maybe even a titled player who would be up for playing a simul against your students or giving a lecture.
You might also have the students produce a produce a quarterly magazine.
It seems there are two challenges here - one is capturing their imaginations and nurturing an interest in chess and the other is the study of chess.
Also I found a fascinating essay written by a 16 yr old girl about playing chess that might be of interest to circulate - it's called "Why I play chess" and is in three parts from a link on this blog: http://chesstales.blogspot.com/2007/05/queens-gambit-move-order-refinement.html if you scroll down the page the links are on the bottom right.
Originally posted by vipiuIf you jump to only playing long games you may be left with just one or two students....it takes time to build the ability to concentrate for long periods. I think the future of chess requires a more flexible approach to nurturing young players. Some of the players who are only interested in playing short games and will never progress to a longer form may bring something else to the chess club and make it a better club to be involved with.
chessisvanity is very right with this statement...
you can implement some kind of adjournement thing(start a game in the first break)-one will envelope his move...continue the game in the second break, and the 3rd...etc.
Make the kids play ONLY very LONG games...(I would advise something like 1 hour each...and never allow them to play games with less than ...[text shortened]... hem tactical/strategical problems and discuss on them (like silman does in his lessons workbook)
You make a great point Mahout- pushing too hard to play long, serious games can very likely backfire. I've been a teacher for many years now and one always has to walk the line between enough information to progress and killing the willingness to learn with too much info. As soon as chess club begins to feel too much like "work" to them, it's dead. Each student has their own threshold on what is too much- rushing into "serious"play could very well be a mistake.
I find that failure definently gets their attention-
I was explaining to the less advanced students the importance of knowing how to mate with K&R vs. K, K&Q vs. K, etc. -basic stuff- and telling them they had to practice it. "Yeah, yeah, I know, it's easy, let's play already..." was the response from some.
Then some of the very same students turn around and stalemate games in the same positions while still having minutes on the clock. Suddenly they realize the value of knowing the patterns and are asking for help. I tell them if they can't mate me in under a minute with a K&R vs. K then they don't know it...
I'm definently finding that the more we play, even just blitz, the more it peaks interest. When someone gets schooled in a G/5 they're usually coming to me for advice shortly after, asking about openings, tactics, etc. and they're then willing to sit and slow down.
I've managed over the last week to get a group of the more serious kids commited to playing slowly- we're finding the time where we can and starting to simply adjourn games when were pressed.
Thanks for your link to the other thread as well Ragnorak.