Chess: A New Way to Think

This may seem strange to some people, but to other not so
strange. Well, the other day while strolling around the Byram library (I’m
usually at either the main library or the Byram branch two times a week.),
thinking that maybe if we were this or that NEIGHBORS would be able to promote
Chess a lot better. Then I was thinking maybe if I interviewed some intellect with
a lot of alphabets behind his last name, and he spoke about Chess like we do on
TV, NEIGHBORS would be…  When, there in front of me was a book entitled, “HOW CHILDREN SUCCEED, Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough.

I knew from the title that there’d be something about Chess in this book so I flipped to the book’s Index and found Chess, IQ and; and thinking habits, chess-in-schools, chess mastery, African Americans and, etc - compiled
into 43 pages of Chapter Three- How To Think. Tough writes about Brooklyn’s P.
S 318 Chess Coach Elizabeth Spiegel and her team at a Chess Tournament in
Columbus, Ohio . “I watched her [Spiegel] at work”, what she was really doing
was far simpler, and also far more complicated: she was teaching her [Chess]
students a new way to think”. Tough continues by delving into the complex life
of Ms. Spiegel, her students and the world of Master Chess players.  

For my questioning mind Paul Tough's “How Children Succeed” was the
answer, my intellect. I must say I don’t agree with some of the fanaticism of
the Chess Masters Tough writes about. For me the first basic rule of Chess is
an “I am King of my actions” attitude the second one sits at the board to
engage. However, Chess Masters are a dedicated group of thinkers and I wish
there were more of them out there coaching our young people. I feel if you’re
interested in helping your child succeed give Tough’s book a try.

Update: No word from the Greenwich Board of Education or the
Apple store on Greenwich Avenue yet, but I’ll let ya know when I do.

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