Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

[Ernest Klubis]

On 18-19 December 2010 FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had a working visit to Israel. In Tel Aviv he met with the members of Israeli Government, Heads of the sport federations and chess community of the country.

On 18 December Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with Mr. Natan Sharansky, well-known politician of Israel, Head of the governmental organization on support of Jewish diaspora, public and cultural organizations all around the world.

On 19 December FIDE President discussed the questions of the implementation of chess to the curriculum of general schools with Dr. Shimshon Shoshani, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Education. In according to the results of the meeting Dr. Shoshani made a decision on granting the necessary funds and on preparation the necessary documents for introducing chess to the obligatory program of Israeli schools. Dr. Shoshani mentioned that the agreement between Ministry of Education of Israel and Israeli chess federation will be signed in the nearest future. Besides, it was added that it is planned to introduce chess not only to the school curriculum but to the program of education of children in preschool institutions. The agreement between FIDE and Israeli chess federation of the joint realization of the program “Chess in Schools” in Israel was signed earlier.

During the meeting Kirsan Ilyumzhinov told of the experience of chess implementation to schools and invited Dr. Shoshani to the Republic of Kalmykia to know the kalmyk experience. Mr. Israel Gelfer, FIDE Vice President, Mr. Yigal Lotan, Israeli chess federation, Mr. Emil Sutovsky, Chief Executive Officer of Israeli chess federation and key specialists of the Ministry of Education of Israel also took part in the meeting.

At the same day Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had the meeting with Mr. Varshavyak, Head of the National Olympic Committee of Israel. The main topic of the meeting was the introduction of chess to the program of Winter Olympic Games. Mr. Varshavyak supported the offer and efforts of Kirsan Ilyumzhonov and noted that he will discuss this question with Jacques Rogge, President of International Olympic Committee during the forthcoming meeting in January 2011.

http://www.fide.com/component/conten...urriculum.html

[Vlad Rekhson]

Re: Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

I think that they teach it in third grade as mandatory and maybe after that as an option. My former coach did some of the third grade teaching but he didn't like it as he said that it was a mess since most of the kids weren't interested in it and those that were couldn't learn anything because of the others. Maybe you need someone very special to pull this off!

In any case, chess in the winter olympics is something pretty insane! Perhaps they would have to make the pieces made of ice:)

On 18-19 December 2010 FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had a working visit to Israel. In Tel Aviv he met with the members of Israeli Government, Heads of the sport federations and chess community of the country.

On 18 December Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with Mr. Natan Sharansky, well-known politician of Israel, Head of the governmental organization on support of Jewish diaspora, public and cultural organizations all around the world.

On 19 December FIDE President discussed the questions of the implementation of chess to the curriculum of general schools with Dr. Shimshon Shoshani, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Education. In according to the results of the meeting Dr. Shoshani made a decision on granting the necessary funds and on preparation the necessary documents for introducing chess to the obligatory program of Israeli schools. Dr. Shoshani mentioned that the agreement between Ministry of Education of Israel and Israeli chess federation will be signed in the nearest future. Besides, it was added that it is planned to introduce chess not only to the school curriculum but to the program of education of children in preschool institutions. The agreement between FIDE and Israeli chess federation of the joint realization of the program “Chess in Schools” in Israel was signed earlier.

During the meeting Kirsan Ilyumzhinov told of the experience of chess implementation to schools and invited Dr. Shoshani to the Republic of Kalmykia to know the kalmyk experience. Mr. Israel Gelfer, FIDE Vice President, Mr. Yigal Lotan, Israeli chess federation, Mr. Emil Sutovsky, Chief Executive Officer of Israeli chess federation and key specialists of the Ministry of Education of Israel also took part in the meeting.

At the same day Kirsan Ilyumzhinov had the meeting with Mr. Varshavyak, Head of the National Olympic Committee of Israel. The main topic of the meeting was the introduction of chess to the program of Winter Olympic Games. Mr. Varshavyak supported the offer and efforts of Kirsan Ilyumzhonov and noted that he will discuss this question with Jacques Rogge, President of International Olympic Committee during the forthcoming meeting in January 2011.

http://www.fide.com/component/conten...urriculum.html

[Ernest Klubis]

Re: Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

According to my own experience, chess lessons dramatically change the attitude of students, and develop intuition and experience in modulating most practical solutions for similar tasks in their real lives. Chess lessons become the greatest tool for developing mind skills of students in the modern education systems.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5140

[Larry Bevand]

Re: Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

I think that they teach it in third grade as mandatory and maybe after that as an option. My former coach did some of the third grade teaching but he didn't like it as he said that it was a mess since most of the kids weren't interested in it and those that were couldn't learn anything because of the others. Maybe you need someone very special to pull this off!

In any case, chess in the winter olympics is something pretty insane! Perhaps they would have to make the pieces made of ice:)

Hi Vlad.

