Chess for Rookies: Introduction Camp
In this chess summer camp, young chess players will learn the rules and master the moves through play and puzzles.
Louisa Hou
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(215)
What's included
3 live meetings
2 hrs 45 mins in-class hoursHomework
Students are encouraged to play games outside of the classes but it is not a requirement. Having fun and experimenting with new ideas are key to learning the game of chess.Class Experience
Dear Learners, Thank you for your interest in my chess class. This short summer camp is an introduction class that is welcome to all learners who wish to learn about chess. Participants do not need to have any prior knowledge. I believe that chess is an interactive game and can only be learned through active games. The only prerequisite to an interactive game is to understand the basic rules of the game. For this reason, my lessons will be focused on learning the rules first, then I will incorporate puzzles to practice throughout the lesson. Questions are encouraged at all time. While I will share tips and tricks including beginner's mistake to avoid, I also highly encourage the students to experiment with their moves. In the end, we will always have a game session where chess players can focus on the application. This will also ensure everyone can have a chance to participate and to apply the knowledge in the class. In the first class will cover all the basics of the game: -Introducing the chessboard -The basic rules of the game and some exceptions (to castle, the pawn en passant) -Introducing each chess pieces -The value system -The checkmate! In the second class, we will cover some additional rules that are decided by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) and how to use our pieces: - What makes a draw? - The 50 move rule - Time and space in chess - Attack - Defences In the last class we will cover: - Time limit and clocks - Chess etiquette - Checkmate patterns - Beginner's mistake to avoid For the class, I will be using Lichess.org and screen share to make sure that everyone can follow and have the same starting point. In addition, I recommend everyone to have a chessboard for general practice and play because in the case of tournaments, students will have to use real chessboards. To play with real chessboard will habituate students to not only play online. If you want to attend in a bigger group because you want to take the class with a friend or a sibling and would make the class size exceed 5 student, please communicate with me in advance. Similarly, If you have any questions, don't hesitate to communicate with me! Looking forward to meeting you! Louisa
Learning Goals
The students will understand the rules of the game, the value system of the chess pieces and the basic chess board principles. By the end of the class, the students should be able to play a game of chess with a clear goal in mind.
Other Details
Supply List
We might play a game in the end using the platform Chessonlinefree. This website should not track your data. Depending on your browser, I would recommend to have an add blocker to avoid distraction.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
We will be using Lichess.org and Chess.com. In order to play, students need an free account. This can also help the student track their games over time. Without an account, students can also choose to play anonymously.
Joined July, 2020
5.0
215reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Dear parents and learners,
Welcome to my profile! Thank you for your interest in my classes.
I have a degree in psychology from McGill University with a strong interest in child development. Previously, I worked on multiple projects on the development of e-health tools for breast cancer prevention at the Loiselle Lab and education-related studies at the Pragmatic Lab at McGill where we experimented to better understand young participants’ learning process on screens. To further my insight on the delivery of information online and e-learning, I am currently conducting research on the effects of Zoom fatigue as a graduate student at Laval University.
I have more than 5 years of teaching experience working with children from the age of 6 to 14, from the McGill joint program like the Taylor Adolescent program at the Montreal Fluency Center to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry program at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute. I also taught ESL online to children from China and Japan. In addition to working with children, I worked as a teaching assistant for the sleep mechanism course at McGill. (Highly recommend it!)
These experiences equipped me with scientific knowledge, strong observational skills and flexibility to adapt my teaching style to work with students from different cultural backgrounds or with different needs. I believe that learning is supported through intrinsic motivation and a growth mindset. In addition to the content learning, It is important for all learners to understand the learning process and psychology. For this reason, I put a great emphasizes on breaking down each step and representing all ideas as concretely as possible through imagery. Lastly, the best way for knowledge to stick is through fun discussions and real-life applications. My vision is for my students to become independent learners and be able to improve their own study plan according to their strength and weaknesses.
Lastly, and most importantly, I played chess throughout my childhood and I wish to introduce my passion to young learners. I played competitively in Canada for many years, notably at the Canadian Youth Chess Championship and had the chance to represent my country in international competitions such as the World Youth Chess Championship. I think this game is a fun way to develop strategies, analysis, planning, empathy and most importantly, make friends with others and the self.
I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!
Warm regards,
LouisaReviews
Live Group Class
$70
for 3 classes3x per week, 1 week
55 min
Completed by 5 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-11
3-5 learners per class
