Canada is the latest in a string of countries to adopt chess as a curriculum subject. This time for year 12 students!
After 20 years of research, proposals, paperwork and jumping through hoops Arnie Nermo (B.Ed.) Robert Bateman Sec. School, Abbotsford, BC and Luke Campbell (Language and Technology Department Head at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary) have finally had their chess course approved by the School Board and the Ministry of Education.
Now any school can use their template and experience to introduce chess as part of their high-school curriculum.
While a number of primary schools in Australia use chess as part of their curriculum very few do so in high school. According to Arnie Nermo
Chess is much more than a high school frill subject. The competition is keen, the thinking hard and the rewards…well, they’re ones that will last a lifetime.
Does chess really Build Mental Muscles? Well the school trustees, school board and Ministry of Education seem to think so.
Chess is known to assist cognitive development for students in four areas– logic, memory, awareness/analysis, and pattern recognition (Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal WGCTA). It is evident that chess is more than just a game.
And it seems that the softer (social) benefits which we have discovered in schools in Australia are not unique. This is happening all over the world!
As to the question of whether Chess has a viable place in high-school curriculum, extensive research has shown it to be an activity where even the weakest academic students can match their wits with the strongest and beam with success. It is a proven and valuable self-esteem builder!
Congratulations to these teachers who believed in chess and for their hard work and perseverance. And we look forward to seeing more countries embrace this brilliant educational tool.
Arnie and Luke have very kindly shared their experiences here:
A Short History on How to Start a High School Chess Course
Arnie Nermo can be contacted directly on arnie_nermo@sd34.bc.ca
Hello David Cordover and “all” the other chess teachers, coaches and enthusiasts from Down Under.
I just came across your wonderful article on the Chess Kids website and decided to give you an update. Luke Campbell has just successfully completed teaching the first-ever Grade 12 chess course in North America (School district #23 Okanagan) and is very excited to be in the process of signing up new students for next year’s course. As for myself, in the fall I submitted an updated BAA chess course to my own school district (Abbotsford school district #34). After a great deal of more work, it has just been recently approved…so that now any teacher in my district can teach it, as long as the principal agrees. I’m really excited because it will most likely be offered as a night school course at Abbey Virtual School in the next school year, with myself as the teacher… a dream finally fulfilled! I’m more than willing to share with any teachers, coaches or parents my experiences to help promote chess in their schools.
All best from the north side of the pond.
Arnie Nermo
Robert Bateman Sec. School
Abbotsford BC, Canada
arnie_nermo@sd34.bc.ca