Making chess mandatory in schools

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zulgin

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I heard this on the radio and on Za news, that there are talks of introducing chess into schools, by making it a mandatory subject, I can't find any articles on it yet though, what are your thoughts on it? I personally feel that it is a brilliant idea, countries such as Israel, India, Germany and Russia where chess is a cultural thing have introduces some of the greatest chess players, mathematicians and physicists in the world.

Many teachers will also agree that it is not uncommon for the top maths student to be a chess boffin as well. :)
 
I don't think it's such a great idea.

The quickest way to make something resented is to force it upon people. I loved chess and was 3rd in my school when I took it as an after-school activity. I still enjoy playing a game now and then...even had a 3.5hr long game against the ex's dad. (and I won ^_^)

But yeah ... keep chess to those who seek its enlightenment. If you want to make subjects mandatory, go for maths and science. Let chess remain loved. If the idea is to get analytical thinking across, why not deploy olympiad style questions and exams for all students, not just those who wish to partake. (Then again, in a partners science olympiad I once came 3rd in the province just by randomly guessing answers after writing A,B,C,D on a eraser and tossing it like a dice. :o)
 
if it helps SA produce more Engineers and skilled labourers, then why they hell not :)
 
zulgin said:
if it helps SA produce more Engineers and skilled labourers, then why they hell not :)
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If there were studies showing this, would help :p I somehow doubt there are any though. And if there indeed are, my guess is that it's totally uncorrelated. As always, it's bringing up at home that matters the most. If your parents are lazy, unambitious slobs, it's highly unlikely the child will be any different.
 
Are they not using chess as a symbol for "anti-corruption-mindset" ?

But, seriously, teach them to tile and make bricks and lay them before you teach them to play chess.
 
I wonder how a game of black vs white will do if forced at school :D
 
UnUnOctium said:
If there were studies showing this, would help :p I somehow doubt there are any though. And if there indeed are, my guess is that it's totally uncorrelated. As always, it's bringing up at home that matters the most. If your parents are lazy, unambitious slobs, it's highly unlikely the child will be any different.
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there are quite a few supporting this correlation. especially mathematical and chess: http://www.quadcitychess.com/benefits_of_chess.html

conducted by Dr. Albert Frank, employing 92 students, age 16-18, the chess-playing experimental group showed a significant advancement in spatial, numerical and administrative-directional abilities, along with verbal aptitudes, compared to the control group. The improvements held true regardless of the final chess skill level attained. [1], [2], [7]
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In a 1977-1979 study at the Chinese University in Hong Kong by Dr. Yee Wang Fung, chess players showed a 15% improvement in math and science test scores
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and any other chess player will tell you that they are very good at mathematics :)
 
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w1z4rd said:
I wonder how a game of black vs white will do if forced at school :D
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funny enough during the 2002 SA chess championship in Worschstor, ChessSA tried a tactic of implementing blue and white pieces, the result was that many of the players had problems adapting to the new colours and it had to be changed back :D
 
I was actually involved in such a program and the results were good. Chess is a great educational tool - and cheap - but there must be the right skills to push such a program - which will be its downfall.

Far better to boost computing skills, and in turn have a few logic games and the like...
 
If Math is a problem....why dont they just additional classes for that instead of Chess? Will there be a Test for chess ? Lol
 
mak2000 said:
If Math is a problem....why dont they just additional classes for that instead of Chess? Will there be a Test for chess ? Lol
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yes, solving chess puzzles for example, chess openings and strategies, its more complicated then just knowing how to move your pieces.
 
I think that encouraging chess in schools is a good idea but ramming it down throats will create resentment and be self defeating.

A better way might be by using reverse psychology like suggesting subtly than not all the kids have the brains to play the game and give it a sort of elite status.

I learnt to play as a kid and in later years played with a group of Russian doctors in Kitwe. I seldom won but my game improved immeasurably and I learnt to drink neat vodka (which did my game no good at all)
 
I think it's a bad idea.

I was quite good with maths and accounting at high school and I never played chess.

Plus as someone said forcing something on someone is the quickest way to make them resent it. If people have problems with maths (High School children) don't put more on their plate by now forcing chess on them.

Get better teachers and better methods in order to help them improve in maths.

Just look at L.O. great subject that is.
 
Dither. In cognitive science (analysed to build chess computers) the model is based on ‘tree’ analysis – that is analysing all possible moves like the branches of a ‘tree’ (a mindboggling amount of moves). Even with the fastest computers, it is impossible to plan several moves ahead. This is not the way a human mind works; there are whole universes of moves that a human mind would dismiss because they are stupid or ridiculous. A computer doesn’t. Chess playing computers have improved with the inclusion of famous games and clever algorithms to limit the possible search space, but the fundamental model is still the ‘tree’.

Having said this, their does seem to be a correlation between chess-playing and mathematical ability. Math ability is not simply the exhaustive investigation of all possible moves. The chess-playing computers have got the cognitive model wrong. There is an indefinable element which ties together maths and chess-playing IMO.
 
We always had chess as part of out library periods or you could do it during sport sessions after school.
 
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