Our employee of the month is Ade Davis from Michigan.
Ade Davis was impressive from his first interview. With knowledge and enthusiasm his responses were engaging and entertaining. Ade brings all of these qualities into every Chess Wizard classroom. School staff, students, and fellow Chess Wizards all enjoy working with him. We are so thankful Ade is part of the Chess Wizards Michigan team.
Ade, thank you for being such an outstanding employee and teacher!
To show our appreciation for your dedication and hard work – please check your email this week for a special gift from us.
Chek out our interview with Ade below:
1. Who are you, where do you come from, where are you going?
My name is Ade. I’m from Canton, MI and currently in the process of applying to grad schools for film composition!
2. How long have you been teaching with Chess Wizards?
I have been teaching with Chess Wizards for a little over a year now. I started with Chess Wizards early January 2023.
3. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since you started teaching?
Keeping things exciting and challenging. If you give them the opportunity to push themselves, they will often step up to the challenge!
4. What is the most exciting experience you have had while playing or teaching chess?
For me, it was seeing a student who was pretty quiet most of class use some really good chess tactics in our end of the semester chess tournament! He showed me his mastery of all that I had been teaching. Was so cool to see all that this student was learning even if he wasn’t always the most vocal in class.
5. How do you motivate your students to succeed?
I love to keep things light and fun for the students. Whether that’s a fun variation or some Wizard Says! I often find that many of my students I teach love to come and are succeeding when I make the learning environment fun and one they want to show up to!
6. If you could retire tomorrow and never have to worry about money again, what would you do with your time?
I would travel the world and try a bunch of food from all the different countries I visit!
7. What’s your go-to technique for dealing with ‘handful students’?
If possible, I usually like to play chess with them 1 on 1 and get a feel for what they do like about chess and try to motivate them with that, or try and give them different things related to chess like a chess crossword or word search to help keep them engaged and still learning about chess.
8. What is an unusual place you have been to?
I think the most unusual place I’ve been is when I went to Iowa to help with an event called RAGBRAI which is an annual bicycle tour across all of Iowa! It takes about a week and I toured all of Iowa from the West to East coast!
9. Do you have a talent that not many people know about?
I am a Music Producer, Recording Engineer and Film Composer and love all things music!
10. What’s your #1 teaching tip?
Have fun! If you are safe and fun parents love it and feel comfortable and kids will want to come back!
11. What is something interesting that you’re involved in, outside of Chess Wizards?
When it starts to warm up here in Michigan, I love to play golf and am part of a golf league that I play in with my dad!
12. If you saw a kangaroo and a chimpanzee playing chess what would you do? Who do you think would win?
I’d probably think I was dreaming and check to see if I was asleep haha. I’m gonna have to go with the chimp they already do well with puzzles so I think they’d have a real chance to win!
13. Star Wars, Star Trek, or they’re both lame?
Star Wars all the way. I’ve always wanted my own real lightsaber!
14. What do you like most about working with Chess Wizards?
Love all the students and seeing what they learn and how proud they are of what they accomplished. It always brings me a smile at the end of each semester.