In the United States chess is finally making its move into the classroom. Schools are finally getting serious about chess for children. This isn’t a chess club that meets once a week after school. We’re talking about chess as an academic subject.

The movement in the United States has been spearheaded by New York City schools. They started in 1986 with the help of a non-profit organization. The majority of New York City Teachers feel that the program has been quite successful. They’ve seen improvement in academic performance and an increase in their students’ self-esteem.

But what do the kids think? A 4th grader at Public School #70 in the Bronx wrote to his chess teacher:

“Chess has changed my life. Last year I used to behave bad, but since I joined Chess in the Schools, it opened new doors for me. Chess is the most rewarding thing I have ever done…I hope I can keep playing chess for the rest of my life.”

Just hearing that enthusiastic response from a 4th grader speaks volumes about how New York’s chess for kids program is changing lives.

If chess instruction is not yet part of your child’s school curriculum, you might want to consider making the suggestion to your school’s teachers and administrators. If you need some facts to back up your position, please see our August 8 post, which discusses scientific studies that prove that learning chess at an early age benefits a child in many significant ways.

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