Chess should be a subject in high school

Ever since I started playing chess, my mathematics and engineering subjects have received a boost. Even in my personal life, taking decision, solving complex problem has been easy. I am sure I have a witness in the house.

Why limit to high school ?   It should at least be an elective class or an after school club activity

Either elective class or after school club activity. I think chess should be encouraged early in life. Scrabble can be alternative

There are so many good things to be taught, but I believe chess should be one of those good things.

I think chess should be turned into a drudgery too.

it is taught after school in my district. its a club but there is also a team that goes to competitions.

here is a essay i have wrote about it. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rpsUGP2_iBnQSuo1XDqNgAMNXm3tIfMiNKV4se7GsmY/pub

I don't like soft drinks.

In 2015 I used to go to high school at lunch time and I would set up four chess boards. The students coul play themselves or me while they ate their lunch. I also would help some of them to learn the rules.

After five week of this. I was asked if I was willing to teach a chess class. It would be a school elective and I would give them a grade. I would have a teacher there is the class room since I wasn't hired and paid..

At the start of the first class the students would be brought to the classroom and I set up my own curriculum. 

The first class I had 24 students. The best player of the school was there as I already had played him at lunch time.  It was a once a week class. The first class went well, I lectured kept the interested for 45 minutes and then they asked question for about 10 minutes.

The next class only 6 students showed up and I had to improvise my teaching. 15 minutes of teaching and then I let them play.I asked the teacher "where are the students."

"The went on a field trip. It had been set up before this class was set up.."

The third class 12 students showed up. Again I had to improvise my teaching. Where were the students. Some had transferred out of the school and some where being tested.

The fourth class 5 showed up. "Okay, where are my students?" I asked.

"They went to a Holloween Horror Movie."

What? What about the chess class? The said the students were given the choice. Movie or chess, Since it was an eletive that was allowed.

So far my progress was terrible. The next day I had a meeting with the Principle about the chess class. I suggested we cancel it and when and if they truly wanted a full blown chess class to call me and I would do it. It had to be at the start of a semester and no changes allowed for other stuff.

I was asked to come and teach again at lunch time every day if I wanted to.

I haven't been back since. I run into some of the school student about town and they say hello and introduce me to their family member.

I quit believe that excellence at chess does not necessarily translate into improvement in other areas of life, but it should. Same as being a medical doctor does not necessarily translate into living absolutely healthy life, but it should. I have seen a doctor who died of Aids and who smoke a lot.

There was a logic course when I went to college. I learned a great deal, quickly and with little effort. I think because it was all so logical.

Seriously, a logic course should be part of any university's core curriculum.

Regards,

Lou

Chess should be a must since 1st Grade. Why wait till high school?

While we're at it, let's also make unicycling mandatory starting in first grade. In 4th grade we add "juggling bouncey balls like a clown" while riding the unicycle. In 9th grade we make it fire swords. IF you don't pass the test, you get held back indefinitely. Such is life.

 I am trying to get a chess class into the curriculum @ my high school. is there anything that could be a absolute positive.

I recommend dropping out of school.

I wish I had a chess team here instead of just a chess club. It doesn't seem that chess is really popular here in China. You would think that Chinese chess is popular here instead.

Anyway, chess as a curriculum would be interesting, but I think it's better off as an after-school activity.

Are there any up sides or down sides for having it as a class in high school?

I do think chess is valuable at decision making, but I think it should be a middle school, mandatory study - perhaps as part of a pre-algebra math class, not as a full high school class unless it's a minor part of one class.  A chess club after school isn't even available in most of the high schools in my state, Maryland, which is the highest avg. income state in the USA, has the top-rated public school system in the USA, and one of the highest college graduate rates.  So the teacher in most cases is going to be limited in teaching how to think in chess.

I taught high school chemistry and physics, after a short career as an industrial research chief chemist, and I founded and coached our school's chess team to county championships in our state's most competitive county, and three State Scholastic Championships team trophies.

Some of my best players were extremely good at math, science, and decision-making in general. Others among my best players were not good at any academic subjects and made poor decisions.

Chess should be a fun activity. Making it mandatory turns it into just another drudgery that must be endured. We have to endure enough unavoidable drudgery in life from the time we're barely old enough to walk to the time we're in the grave. No need to heap even more on top of that.

Some schools do have it as a class.