Our employee of the month is Jay Harrison from Illinois!
Jay is such a fun teacher, and he makes sure all his students are engaged during class time. The way he delivers his lessons to his students makes them want to continue learning and challenging themselves, and we are so grateful to have him on our team.
Jay, 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 Jay below:
1. Who are you, where do you come from, where are you going?
Jay Harrison, I’m from Itasca Illinois, and I’m going to be a high school science teacher.
2. How long have you been teaching with Chess Wizards?
Since august of 2023.
3. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since you started teaching?
Teaching how to be kind is just as challenging as teaching how to be a great chess player.
4. What is the most exciting experience you have had while playing or teaching chess?
I really enjoy just playing a good game of chess and seeing my students think through their moves and be able to see the strategies and moves of all the pieces.
5. How do you motivate your students to succeed?
I try to remind them what actions reflect those of a good and intelligent person specifically when they act in a way that exemplifies the values I strive to cultivate.
6. 6. If you could retire tomorrow and never have to worry about money again, what would you do with your time?
I think I’d make a YouTube series teaching chess for younger kids because one of the most difficult experiences I’ve faced as a chess teacher is teaching the 6-year-olds who come to the class with no experience and struggle with just getting the pieces to move. That and to try my hand at standup comedy again.
7. What’s your go-to technique for dealing with ‘handful students’?
The talkative students I talk and play the game with but in general I try to be empathetic and understand them and keep them entertained as much as possible. If that doesn’t work and they don’t behave I contact their parents.
8. What is an unusual place you have been to?
I went to the globe theatre in 2019 on a field trip with my theatre group in high school, that was a lot of fun.
9. Do you have a talent that not many people know about?
Not really but I would say the kids enjoy my impressions I do of Scooby Doo and a couple of accents.
10. What’s your #1 teaching tip?
Empathy and kindness are the two best keys to moving forward as a teacher and a good person.
11. What is something interesting that you’re involved in, outside of Chess Wizards?
I play a game called Magic: The Gathering. Sometimes I think chess is complicated and that game has only six pieces, in Magic there are over 10,000 unique cards. There are tons of interactions that are unique and very interesting. They also come out with new cards every two or three months so the game is always changing.
12. If you saw a kangaroo and a chimpanzee playing chess what would you do? Who do you think would win?
I would videotape it and I think the Chimpanzee would win.
13. Star Wars, Star Trek, or they’re both lame?
I like star wars but I am a huge trekker before anything and I would even go so far as to point to star trek as to why I’m a teacher today because of the valuable morals found in the show.
14. What do you like most about working with Chess Wizards?
The challenge, it’s never boring. The question 'what can I introduce the kids to next' is always exciting and invigorating in the numerous ways you can not only challenge them to be better players at the game but to be curious about the world and how to interact with the people they meet.