Chess as a Math Centre

Search "chess improves math" on an internet search engine and a plethora of sites show up. I stopped investigating them at the fifteenth page of results.

A good paper that summarizes the general academic research on the affect that teaching chess has on student's math abilities can be found through this link -

http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/5/3/2158244015596050

In its conclusion, it states that:

"...the game of chess is a powerful tool to build children’s problem-solving competence in the mathematical domain, even with brief courses..."

The American Chess Foundation found that "chess improves visual memory, attention span,
spatial reasoning skills, capacity to predict and anticipate consequences and an ability to use criteria to drive decision making and evaluate alternatives."

Chess is a natural component of Math class and Math Centres. I'll add some extra reasons why.

In an earlier blog post, I pointed out that people naturally connect with reading on an intimate level because we read for enjoyment. Unfortunately, this same connection is not easily made to Math. As I suggested, many people think math is a tedious means to an end, a task, a tool. We use math to do our taxes, not for enjoyment.

However, we can connect with games. Games are entertaining. They are fun. And Chess is a game that incorporates Mathematical Thinking.

When teaching Problem Solving in math, we promote a method that usually chunks the process into steps. Students show that they understand the problem. Then they make a plan. Next, they carry out their calculations. Finally, they check to see if their plan worked or if there might be a better way.

This IS chess.

Chess is a game of problems. "What opening will allow me to control the middle of the board? How can I defend against an attack? What should I do now that my opponent has figured out my plan? How can I checkmate my opponent in the fewest possible moves?" Each problem has a wide variety of possible solutions. Opponents are constantly planning, predicting responses and altering their plans accordingly. Geometry and the rules of the pieces are the method of calculations. Teachers talk about direct, honest and timely feedback when assessing students. In chess, the feedback for every move meets those three criteria.

Reflection is also an important stage of learning. In chess, reflection is made more powerful with the use of Chess Notation. Players can use symbols and an understanding of the grid pattern of the chess board to notate each move (there's a lot of math going on there).

Here is a link to one of many websites that teach chess notation. I like this site mainly because of the title to their tutorial - "How to Read and Write Algebraic Chess Notation."

http://www.chesshouse.com/how_to_read_and_write_chess_notation_a/166.htm

Here is a link to a free computer chess game that can be played by students on-line (Flash is required). It can be found at the aptly named website "Math if Fun."

https://www.mathsisfun.com/games/chess.html

And for those that might not know how to play, much less teach chess, here is a link that should solve your problems.

https://www.chesskid.com/learn-how-to-play-chess.html

I've been using chess in classrooms for about 8 years now. I find that many students absolutely love the game. However, it does tend to attract boys more than girls (my chess team this year has 17 boys and 1 girl) and those who like competition more than those who don't. I have gone out of my way to promote girls to play chess and to get those who shy away from competition to play as well. What I have found works best in both cases is to allow for partners to play each other. It gives students the chance to talk about their moves before making them (communication in math!). This added social element usually solves both groups of reluctant players.

Good Luck and Happy Chess

Admitting that you are poor at math vs Admiting that you are poor at Literacy

This post is the second of a series that I am writing about Math Centres. The topic of this post is an idea that I discussed with other educators at a recent workshop that I went to #PeelMathCentres.


I have been at a few other workshops recently where the following analogy was made.


"People seem to easily admit that they are not good at math. For example, when it is time to tip a waiter, no one would bat an eye if someone at a dinner party passed the job off of figuring out15% of the total bill. On the other hand, it would create quite the stir if someone at the same dinner party said that they couldn't read the menu. Very few will admit that they are not good at literacy."

When the analogy has been made, I have looked around the room to see lots of heads nodding in agreement. But it doesn't ring true for me.


First of all, amongst my group of friends, no one would admit that they couldn't figure out 15% of a bill. If someone did, they would be ridiculed. It would be like admitting that one couldn't use a hammer. So, the analogy is made based on an opinion that isn't true for everyone.


Herein lies the problem with the analogy. Math can be used to solve problems. So can reading. But when we think of reading, we don't automatically think about reading something like an operations manual or a government form. If people did, many would probably say that they didn't like reading much either.


When we think of reading, we think of the connections that we make to reading - reading text messages, a novel, a Twitter post, a favourite magazine. When we think of math, we think of a task that we must do. Often times, that task has a consequence for not doing it correctly (tip that waiter too little, and service won't be so good the next time we visit that restaurant).


Math, as traditionally taught in school and understood by many, is a chore. We read before we go to sleep; that's not the time when anyone who wants to get some sleep would do their taxes.


However, math can be engaging. Playing many card games requires strong mental math skills, completing puzzles requires an understanding of geometry as well as planning skills and playing chess requires logical reasoning.


Using Math Centres gives teachers the opportunity to work in small groups or one-on-one with students while the rest of the class independently consolidates what they have learnt in math. To promote their independence, activities need to be engaging. It is an opportunity to illustrate to students that they can connect with math just as they are able to connect with reading.