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Home of Chess in Copenhagen
Mikkel Nørgaard is the Chief Studying Officer for Dansk Skoleskak (Danish Faculty Chess), which not too long ago opened a mind gymnasium in Denmark. I met Nørgaard on the 2023 London Chess Convention, the place I introduced about science crew initiatives such because the Chessable Analysis Awards, https://www.chessable.com/research_awards.
For a video of Chessable Science Mission Supervisor Karel van Delft interviewing Nørgaard in London:London Chess Convention 2023 interview Mikkel Nørgaard
In February of 2024, Van Delft performed a Zoom interview with Nørgaard.
Interview Mikkel Nørgaard about Dansk Skoleskak by Karel van Delft
Dansk Skoleskak (Danish Faculty Chess) opened the Home of Chess – the mind gymnasium in Copenhagen. Because of some huge sponsors, this 750 sq. meter constructing, which prices about 4 million euros, has chess for everyone. Some initiatives are extra instructing by way of chess in colleges and creating new instructing strategies for particular wants teams. Dansk Skoleskak expands. “Chess is a powerful instrument for instructing and serving to individuals socially and mentally,” Chief Studying Officer Mikkel Nørgaard says.
Dansk Skoleskak is a non-profit organisation that works to get extra kids and younger individuals to succeed academically, socially and mentally, in order that extra individuals have a lifetime of studying and schooling.
The organisation has existed since 1960, says Nørgaard. “It was based by lecturers with the aim of utilizing chess as a instrument to stimulate schooling, social relations, and private growth. So it’s extra in regards to the results than the sport itself.” In the intervening time the workers consists of 18 individuals of which just a few are part-time.
The organisation is supported by the Danish authorities and sells instructing and training initiatives to municipalities and colleges. In the intervening time each third college in Denmark is a member college, about 550 in whole. In Denmark colleges have 9 grades, which implies pupils from age 7 till 16.
A 3rd of the 550 colleges use chess as a scientific instrument to boost studying capabilities and social relationships. There are particular studying targets concerned, for instance combining maths with chess and stimulating social capabilities. Moreover there’s additionally a program for preschoolers (age 4-6 years) the place for instance minigames are used. This system is described on the location https://skoleskak.dk/laeringskoncepter.
Instructing Supplies and Actions
Dansk Skoleskak supplies instructing materials (on-line GAMBIT® platform by way of web site https://skoleskak.dk/gambit) to high school lecturers . Dansk Skoleskak trains lecturers just a few days every year. In the course of the course lecturers be taught for instance to work on the scholars’ calmness and focus by means of the educational program “Study Chess With Duffy!” (Duffy is a chess mascot).
Dansk Skoleskak gives PLAYMASTER® programs for college kids from grades 5 to 9. The course turns the individuals into cool assistant college chess lecturers, who can help on the Faculty Chess Day and may organize break-time chess actions at their very own colleges. In the course of the course, individuals observe speaking with one another and with an introductory lesson.
In 2018 Dansk Skoleskak launched a brand new methodology for colleges to make use of chess for particular wants schooling, named Skoleskak For Alle (Scholastic chess for everybody). On this methodology consultants of Dansk Skoleskak go to the college to teach the lecturers and the lecturers obtain coaching for two – 3 complete days initially of this system.
This system “The Mind within the Curriculum” was launched for lessons of particular wants teams in 2021 and takes the methodology from Skoleskak for alle additional.
This system is utilized in lessons with quite a lot of particular wants similar to ADHD, autism, studying issues, social and psychological issues.
This system particularly targets consciousness of psychological well being and what will be achieved to stimulate psychological well being. Elements are neighborhood, fellowship, planning forward, social circumstances but in addition pondering instruments like metacognition, studying to mirror, crucial pondering.
For creating instructing materials every kind of sources have been used, for instance the booklet Pondering Strikes, Metacognition Made Easy by Roger Sutcliffe. “However way more may very well be achieved,” Nørgaard says. “I’ve the sensation we solely scratched the floor of what’s attainable. We wish to develop extra insights and materials. However the issue is time, it’s at all times about time. However we’ve come a great distance and the outcomes are very promising.” A pattern lesson from the programme will be seen right here.
Dansk Skoleskak invited 49 colleges with kids and younger individuals in particular lessons from 2021 to 2024, with the assist of the Obelske Familiefond, to take part within the studying effort the Mind within the Curriculum (HPS – Hjernen På Skemaet®). HPS makes use of college chess and play-based studying to develop college students’ psychological well being and lift consciousness of why it will be significant. HPS builds on experiences from the SKAK+MAT® studying program and SFA – Skoleskak For Alle® geared toward college students with ADHD, autism and basic studying difficulties.
