Chess-as-a-Learning-Tool Demonstration at the Association of Christian Schools International Convention
Scholastic chess coach will demonstrate materials and methods of teaching chess at Booth #322 to teachers at the Association of Christian Schools International in Birmingham, Alabama, January 27-28, 2005.
(PRWEB) January 28, 2005 -- Be an exhibitor at the annual Association of
Christian Schools International Convention in Birmingham, Alabama, January 27and
28, 2005. For more than 20 years, Championship Chess coaches have guided
scholastic chess clubs that, consistently, have placed high in state
championships.
Dennis A. Jones, a chess coach with Championship Chess
and a former classroom teacher, will demonstrate materials and methods of
teaching chess at Booth #322. Both the materials and the methods were developed
by Stephen A. Schneider, who is the director of Championship Chess and the
author of The Scholastic Chess Series. Schneider has been teaching chess to
children for more than 30 years. More than 1800 teachers of grades K-12 are
expected to participate in this year’s convention whose theme for the Southeast
is “Teaching to Transform Culture.” Championship Chess coaches have made
presentations to various educator groups throughout the country, including for
conferences on the gifted child, for staff development workshops and at home
school conventions.
Interest in playing chess has been growing steadily
in the U.S. since the 1980s. In schools across the country, chess is making a
strong contribution to children’s learning across academic areas. Chess is a
learning tool that just happens to be a game. Studies conducted over the last 30
years show that students’ IQs increase and test scores improve after less than a
year of systematic chess study.
Fun and motivational, chess turns
problem-solving into a game and encourages students to use patterns and logical
deductive reasoning to solve problems. Chess also develops self-esteem, builds
team spirit and increases concentration. Chess players come in all ages. Even
very young children can be successful at chess, as demonstrated by the annual
national kindergarten championship.
Championship Chess clubs and their
coaches have won local, state, regional and national awards and distinctions.
Currently, Championship Chess players are ranked in the top 10 in the state of
Georgia and the top 100 in the United States.
The coaches teach lessons
in strategy and supervise chess play among public, private and home schooled
students. The workbooks created for the Scholastic Chess Series are designed for
students who are beginners in chess, as well as for those who are ready to
improve their skills. Each of these titles has a supporting video.
Chess
Basics is the initial workbook for students. Step-by-step, it introduces the
chess pieces one at a time, not only demonstrating how they move and capture
but, also, how they work together. Chess Openings I introduces the openings that
are most popular with beginning scholastic players, and Endgames Strategies I
prepares players for the most common endgames of chess. In the spring of 2004, a
Maryland chess coach, using the Championship Chess workbooks, steered her team
on to win the Maryland Primary championship. A chess tactics book that builds
upon Chess Openings I, and is ideal for the beginning player as well as the
tournament player, is scheduled for publication later this year.
Also in
the Scholastic Chess Series is Color My Chess World, a chess readiness activity
book, with an accompanying music CD of short, fun songs that invite kids to
dance and sing along, that builds the skills to make the introduction of chess
easy ? and fun ? for very young children. Developed by certified early childhood
educators and scholastic chess coaches, this program builds academic skills
through chess activities designed to capture the interest of young children.
Color My Chess World introduces children to the “world of chess”: the
chessboard, chess “characters” and chess play. Activities in the book introduce
basic chess concepts while improving spatial skills, developing math and reading
readiness skills, and reinforcing skills in listening and following
directions.
Chess as a teaching tool is quickly gaining ground in schools
all over the United States. Championship Chess will demonstrate its materials
and methods of teaching chess and explain the academic benefits that accrue
after less than a year of systematic chess study, as well as its social and
emotional benefits.
Championship Chess is a division of Teachable Tech,
Inc., an award-winning company of curriculum writers. Teachable Tech has
designed curriculum for pre-K and K-12 for such diverse clients as the American
Red Cross, the National Park Service, Social and Health Services in association
with SAMHSA/HHR, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, ABC News, HBO and The Weather
Channel.
For more information about starting a scholastic chess club
and/or purchasing materials in the Scholastic Chess Series,
contact:
Dennis Jones or Stephen Schneider
3565 Evans Road
Atlanta,
GA 30340
(888) 328-7373 or (770) 939-4596
Fax:
770-493-1115
Championship Chess: www.championshipchess.net
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prweb201997.htm