Chess in Schools

[John Upham]

You may find the following of interest http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5140

Maybe we should send a delegation to see what we can learn?

I wonder where they got their sets from?

Its a different world out there...

[Peter Turner]

Good morning

I see that Fergus is online at the moment. Assume that he is waiting for an annoucement from Saturday's board meeting like the rest of us.

Regards

Peter T
PS Also gets this on the 'Active' topics list!!

[fergus christie]

Good morning

I see that Fergus is online at the moment. Assume that he is waiting for an annoucement from Saturday's board meeting like the rest of us.

Peter

Much as I'd like to help (I tried to secure the tooling!) I'm reduced to an interested bystander...

I passionately believe there is both the will (and the wherewithal!) in the UK plastics industry to deliver this project - and I still hope that Holloid's new owner will be able to put forward a viable proposal to get sets to UK schools.

Regards

Fergus

[Peter Turner]

Hi Fergus, thanks for response. Hopefully a 'mechanism' will be found which will enable the production of the sets & boards.


Sincere best wishes for the New Year

Peter

[Carl Hibbard]

Since the Holloid web site does not even mention the CFS project then I presume the secret sale will not be made public either?

[andrew martin]

Perhaps Fergus could clear something up for me as he is still around.

When Gerry Walsh made his famous announcement back in Aug 2008 that the production of the sets was in full swing, is it true to say that he was acting on information that had been supplied to him by someone from Holloid?

[Peter Turner]

Andrew

There are lots of people, including many on this forum, who would work hard to make the Chess in Schools Project a success. The longer we wait for an announcement the more I begin to worry. Come on ECF we need information, even a posting to say when the 'press release' will be made would be helpful.

Regards

Peter T

[Carl Hibbard]

Andrew

There are lots of people, including many on this forum, who would work hard to make the Chess in Schools Project a success. The longer we wait for an announcement the more I begin to worry. Come on ECF we need information, even a posting to say when the 'press release' will be made would be helpful.

Regards

Peter T

A little patience is needed - my bet is only on another delay type announcement anyway I have to say

[Alex Holowczak]

Just had a shred of good news. My old primary school is going to start teaching chess to people in Key Stage 2, in school time ( ). Apparently, there's some wider-curriculum thing (that's how it was explained to me...), and as a result, the Headteacher of the school in my time there is returning to teach chess on one weekday afternoon in groups. Apparently, they've even purchased new chess equipment specifically. I know this, because the old equipment was given to me... But anyway, if this "wider-curriculum thing" is being introduced to primary schools nationally (it might be a Sandwell-only policy, I don't know), then it might encourage other schools to take up the teaching of chess, presumably pending the number of potential teachers. This can only be good news.

[Richard James]

Just had a shred of good news. My old primary school is going to start teaching chess to people in Key Stage 2, in school time ( ). Apparently, there's some wider-curriculum thing (that's how it was explained to me...), and as a result, the Headteacher of the school in my time there is returning to teach chess on one weekday afternoon in groups. Apparently, they've even purchased new chess equipment specifically. I know this, because the old equipment was given to me... But anyway, if this "wider-curriculum thing" is being introduced to primary schools nationally (it might be a Sandwell-only policy, I don't know), then it might encourage other schools to take up the teaching of chess, presumably pending the number of potential teachers. This can only be good news.

That sounds like excellent news, Alex. I have long believed that this is a much better way of delivering chess to primary schools than after-school clubs.

I am literally at this moment writing notes on a course for primary schools (KS2) based on the new version of chessKIDS academy, along with notes on cross-curricular links, which is something many schools are very keen on, and specific cognitive skills which will be developed during the course.

If your old school, or anyone else, wants to contact me I shall be very happy to share notes.

I am hoping to be able to trial this myself at some point in the fairly near future. If the school where I currently work is not interested I'll look elsewhere.

[John Upham]

I am literally at this moment

I've not seen this phrase used for years... Happy memories

You could of used

I am quite literally at this moment

to score a maximum!

[Richard James]

I am literally at this moment

I've not seen this phrase used for years... Happy memories

You could of used

I am quite literally at this moment

to score a maximum!

I might HAVE done so but it would have added nothing to the meaning of my sentence. I used the word correctly and with a specific reason.

I would be rather more interested to hear your views, and those of others, on the respective merits of chess on the curriculum and after-school chess clubs, and of skill-based and competition-based chess in primary schools.

[John Upham]

As an experiment I took into a school yesterday sets comprised of much larger weighted plastic pieces (the pawns are 5.5cm tall) and large folding green and white boards.

The children took an instant like to these larger sets especially the green and white boards.

They also found that the drawstring bags made excellent headgear!

So, even beginners like to play with the larger pieces. I guess this is no news to anyone but I thought I'd pass it on.

I also tend to break their play every 15 minutes or so and show them something very simple on one of those excellent roll-up magnetic demonstration boards supplied by London Chess and Bridge. Sadly these are no longer manufactured.

[Michael Jones]

They also found that the drawstring bags made excellent headgear!

Tell me about it - I usually have to spend the first ten minutes of every lesson telling the kids to take the bags off their heads!

I didn't realise the magnetic roll-up boards were no longer made, but you should still be able to get slot-in ones which serve the same purpose.

[John Upham]

I have been invited to deliver a short presentation (10 minutes) to a couple of school assemblies on the merits of having a school chess club.

I wanted to include some video clips to break up the presentation.

Do you have any suggestions for potential clips?

The audience will include children from 7 - 11 years old plus staff.

Please email me at [email protected]

Thanks!