Virtual Chess Club - Buena Vista Horace Mann School - 2020 Fall

General Description

Our virtual chess enrichment program offered to students focuses on two important areas with our fun chess classes:

1) Developing chess skills: Teaching chess to beginners and providing advanced instruction to experienced players, thus improving critical thinking, calculations and problem solving in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

2) Developing social and emotional skills: promoting good sportsmanship and learning from mistakes, the values of ethical and fair play, and other valuable life skills that benefit kids beyond the chessboard.

Instructors: All our instructors are trained in using the most current online platforms in providing quality online learning that is both fun and engaging. In our team approach, each lead coach is supported by an assistant who helps parents and kids to make sure everyone is logged in and has all the tools ready.

Assessment: We expect the class will have several different groups based on the students' level. Returning students will not need assessment. New students are assessed at the beginning of the session and assigned to groups based on their level. They meet with their assigned coaches in a password protected zoom meeting and move into different breakout rooms. Students may move between groups during the class if it fits their development.

Class structure: Students learn from the coach via a shared screen displaying a chess board or chess platform. They are engaged via online play against each other through a secure platform, chesskid.com, which is ideal for rising players to practice playing. Students will be provided with an account to chesskid.com that they can use to play online with others during class and anytime they wish.