How to: Integrate ChessKid.com Into Your Programs
ChessKid.com was designed for coaches! We want your students to be using the site several times per week. In tandem with the great work you are doing in person, your students will succeed like never before -Your kids will be even more motivated to use the site if you give them different assignments or challenges each week. You can either just tell them the challenges at the end of club, post a news item or forum post (assuming you've grouped them in a club), or email their parents if you have a master email list. You can make the contest time frame one week, one month, or a rolling competition (since those are the sortable parameters of our club leaderboards!).
Some Weekly Challenges That Coaches Have Used:
- Whoever solves the most puzzles correctly (or attempts the most with a minimum success percentage).
- Whoever plays/wins the most games in fast or slow chess (similar to our site-wide King of Fast Chess Contest).
- Whoever successfully completes the most computer workouts.
- Whoever finishes the most lessons.
- Whoever watches the most videos.
- Whoever reads the most articles.
- Whoever earns the most activity stars.
How do you quickly find those stats?
1) Use your Club Leaderboard.
Your Club Leaderboard shows puzzle stats, stars totals and Fast & Slow chess for a particular Club that you're an Admin of:
- From your Parent/Coach account Home screen, click on "Go to Clubs" & then select your Club.
- Select "Leaderboard" on the right side of the screen.
- Toggle by time period & type of activity.
2) Use your All Kids Leaderboard.
Your All Kids Leaderboard shows puzzle stats, stars totals and Fast & Slow chess for all of the kids you have Guardianship of:
- From your Parent/Coach account Home screen, select "Manage" followed by "Kids".
- Select "Leaderboard" on the right side of the screen.
- Toggle by time period & type of game.
3) Use the Club Report Card:
The Club Report Card tool allows you to see a detailed list of your Club's activity. You can select specify the activities and time period you'd like to see (up to one month at a time). Club Report Cards show detailed activity, like the titles of specific videos, lessons & computer workouts - so, if you've given an assignment, you'll be able to see who's completed it!
- From your Clubs page,
- Click into the Club you'd like to see.
- Choose "Report Card" on the right side.
- Select the dates you'd like to see activity for.
- Select the activities you'd like to see or click "Select All" to view all of them.
- Click "Submit".
4) Use the Club Report Card Summary Download:
- After requesting a Club Report Card, use the "Download Summary" link at the top.
- This will download a spreadsheet showing your Club Members' Usernames, Names, Levels, Fast Chess, Slow Chess & Puzzles ratings change, as well as if they've completed any Videos, Articles or Workouts.
As for prizes:
It's up to you! Sometimes kids are motivated just by having their name announced in club as the winner. We've seen great examples of clubs who post a weekly leaderboard in the hallway at their school - for everyone to see! Maybe the winner gets a medal, a key chain, a candy bar, a blitz game with you, a private lesson - whatever will motivate your kids!
This club created their own ChessKid trophies!
This was Girls' Night Fast Chess!
How's this for a prize? Most puzzles solved qualifies you for a team match versus a school from China!
In addition to these "challenges" you can also formulate other incentives. For instance, you can tell your students at the end of chess club, "Next week we'll be learning the king and rook checkmate. If you read this article, watch this video and practice on this computer workout, I'll invite you to help me teach it in front of the class next week."
You could also assign a series of videos to watch, by choosing from our ready-made selection of related videos. How about assigning your kids to watch any three of our 12 videos on "The Weakest Square" and have them start class by explaining one thing they learned from the videos?
Some Additional Contests/Challenges:
- Have two clubs for one school - a regular and a "grandmaster" club. When students perform a checklist of tasks (100 puzzles, 20 videos, etc.) then move them up into the "grandmaster" club.
- Host a "best question" contest each week in the forum of your ChessKid club. You answer the best question at the beginning of your in-person club.
- Have your students print out the PGN (under game history) of one of their losses and bring to you each week in your chess club (possible with annotations if your kids are old enough for that).
- Challenge your kids to find a mistake in the analysis of one of our articles, videos or tactics puzzles. There aren't many, but this is a fun detective game and they really have to focus to find one.
- Have your own "Live Chess Hour" - a time when you want all of your kids to play online at the same time. If they are in the same club, they can challenge each other directly in live chess ("Play vs Kid").
- You can have them report results (or watch them live) for an impromptu live tournament!
Finally, are you yourself are interested in teaching chess to kids? ChessKid has prepared an ebook for you if you have been asking, How do I even start a chess program and teach kids how to play chess? This resource is for teachers, coaches, and parents to give them guidance on starting a chess program for kids.
FunMasterMike's Advice:
Coaches who give their students creative, fun assignments will be rewarded with students who are playing chess 4-5 times per week, not just the one hour of chess club. You can lesson plan by selecting a favorite videos before your club meets, teach a similar concept, then assign that video for homework.
Make sure your kids are grouped into clubs. It will be easier to send them assignments and challenges by posting a forum or news topic, and to track puzzles and ratings via the club leaderboard.
I've used videos during class when I had two different skill groups to teach - have one set of kids watch a video while you work with the others, then switch. I've even shown videos on a day that I lost my voice!
The more you utlitize and incentivize the site, the more your students will benefit!