Nationals and my kids

[kim willis]

Hello everyone,

Just to let you all know that I am continuing my teaching and have kids coming to Tenn in july. We do have a bus load. Plus we have a few parents and teachers coming along. I will be going to 2 other schools and seeing if they want to send some of their kids as well. I do not know totals as of yet but all of the kids that are coming will be studying over the summer as well so they can be ready for their first tournament.

I am hoping that we can have a Youth tournament on the weekend before our nationals start. I am very excited to be accompanied by these kids. If you are coming to the nationals I hope you al come to see these kids play as I have spoken to alex and he will be there on Saturday to meet them all.

Kim

[john reade]

Best of luck Kim! Hope you have a nice day.

[kiwinurse]

Thats great news Kim. John Reid has also got involved in teaching draughts at a local school. Good on him.Last year i went into my daughters class in the lunchtime to play students that were very good chess players and who wanted to play draughts with me.
My daughter is a highschool teacher and she had suggested it.I also issued a challenge to the students that if they beat me id pay out 20 dollars. That increased their motivation and kept them interested lol.
They loved the challenge and went away every week to practise and try and beat me the following week.They were older students 15-17 yr olds.This year ill go back in with the same challenge. They havent beaten me yet,but i always go with a couple of 20 dollar notes in my pocket just in case!
Ive done the same with my little 5 yr old grandchild who loves to try and beat me.A few years ago the New Zealand draught people invited some young students to play them,but when the students lost to them they would lose interest.So they would let them beat them ocassionally,which i think is wrong,because you only get better by losing and they need challenges and testings.,My 20 dollar offer is a great incentive to try harder. And it works.

[john reade]

I must try that!

[kiwinurse]

Money talks lol. Best incentive i know.

[kiwinurse]

Tell us about your classes John,sounds interesting too.

[Danny_Alvarez]

great to hear about what you guys are doing
i would love to hear more.

Keep up the good work JOHN, KIM and JAN

[kiwinurse]

Thanks Danny, i dont have a lot of time these days,but once a week i can manage. The other way ive often thought of was going into the local pubs and issuing a challenge there,sitting with draughts. Im sure a lot of men or women would give it a go.Specially if they can win a bit of money.
It doesnt have to be lot of money,just enuff to make it interesting.The New Zealand Chess federation held their nationals in Queenstown in january,and got 140 players from throughout the world,and lots of press attention.Why cant we?

[john reade]

We held our last Lancashire tournament in a new venue at Beswick Library in Manchester. It is attached to a school and some of the players wondered whether we should have a junior section in our next tournament. I spoke to the vice principal who was very enthusiastic. So we have been meeting for an hour on Monday afternoons. None of the children have played draughts before so I have had to start from scratch.

I gave a short demonstration showing them how to set up the board, how to move, how to take etc and made a draw as if for the first round of a tournament. I then went round helping them. We only had time for 2 rounds but they seemed to enjoy it. Whether they will be up to playing in our next tournament on 24 March is difficult to say. We shall have to see.

[kiwinurse]

In my humble opinion thats exactly what you need in your tournament,a junior section.Whether theyre ready or not,its marvellous if they do play,even to get a feel for the game.
You are doing a good job there John,regards Jan

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Thanks for information and your efforts, Kim ! Did you contact with Mr. Kelly (see his post in other topic) regarding books for kids ?

[kiwinurse]

Have you ever thought of going into the schools yourself Alex?With your great skills and verbosity you could inspire many a student to take up checkers.

[Bernard Coll]

Jan, Maybe there is a different process in American primary schools towards unknown personalities turning up at their doors asking to teach the (kids)! to play checkers. I was taught in school that KIDS were indeed young goats. Apart from the fact that KIDS possibly could be induced to become great checker players; I remember well that the late David Glennie, resident of Forfar in Scotland approached the local education authorities about teaching young children the beauties and inticasies of playing draughts. He was indeed stonewalled. They demanded he show his documents that he was indeed a draughts teacher! Of course David had none. It seems that sinse those bygone years that the authorities have further tightened the regulations: one being the screening by local police as to the candidates suitability to be present amongst young, vulnerable and easily impressed youngsters, which I totally agree with. Maybe Alex has actually tried this approach in his quest to promote draughts/checkers? Is he really serious about promoting our beloved game, or is he really attempting to promote Alex Moiseyev?

[kiwinurse]

Who knows Bernard,Here in my little city its not hard to get into schools,its just the time really.I have been into primary schools in the past.And noone screened me. But the school teachers in the primary schools stayed in the classroom.so it was pretty safe.
I have enjoyed the chess kids,because they were enjoying the difference,and really keen to learn.Unfortunately these days school is pretty full-on with far more tests and exams right throught the year instead of once or twice a year. So its hard for them to take too much time out.
But hey,its not even about the numbers you reach,every person you encourage to play will only keep draughts going, eh? And its nice to hear about people like John Reade quietly going in and teaching checkers,and many others who we are not aware of who are doing the same,that need appreciation and support.Alex is very for American checker players,even tho he's russian,and it wouldn't hurt him to be a bit more encouraging,of others that are not American

[Dennis Cayton]

Greetings!

I was a junior high school math teacher for 22 years before I retired in 2005.

During this time, I used to bring my checker board to after-school dances, which were always held in the school cafeteria. I always had a standing offer in which I would give any student one dollar ($1) for each and every King the student could get against me during the course of a game. For example, if a student were to get 3 Kings against me during a game, the student would get $3.

This used to create a lot of excitement. There was usually a long line of students waiting to play me where my table was set up

I also offered $5 if a student was able to draw me and $10 if a student was able to beat me. Only one student was able to beat me during this time. I made sure I had his name announced on the intercom with congratulations during the home room period the next day.

On these after-school dance days, I made sure my wallet had plenty of one, five, and ten dollar bills. I used to shell out plenty of one dollar bills for the Kings the students would get against me.

During three years of my teaching career, under the leadership of one principal, we used to have a "fun class" day one a month, in which each teacher used to teach the "fun class" of their choice during the last period of the day. Students were allowed to sign up for any "fun class" they wanted.

My "fun class" was checkers. I used to make copies of stroke problems from Elam's Checker Board and teach them the basic strategies for solving them. I also taught them other elementary strategies, such as moving your pieces toward the center of the board and keeping them consolidated.

Afterwards, I would let the students pair off and play each other, as I would walk around the room and offer pointers. This turned out to be one of the most popular "fun classes" at the school. Some students had to be turned away because these classes would become filled so quickly.

The biggest challenge for me was to teach the students the rules of "straight" checkers. Many of my students were used to playing with flying Kings and single pieces jumping backwards.

I also insisted upon "straight" checker rules during the after-school dances. Otherwise, I would have gone broke, lol. I'm terrible at that style of play.

I miss those days. They were a lot of fun.

Dennis Cayton