WELCOME TO THE
NOVATO CHESS CLUB
Chess is for Kids!
We are spreading chess - the game of reason, patience, sacrifice, and humility - into the homes - into the schools and into the communities. We teach chess not to create superstars. We strive for humble and patient use of the game.
ABOUT NOVATO CHESS CLUB
Novato Chess Club (NCC) is a 501c(3) not for profit public benefit corporation, serving Novato and Marin County, California, USA Federal tax id: 46-5381938
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We are funded through fee based programs, private donations, grants, small business, corporations, and our annual winter HYA College Outreach fundraising campaign.
Why Offer Chess in Schools? What are the Academic Benefits? Does Chess improve academic performance?
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Focusing
Children are taught the benefits of observing carefully and concentrating. If they don’t watch what is happening, they can’t respond to it, no matter how smart they are.
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Visualizing
Children are prompted to imagine a sequence of actions before it happens. We actually strengthen the ability to visualize by training them to shift the pieces in their mind, first one, then several moves ahead.
Thinking Ahead
Children are taught to think first, then act. We teach them to ask themselves “If I do this, what might happen then, and how can I respond?” Over time, chess helps develop patience and thoughtfulness.
Weighing Options
Children are taught that they don’t have to do the first thing that pops into their mind. They learn to identify alternatives and consider the pros and cons of various actions.
Analyzing Concretely
Children learn to evaluate the results of specific actions and sequences. Does this sequence help me or hurt me? Decisions are better when guided by logic, rather than impulse.
Thinking Abstractly
Children are taught to step back periodically from details and consider the bigger picture. They also learn to take patterns used in one context and apply them to different, but related situations.
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Planning
Children are taught to develop longer range goals and take steps toward bringing them about. They are also taught of the need to reevaluate their plans as new developments change the situation.
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Juggling Multiple Considerations Simultaneously
Children are encouraged not to become overly absorbed in any one consideration, but to try to weigh various factors all at once
CONTACT US
