Checkmate The Classroom
Knight, Bishop, Pawn, Rook, King, and Queen. These commanders of war are not only strong on the chivalry battlefield of a chess board, but also in confronting issues of the psyche. Ever since the creation of the game, it has been known as an iconic symbol of intelligence. It is known, now, that rather smart individuals play the game of wits, but that the game itself can greatly increase the power of one’s mind. Chess benefits those of any age, so why does only ten percent of the population play it? Chess should be taught in all schools from kindergarten to eighth grade. It simply has too many benefits to disregard, and our nation’s youth should not be obstructed from the myriad of benefactors.
I started to play chess in November 2019. I was a Junior in high school. I have always done well in school and never had a hard time. However, chess had a large impact on my education. The areas in which I struggled became clearer. It was easy to see that my mind was becoming clearer and I was thinking more fluently. Chess has helped me with my pattern recognition and boosted my brain’s power. After playing Chess for a year, I was able to memorize the US map in only a day and a half. I find that a great feat, because my memory has never been good. Studying chess and learning ideas and openings and endgame rules help me memorize and apply what I’ve learned. I would recommend chess to anyone looking to relax and I would recommend studying chess for anyone who needs help in their academic life.
Chess should be taught in early education systems. This is the age range where children have difficulty staying focused, need better memorization, and develop creativity. It is no argument that young children need to be up and about. The sole fact that children need a break from school to increase their academic attention and retention is why we implemented recess in elementary schools. With this realization we should also implement a chess class. Not only does it give the children a break it confronts the issues head on! Chess requires concentration at the bare minimum. It challenges its players to see moves ahead and piece together their best combinations. It’s been proven that this constant need for this skill also boosts it; like how curling requires muscle and also builds it. Studies at the University of Memphis have proven that students who play chess have better concentration and memory (Reiner). Along with concentration, memory is crucial to the game of chess; remembering past mistakes and successes can make or break a match. Think back to your younger academic years, how often did your teacher ask you to memorize twenty words by the end of the week for a vocab quiz. The thought that memory is a talent limits kids to their potential. Chess, if implemented in schools, will boost children’s memory and confidence in those areas. Lastly, who remembers their imaginary friends, or the pirate ship battles when we were younger? Our creativity is strong when we are young, but studies show that our creativity declines faster as we age. By the time we are fifteen we have roughly twelve percent of our creativity than when we were five (Shulman)!
Chess will also benefit middle schoolers. Students have more demanding requests from their teachers. They must decipher word problems and harder questions. Chess, if taught earlier, will have already strengthened these parts of their minds. Teaching them congruently with the challenges will boost student confidence and ability. This is because chess improves logical and critical thinking (Reiner)! Furthermore, when you reach middle school you want to become more social and make friends. Chess can make it easier to make friends not only through the common interest of the game, but also because it strengthens the part of your brain that controls sympathy. Because the game of chess makes you think of what your opponent might do, It makes you imagine what they are thinking. This translates over to social life in the form of empathy and sympathy.
Chess is greatly beneficial for students of all ages. Chess influences one of the major qualities of a student, work ethic. The game of chess rewards hard work instantly and in an obvious way. When you study and practice chess you win, and if your opponent studies more you lose. This will lead to the student, early on, believing that hard work correlates with success. Chess will also give them an outlet for their personality, as there are different playing styles of the game.
Chess should be placed in the school systems. With wide knowledge of how beneficial it is to the minds of students, there should be little hesitation placing a class in schools! Students will be more creative, have better memory, make friends easier, and think logically. Chess will allow them to fully express themselves over the board and in the classroom!
Works Cited
“Playing Smart: The Benefits of Chess for Kids.” Connections Academy, www.connectionsacademy.com/support/resources/article/playing-smart-the-benefits -of-chess-for-kids.
Shulman, Robyn D. “This Is What Happens When We Close Doors on Creativity in the Classroom.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Mar. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/robynshulman/2020/03/10/this-is-what-happens-when-we-cl ose-doors-on-creativity-in-the-classroom/?sh=671c04d3151e.
Stanborough, Rebecca Joy. “10 Benefits of Playing Chess: Plus Potential Downsides.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 Oct. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-playing-chess.
“Why Chess Should Be Required in US Schools.” Chess News, 17 Apr. 2013, en.chessbase.com/post/why-che-should-be-required-in-us-schools-170413.
