In continuing my line of thought from the previous post, I would like to explore how or if chess can be used to promote academic performance in general, and in science in particular. I never played until a few times as an undergrad at NSU. When I went to El Paso to teach at the high school level in 1988 I inherited the sponsorship of my new school's chess club by default. I quickly grew to see what appeared to be a strong connection between academic success and playing chess. I have since researched this idea and found a strong body of work suggesting a link between chess and grades, cognition, problem solving ability, self-esteem, and even long-term economic benefits! I will post some of these articles as I progress through my blog. At Maryetta, a K-8 school in rural NE Oklahoma, I approached my administration armed with such studies, and they have supported the introduction of a chess elective, club, and team. A Maryetta K-6 team even finished third in the state the first year they competed at that level. I also intend to try to tie chess tactics, strategy, and problems into the mode of the Learning Cycle, if possible.
Bibliographic Note:
http://www.okschess.org/
http://www.uschess.org/scholastic/
1 comment:
Also of course how chess can support academic success, with an emphasis on the learning cycle. There is always the question though of if chess helps develop academic success and thinking skills, or if students with those traits just happen to be more likely to play chess.
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