Your former chess coach was an idealist...the school system caters to the lowest common denominator :)

Chess was introduced in Quebec as part of the math program from grades 2-6 in 1984 by Robert and Michel Lyons with their "Challenging Mathematics" course which was approved by the Quebec Ministry of Education. It expanded to New Brunswick...first in the French schools...and after they saw the results...it was expanded to the English schools in N.B. McGraw Hill bought the rights...and we thought it would become a North American thing. For whatever reason, that did not happen.

The Lyons (Michel and Robert) were at the CMA 25th Anniversary celebration. What Robert explained to me is that governments are constantly changing the criteria for diferent programs. Challenging Math jumped through the hoops for a couple of decades. It is rare that a math program lasts more than 15 years. Challenging Math is still alive and well in French with over 100,000 Quebec youngsters using the program. In the English sector it has all but disappeared. The English textbooks are no longer available.

The Chess'n Math Association was created thanks to the demand created by our friends at "Challenging Mathematics"...without them...I would have had to find a real a real job :)

Larry

[Vlad Rekhson]

Re: Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

I am just wondering as to how mandatory chess in schools could happen in Canada. It seems that this program is usually used for elementary school kids. The teachers in those schools typically have to teach a number of subjects, so adding chess to those subjects, would be quite a challenge for the teacher. On the other hand, I don't think that schools would want to hire specifically a chess coach because this coach would also have to get an education degree and I don't know how many chess coaches actually have that. In Israel to teach something like chess in a school typically means that you may have to go through some certificate program which only takes a few months, rather than years like the education degree in Canada.

Hi Vlad.

Your former chess coach was an idealist...the school system caters to the lowest common denominator :)

Chess was introduced in Quebec as part of the math program from grades 2-6 in 1984 by Robert and Michel Lyons with their "Challenging Mathematics" course which was approved by the Quebec Ministry of Education. It expanded to New Brunswick...first in the French schools...and after they saw the results...it was expanded to the English schools in N.B. McGraw Hill bought the rights...and we thought it would become a North American thing. For whatever reason, that did not happen.

The Lyons (Michel and Robert) were at the CMA 25th Anniversary celebration. What Robert explained to me is that governments are constantly changing the criteria for diferent programs. Challenging Math jumped through the hoops for a couple of decades. It is rare that a math program lasts more than 15 years. Challenging Math is still alive and well in French with over 100,000 Quebec youngsters using the program. In the English sector it has all but disappeared. The English textbooks are no longer available.

The Chess'n Math Association was created thanks to the demand created by our friends at "Challenging Mathematics"...without them...I would have had to find a real a real job :)

Larry

[Ernest Klubis]

Re: Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

Wendi Fischer, executive director of America's Foundation for Chess, says she's seen a "huge increase" in the number of schools and students interested in chess. The foundation teaches second- and third-grade teachers how to use chess as a learning tool, through a program called First Move.
When the program started in 2003 it was in one state, serving about 1,500 kids, but by 2008 First Move expanded to 26 states, to serve about 50,000 kids.
Fischer says the aim of the program is to teach critical thinking skills that will help students succeed academically and socially.
"In the very first lesson we study board basics. One of the basics of the chess board is that it uses a coordinate system, and the coordinate system is the basis of algebra."
Marlie Buehler is the founder of Abundant Waters, an after-school program that operates out of PS 51 in New York. She says chess is one of the activities that is part of the program, adding that it teaches children many important skills, including how to take notes.
"I firmly believe everybody should have to take it," she says. "It's teaching the mind how to think."
While chess isn't required in most schools across the country, Nash says there are programs in every type of school, including inner-city schools, private schools and home schools.
He says the universal nature of chess is the reason for its popularity. "Chess is an equalizer — it doesn't depend on your size or age. Plus it's a very inexpensive game to play."
Pancoast says parent demand is a large part of the reason chess programs have become a staple in many schools. When Pancoast's father, Omar, started the C&O Family Chess Center about seven years ago, there were so many Parent Teacher Associations asking for programs in their schools that Omar brought Ross on to meet the demand. Now they work with about 25 schools around Maryland.
"I think that parents are starting to see chess as an extracurricular activity that has some benefits other than just learning how to play chess," he says. "It sort of carries over into other aspects when it comes to logical thinking and process of events."
Rex Sinquefield, founder and president of the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center, which is hosting the tournament, says one of the main reasons scholastic chess is becoming so popular is that there's an interest on the part of the top chess players to get kids involved in the game.
Sinquefield's group is working on a study of how kids benefit academically from chess. "It's definitely an exercise of the brain. They also learn that you can improve by studying and that you go to books to learn."

[Hal Bond]

Re: Chess is obligatory in Israeli schools.

Most of the teaching I do in schools is your basic lunch hour workshop for the school club. Nothing remarkable about that.

I have one school which brings me in twice per week for 6 weeks an all the kids receive 6 periods of chess. The kids love it so the teachers use chess as a lever to promote good behaviour. This year I decided to impose the board co-ordinates on everyone from grades 1-6. The grade ones have picked up on it quite well, and the grade threes are faster than the sixers who have already covered graph co-ordinates. The teachers are thrilled.