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Coach Cheryl Alexander with her Nalle Students & Principal Kim Adutwun |
What is it like to be a first year chess coach? According to Cheryl Alexander, an experienced classroom teacher, it's great! Mrs. Alexander started with CCinDC this school year as a novice chess player and a brand new coach. Excited to interact with
her students in this new way, she enthusiastically dove right in. Mrs. Alexander is a full-time teacher and after school chess coach at JC Nalle Elementary School in Southeast DC. In 2011 Nalle was at risk of closing due to poor performance and low enrollment. Enrichment opportunities
like after school chess are helping to turn the school around. To enable greater student participation, this class meet three times each week for an hour rather than twice a week for an hour and a half. Her students often ask to play chess during recess.
All that learning paid off at our Winter Tournament where the Nalle team placed third. The looks of surprise and happiness were priceless. Text messages and Tweets came in from all over congratulating the Nalle Scholars. Mrs. Alexander points to a specific reason for the success of some of her new players: they play at home where an adult is involved. The chess sets that CCinDC provides to each student certainly help. Some of her students are teaching their parents or siblings how to play which is a great learning tool for them. Mrs. Alexander has gotten after-hour text messages asking questions about the game. She believes that if you can teach the children, they will advance. It's as simple as that. "The children love the game," according to Mrs. Alexander.
With 10 year-old twin boys and a 5 year-old son, there is enough to keep this working mom very busy. Putting her words into action, the boys are learning chess at home from mom and dad. We didn't ask who wins!
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