On December 24th, 2012 the first all-Ukrainian roundtable discussion seminar “Chess in Schools: theory, implementation, experience” was held in Kiev. The seminar was organized by Ukrainian Chess Federation and Ukrainian Charity Foundation “Chess for Children”.
Over 60 leading chess specialists from all over Ukraine came to attend the seminar. Among them were famous chess coaches, experienced chess teachers, methodologists, heads of chess schools and centers, authors of the best programs, books and textbooks on teaching chess. The event started with a welcome speech by the President of Ukrainian Chess Federation Viktor Kapustin. He talked about plans and perspectives of implementation of “Chess in Schools” program on a national level and expressed his hope that this seminar will establish a good tradition of regular meetings of all chess professionals to share experience, discuss and find solutions to the most urgent up-to-day issues.
Among the speakers of the seminar were representatives of Main Department of Education and Science of Kiev City Administration, Institute of Innovative Technologies and Content of Education, heads of acting chess clubs, principals of the schools where the “Chess in Schools” program has been successfully implemented.
Founder and president of Ukrainian charity foundation “Chess for children” Olena Boytsun in her speech analyzed cutting-edge international experience in realization of the “Chess in Schools” program and introduced the forthcoming initiatives of the Foundation and scheduled programs on popularizing chess for children in Ukraine.
During roundtable discussion participants shared their experience, discussed the most urgent problems of chess in Ukraine, raised questions. Among the most acute issues participants identified lack of chess inventory in schools, outdated infrastructure, absence of standardized program for teaching chess, lack of professional coaches and absence of unified system for their education. According to Inna Romanova, associate professor of the Chair of social pedagogics of Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, presently there is a high demand for professional chess coaches, therefore, there is a necessity to introduce a professional qualification of “Chess teacher or coach” in pedagogical universities.
All participants expressed their recommendations as for future events. Materials of the seminar will be posted on the website of Ukrainian Chess Federation: http://ukrchess.org.ua
Ukrainian Charity Foundation “Chess for Children”: info@chessforchildren.org
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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