From the New York Times: Idaho Turns to Chess as Education Strategy.
Once a week, Deborah McCoy, a third-grade teacher in Donnelly, Idaho, unpacks chessboards and pieces and spends an hour teaching her 20 students how to play the game.
Mrs. McCoy does not do this because she is passionate about chess; she barely knew how to play before this school year. But she began teaching it as part of an unusual pilot program under way in more than 100 second- and third-grade classrooms across Idaho.
On Thursday, state officials will announce in Boise that the program will be extended in the fall to all second and third graders — making Idaho the first state to offer a statewide chess curriculum. [continue]
Why on earth is the program so expensive? Now, when the Mughal emperors made the chessboard in their gardens and used slaves or concubines as the pieces, I can understand the expense, but now? Cardboard chess boards and plastic pieces? $600 for a classroom startup? Where do I sign up as an educational chess game supplier?
“when the Mughal emperors made the chessboard in their gardens and used slaves or concubines as the pieces, I can understand the expense”
In this case, it seems that the Mughal emperor equivalent would be the school officials, while the slaves would be the kids (forced into doing make work). This is actually quite expensive, all told (far more than the $600 or whatever for the chess program or $60,000 set aside for the initiative).
In my experience, the best way to zap someone’s interest in something is to force them to do it in a typical school environment. Every year there are inspirational news stories about valiant teachers trying new methods to motivate kids … and this one – this one – just might work! Finally! … I’d rather look at the structural elements of schooling and get realistic about the whole endeavour.