Wednesday, 27th November 2024
17:00 - 18:30 London Time 
18:00 - 19:30 Central European Time

Registration closes 15 minutes before the start of the event.

Chess in Education

Join the Global Conversation!

Every last Wednesday of the month the ECU Education Commission holds a Discussion Group meeting for chess educators to share experiences and discuss their ideas and knowledge on various topics related to Chess in Education.

Discussion Group Meetings allow participants to learn from each other and gain new insights through different perspectives.

This month:

The book cover of May the Best Player Win.
Photo Credit: Penguin Random House, courtesy of Kyla Zhao.

A story can change the game for your students!

This month we invite you for a public meeting with Kyla Zhao, the author of the newly published book *May the Best Player Win* and Tatiana Flores, a chess journalist, 2021 World Chess Champion for People with Disabilities. Together, we will discuss the various themes presented in the book and how they relate to chess in education. Since stories inspire and educate children on many different levels, chess educators should bring this story to their students' attention. Its themes can generate discussion topics that are worth talking about in the classroom.  

"A fierce yet tender narrative [that is] rich in emotions and facts. It will enlighten the young audiences’ minds with the usage of a smart and educative language. A top recommendation for young readers."
Tatiana Flores, book review.

Historically chess has been a male-dominated sport, but the number of women playing the game continues to rise. Using a kid-friendly touch this STEM-inist story examines the gender bias that surrounds the sport and celebrates the female players who, like May, are changing the game.
While fast-paced and humor-filled, MAY THE BEST PLAYER WIN addresses the reality of the high expectations often placed on children to perform well in and out of school. With rates of anxiety in children on the rise, young readers can relate to May’s struggles to cope with her performance anxiety.

• What can the chess world do to address gender stereotypes?
• What advice do you have for children struggling with performance anxiety?
• Do you think it’s possible to get to the top of chess, or any activity, with an entirely healthy attitude towards competition?
• What can educators, parents and coaches do to help foster a more inclusive and empowering environment for chess learners and players?

About Kyla Zhao
In the day, Kyla works as a Silicon Valley analyst. At night, she writes award-winning novels that champion female empowerment in male dominated spaces. She graduated from Stanford University in 2021 with an MA in Communications and a BA in Psychology. 

Register and join the Discussion Group Meeting to learn more!

Wednesday, 27th November 2024
17:00 - 18:30 London Time
18:00 - 19:30 Central European Time

Registration closes 15 minutes before the start of the event.

(Don`t forget to check your time zone!)

The event is managed by ChessPlus.