Chess Wizards instructors are asked frequently how their students are progressing in chess. Parents’ responses to the survey sent after each session also reflect a strong desire to learn more about their child’s development. It is a natural question given the investment of time and resources.
So, what is the return on your investment?
To help provide an answer, Chess Wizards is introducing the Student Score Card.
The Student Score Card is NOT a report card. It is a fun progress report that will help you and your student understand where they currently stand in their chess knowledge and how they can progress to the next level. We are introducing the Score Card in select schools this fall with the intention of having all students receive them in the winter session. The initial feedback on the score card is very encouraging. Parents appreciate that we are communicating directly about their child with an informative summary.
The Score Card is based upon the Chess Wizard Syllabus and companion worksheets that correspond to specific skills (pictured below). Consistent with Chess Wizards’ desire to build your child’s knowledge in a safe, fun environment, we chose clever names for each level. A “proud pawn” is a beginning student who is brand new to chess. “Nifty Knights” is a student with a basic knowledge of development, tactics, and checkmate. These two skill levels describe most of the students in our program. Students who continue for multiple sessions experience the most progress and usually develop a strong passion for the game that lasts into their adult years.
If your student receives a Score Card with their trophy in the fall session, talk to them in a supportive way about their progress. Explain where they are and what skills they can learn to move up to the next level. The score cards are not punitive but a helpful tool to track their progress and to challenge students to grow. Your support and encouragement are vital to helping your student build confidence and critical thinking skills. If you don’t receive a score card this session, watch for it at the end of the winter session.
The end goal of our program is to help students have fun and learn chess in a safe and fun environment. We look forward to promoting our “Proud Pawns” and sincerely hope many eventually make it to the level of “Keen Kings!”
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
