Chess-as-a-Learning-Tool Demonstration at the Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators Conference

Stephen A. Schneider, Director of Championship Chess and former classroom teacher, will demonstrate materials and methods of teaching chess at the Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators (MACHE) in Frederick, Maryland, April 21-22, 2006.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) April 16, 2006 -- Stephen A. Schneider, Director of Championship Chess, an Atlanta-based company, will demonstrate materials and methods of teaching chess April 21-22, 2006, at the Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators (MACHE) Conference to be held at the Frederick County Fairgrounds in Frederick, Maryland. This will be the first year Championship Chess will be present at this annual conference, which is expected to draw more than 2000 home schooling educators, parents and students.

Championship Chess coaches have guided scholastic chess clubs for more than 20 years. These clubs, consistently, have placed high in state championships. The coaches have also made presentations to various educator groups throughout the country, including teachers’ conventions, home school and gifted child conferences, and staff development workshops.

When used within the learning framework and taught creatively, chess is a catalyst for learning across multiple intelligences. Schneider will demonstrate the unique methods, materials and teaching strategies he developed to teach chess to children.

Schneider is the author of The Scholastic Chess Series, which includes Chess Basics, Chess Openings 1, Endgames Strategies 1 and a chess readiness activity book, Color My Chess World, which introduces pre-chess activities to very young children. A new volume in the series, Chess Tactics 1, is due out in the Spring of 2006.

As a teaching tool, chess is quickly gaining ground in schools all over the United States. Fun and motivational, chess turns problem solving into a game and encourages students to use patterns and logical deductive reasoning to solve problems. Chess also develops self-esteem, builds team spirit and increases concentration. Chess players come in all ages. Even very young children can be successful at chess, as demonstrated by the annual national kindergarten championship.

For more than 20 years, Championship Chess coaches have guided scholastic chess clubs that, consistently, have placed high in state championships. Championship Chess clubs and their coaches have won local, state, regional and national awards and distinctions. Currently, Championship Chess players are ranked in the top 10 in the state of Georgia and the top 100 in the U.S. The coaches teach lessons in strategy and supervise chess play among public, private and home schooled students. The workbooks created for the Scholastic Chess Series are designed for students who are beginners in chess, as well as for those who are ready to improve their skills. Each of these titles has a supporting video/DVD.

Chess Basics is the initial workbook for students. Step-by-step, it introduces the chess pieces one at a time, not only demonstrating how they move and capture but, also, how they work together. Chess Openings 1 introduces the openings that are most popular with beginning scholastic players, and Endgames Strategies 1prepares players for the most common endgames of chess. Chess Tactics builds upon Chess Openings 1 and is ideal for the beginning player as well as the tournament player. Chess Tactics’ challenging puzzles will enable beginner and advanced players to learn key tactics critical to success in the middle game.

Also in the Scholastic Chess Series is Color My Chess World, a chess readiness activity book, with an accompanying music CD of short, fun songs that invite kids to dance and sing along, that builds the skills to make the introduction of chess easy ― and fun ― for very young children. Its activities introduce basic chess concepts while improving spatial skills, developing math and reading readiness skills, and reinforcing skills in listening and following directions.

Championship Chess is a division of Teachable Tech, Inc., an award-winning company of curriculum writers and educational consultants. Teachable Tech has designed curriculum for pre-K and K-12 for such diverse clients as the American Red Cross, the National Park Service, Social and Health Services in association with SAMHSA/HHR, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, ABC News, HBO and The Weather Channel.

For more information about starting a scholastic chess club and/or purchasing materials in the Scholastic Chess Series, contact:

Dennis Jones or Stephen Schneider
3565 Evans Road
Atlanta, GA 30340
(888) 328-7373 or (770) 939-4596
Fax: 770-493-1115
Championship Chess: www.championshipchess.net

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