It's become very apparent since I've started publishing local chess announcements at this blog that libraries are chess magnets. Most of the announcements I publish here feature free chess clubs and chess events hosted at local libraries. (Photo by Laura Archazki-Pacter: Homeschool student Hannah Smith contemplates her next move during a free chess program at the Golden Gate Children’s Library. Designed especially for children, the program will be held from 3-4 p.m., Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 and is open to the public. The brand new library offers an expanded childrens section with a variety of programs.)
Here is an article about one such program:
From the Collier Citizen (Florida)
Learning chess is no ‘checkmate’ at library
By LAURA ARCHAZKI-PACTER
4:20 p.m., Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Kings, queens, bishops and knights will command youthful attention during special chess classes at the new Golden Gate Library.
A first for the community, the free chess classes and competitions will take place from 3-4 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, as the library provides youngsters a chance to learn and participate in this strategic game.
Children’s Librarian Kathy Hemmat chiseled chess into the library’s free program schedule, complete with a volunteer chess coach to oversee activities for children ages seven and older.
“In the age of television and Internet, it’s good for children to be here to play chess,” she explains. “Parents have looked all over Naples and tell me it’s hard to find places to play chess, so we’re providing the place to play. It’s something they can do together.”
Hemmat credits local homeschool mom Gena Smith with bringing the chess program to Golden Gate. Smith wanted a place for her children, Carly, 13; Hannah, 10; Carter, 8 and Michael 5, to practice and play chess together, but she hit a roadblock when local parks charged fees for room use.
Smith’s chess pieces fell into place at the Golden Gate Library, when Hemmat agreed to offer room in the Children’s Library.
Why chess?
Smith says she was pleased when Hannah expressed an interest in learning the game because chess provides an excellent work-out for critical thinking skills.
“When you make a mistake, you learn from it, and you can try something different next time,” she says.
Jonathan Corbblah agrees. He’s taught more than 8,000 students to play chess over the years. As a senior instructor, and Candidate Master, in the game, Corbblah has played since he was six years old. For him, chess is not just a game, but his career. Corbblah was a lead chess instructor at the Community School of Naples this summer and he travels throughout the United States with USA Chess Camps to introduce parents and children to the basics of the game.
“I do think chess has a great deal of benefits,” he says. “Chess improves spatial reasoning and logic. It trains you for learning. The way that chess players get better is by analysis of mistakes. They emulate what excellent players do, and study things players have done in the past.”
To Corbblah, chess means more than improved thought processes, though.
“Really, by far, it helps self esteem, and there’s a positive stigma with chess. It’s a natural sort of feelgood game. Hopefully, that success will continue into math, humanities, and science, with the same confidence to accomplish anything. Chess also teaches kids to learn how to win and lose gracefully,” he said.
For more information on the chess camp, go online to http://www.usachess.com/
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Local Libraries: Bastions of Chess Activity
It's become very apparent since I've started publishing local chess announcements at this blog that libraries are chess magnets. Most of the announcements I publish here feature free chess clubs and chess events hosted at local libraries. (Photo by Laura Archazki-Pacter: Homeschool student Hannah Smith contemplates her next move during a free chess program at the Golden Gate Children’s Library. Designed especially for children, the program will be held from 3-4 p.m., Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 and is open to the public. The brand new library offers an expanded childrens section with a variety of programs.)
Here is an article about one such program:
From the Collier Citizen (Florida)
Learning chess is no ‘checkmate’ at library
By LAURA ARCHAZKI-PACTER
4:20 p.m., Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Kings, queens, bishops and knights will command youthful attention during special chess classes at the new Golden Gate Library.
A first for the community, the free chess classes and competitions will take place from 3-4 p.m., Thursdays, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, as the library provides youngsters a chance to learn and participate in this strategic game.
Children’s Librarian Kathy Hemmat chiseled chess into the library’s free program schedule, complete with a volunteer chess coach to oversee activities for children ages seven and older.
“In the age of television and Internet, it’s good for children to be here to play chess,” she explains. “Parents have looked all over Naples and tell me it’s hard to find places to play chess, so we’re providing the place to play. It’s something they can do together.”
Hemmat credits local homeschool mom Gena Smith with bringing the chess program to Golden Gate. Smith wanted a place for her children, Carly, 13; Hannah, 10; Carter, 8 and Michael 5, to practice and play chess together, but she hit a roadblock when local parks charged fees for room use.
Smith’s chess pieces fell into place at the Golden Gate Library, when Hemmat agreed to offer room in the Children’s Library.
Why chess?
Smith says she was pleased when Hannah expressed an interest in learning the game because chess provides an excellent work-out for critical thinking skills.
“When you make a mistake, you learn from it, and you can try something different next time,” she says.
Jonathan Corbblah agrees. He’s taught more than 8,000 students to play chess over the years. As a senior instructor, and Candidate Master, in the game, Corbblah has played since he was six years old. For him, chess is not just a game, but his career. Corbblah was a lead chess instructor at the Community School of Naples this summer and he travels throughout the United States with USA Chess Camps to introduce parents and children to the basics of the game.
“I do think chess has a great deal of benefits,” he says. “Chess improves spatial reasoning and logic. It trains you for learning. The way that chess players get better is by analysis of mistakes. They emulate what excellent players do, and study things players have done in the past.”
To Corbblah, chess means more than improved thought processes, though.
“Really, by far, it helps self esteem, and there’s a positive stigma with chess. It’s a natural sort of feelgood game. Hopefully, that success will continue into math, humanities, and science, with the same confidence to accomplish anything. Chess also teaches kids to learn how to win and lose gracefully,” he said.
For more information on the chess camp, go online to http://www.usachess.com/
This is the first time I've seen a program in Collier County dedicated to children who want to learn chess for free in a library. They should offer these programs more often at different locations around the Collier County, but so far it remains at this one library. It is an incredible environment for kids to learn this great game, and they seemed to geniunely have fun!
ReplyDeleteYou may see more such programs in the future in your area. Educators and parents realize more than ever how teaching children chess can help them develop desirable skills, as well as teaching kids how to successfully deal with winning, losing, and competition.
ReplyDeleteIt's a very sad fact that Collier County stagnates in chess education, and residents here wait for a chess camp to come along each summer to help children understand what the game is all about.
ReplyDeleteCollier County Public Schools is slipping away in accreditation, and there's barely a budget for education, yet along for the importantance of teaching chess.
Children here are missing out on more than fine arts of big cities, but on the fun games like chess, with winning strategies lasting a lifetime.