Chess homeschool style

I have been teaching chess classes this year at homeschool co-op. I think this is funny in itself. Nothing I ever did in college prepared me for this task. Everyone who knows me will tell you that getting me to sit still for the half hour it takes to complete a quick chess game is like asking a toddler to do algebra problems.

I suppose you are wondering how this happened. I toured a private school in Idaho eight years ago with my soon-to-be-entering-first-grade son. He wanted to stay in the math room with the math teacher and his chess club. One hour later, at the tender age of five, my son not only played chess, but was beating me. Not that I have a high opinion of my chess skills, but who wants to lose to a kid less than four feet tall? He started taking chess lessons, and I eavesdropped. Fast forward eight years, and the saga continues. . .

My first class actually went pretty well. Of course, I have never personally set up chess boards for 20 kids, but they had mercy on me and set them up themselves. Here is an excerpt from my first class.

Me: "How many of you already know some of the moves for the chess board?"

Kids: Dead silence. The ones who already know the moves aren't paying attention to me, they are currently engaged in bloodless carnage over the chess boards. The ones who don't know the moves look at me like deer in the headlights.

Me: "Let's go over how to set up the board. . ."---five minutes later, after explaining the pieces and how they move, all the kids are playing. The kids who know how to play are solicitously explaining the game as they totally trash their less informed partners.

This is where I step in and start explaining things like sportsmanship, checkmate, helping someone learn the game without trouncing them and leaving them smoldering in helpless defeat and humilitation . . .and in this age group, the 8 and up kids, so far the girls know as much, if not more, than the boys. It's a victory of sorts, for all of us moms who grew up thinking chess was a "man's game" and boring and who wants to play chess anyway? I even have one girl, 10, who is now talking about going to college on a chess scholarship. Anybody know a real chess teacher?

The big kids are another story. So far I have them fooled. The oldest kid I have dared to play, 11, thinks I am amazing and was simply testing his skills and knowledge during our game. He is actually the youngest one in my class. This is a strategy that will keep them thinking I am smart for at least half a year. I hope.