A number of publications provide insights within the venture, see https://skoleskak.dk/hjernen-paa-skemaet
Analysis organisation Epinion has evaluated the venture. Conclusions are:
– HPS is an efficient instrument that has led to constructive modifications amongst lots of the college students who participated within the effort.
– 76 % of lecturers’ solutions point out that HPS has helped change college students’ perceptions of what they’ll do.
– HPS creates profitable experiences for numerous college students and will be simply tailored to the extent of the person pupil.
The report will be downloaded by way of https://skoleskak.dk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Dansk-Skoleskak-Hjernen-paa-skemaet-Slutrapport-Endelig.pdf
There are some pitfalls with such qualitative analysis, Nørgaard says. “In three years youngsters become old, some drop out, so pure quantitative measurement of results is difficult. That’s why private evaluations by lecturers, mother and father, college students and specialists can provide a good suggestion in regards to the results of this system.”
Dansk Skoleskak cooperates additionally with organisations for particular wants teams. They made for instance a particular concern about chess and autism with the Danish organisation Landsforeningen Autisme (a nationwide NGO that works for the advantage of individuals with autism). It may be downloaded by way of https://www.autismeforeningen.dk/media/5138/autismebladet-2020-nr-4.pdf
Dansk Skoleskak has quite a lot of different actions. There’s an Annual Scholastic Chess Day (this yr it was on Friday 9th on 336 colleges with 56.124 individuals). It’s a kind of mind train day with social occasions. Dansk Skoleskak helps colleges with options, instructing materials, and public relations. See https://skoleskak.dk/skolernes-skakdag. There was intensive media protection from newspapers and tv this yr – one of many huge nationwide networks made a big information section a couple of particular wants pupil who has benefited very a lot from scholastic chess. Anton is his identify, and due to scholastic chess he has left the particular wants class he was once in. He’s now mainstreamed into common schooling lessons.
There are various chess championships, a studying competition, women’ actions, camps, and enormous occasions all through the nation. And Dansk Skoleskak has their very own chess store, skakshoppen.dk. On the location https://skoleskak.dk, instructing materials, analysis and publications are all in Danish, though the data will be understood by way of Google Translate.
Dansk Skoleskak has exchanged a lot info with previous individuals within the London Chess Conferences and contacts with different organisations too, for instance the Saint Louis Chess Membership. Dansk Skoleskak additionally exchanges concepts with the FIDE Training Fee usually. These worldwide contacts in addition to analysis and publications will probably be prolonged, Nørgaard says. “Faculty chess and related actions have a lot to supply for private growth of youngsters, and likewise adults. Particularly for particular wants teams. The extra we work internationally collectively, the higher.”
Skakkens Hus – the mind gymnasium
https://skoleskak.dk/skakkenshus
Opening of the Home of Chess, Skakkens Hus, is a large growth. It’s meant to be a “Mind
Health club,” the place all people is welcome. Not solely college lessons, but in addition particularly individuals who can use social and emotional assist, similar to lonely aged individuals and other people with psychological well being issues. By way of actions and particular occasions Dansk Skoleskak needs to supply them a way of belonging, coping and pondering expertise. “All people is welcome, there are particular hosts who will make individuals really feel at dwelling. In addition they educate the foundations of chess or minigames.” Entrance is free. A recreation and tradition of chess are inviting by themselves, you simply can are available and play or watch a recreation of chess. Or take part in some exercise. So individuals can develop new social networks. For alternate college students it may very well be alternative for attending to know Danish individuals. New initiatives will probably be developed, for instance with prisoners who can resocialize by way of volunteer initiatives. “We constantly consider our initiatives by analysis and interviews to enhance the standard and develop new initiatives,” says Nørgaard.
The concept to start out the home was conceived by Dansk Skoleskak Common Secretary Mads Jacobsen virtually ten years in the past. Additionally it is Jacobson who has been the driving drive behind funding the home.
Some extra money for initiatives is within the pipeline, thanks additionally to ambassadors like Magnus Carlsen. Final September, for 3 days every week, some actions began, however a giant renovation will occur this yr 2024 and possibly the entire constructing will probably be prepared on the finish of the yr or early in 2025.
Skakkens Hus is promoted by way of Skakkenshus.dk. The initiative may be prolonged by creating the identical form of chess homes in different cities and cities in Denmark. In the intervening time, the home is promoted by two chess vans that go to colleges throughout Denmark.
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