Why mix chess and math?
Why mix math and chess? The question could be answered with why not? We see many times a real life problem is linked and "mixed" with math just like language arts is also sometimes "mixed" with math to be learned in an integrated fashion. However, look it closely, we are not mixing chess and math in a sense like mixing mud and water. What we are doing is to offer an integrated chess and math course in such a way that parents and students have more choices in offerings on how math is learned. Chess is used as a learning tool to improve a student's problem-solving ability and critical thinking skills in the areas of logic, pattern, perception, coordination, spatial relations, decision making and visualization etc. All these abilities are associated with chess learning.
In our chess and math integrated class, students are offered with math and chess integrated worksheets and chess knowledge learned is sometimes applied to solve the problems on the worksheets. In other words, students are offered additional materials which provide students with more exposure in patters recognition, logical thinking, computations using symbols, mathematical puzzles etc.
It is an innovative and fun way of learning math using chess as a tool which traditionally though as one type of board games. It generates more interests for youngster to wanting to learn and encourages them to use acquired knowledge to solve math related problems.
With the above in mind, our learning Centre also offers "pure" math or "pure" chess courses to students, so we are very flexible in our courses offers, no one is "obligated" to go along with our philosophy to have to learn math and chess together.
What unique is about Ho Math Chess?
There are 3 components that make Ho Math Chess a successful learning place.
1. The philosophy of integrating computations, word problems, mathematical chess puzzles and math puzzles, math contest quality questions all in one workbook from grade 1 to grade 7 teaching material is the first in the world. Our worksheets are designed with over 20 years of teaching experience and field-tested. Many teachers bought our workbooks when Frank Ho presented a paper at B.C. Association of Mathematics Teachers Northwest Conference.
2. One of a kind, proprietary, and copyrighted teaching material. We developed a series of workbooks from grade 1 to grade 7 and there are no similar teaching materials on the market. We are very confident about the quality of our workbooks.
3. Our unique teaching method, Ho Math Chess method©. Every student progresses at his/her own speed with no grades limitation.
What is the mission of Ho Math Chess?
The mission of Ho Math Chess is to challenge each student's potential to the fullest and to excel each student's problem-solving ability to the highest by providing an unique and enriched mathematics curriculum.
What is the teaching philosophy of Ho Math Chess?
The founder's teaching philosophy is to help every student tap into their potential and curiosity using a variety of math and puzzles worksheets and problem-solving materials. This diversity creates workbooks' flexibility to tailor to each student's learning needs. This tradition of emphasizing problem-solving skills, placing as much importance on them as computation, will be continued at all Ho Math Chess learning centres worldwide.
What are the objectives of Ho Math Chess?
Our objectives are for students to take pride in their problem-solving abilities and to develop their independent thinking skills and the skills for a lifelong learning and researching. The goal is for students to get better marks in mathematics and maintain as high achievers in mathematics.
What is the Ho Math Chess method?
The Ho Math Chess method© is built on a premise that math problem-solving ability is a learned skill and chess is a powerful, interesting and effective tool in learning mathematics. Therefore, the Ho Math Chess method© integrates chess into our mathematics curriculum from kindergarten, grade 1 to grade 7. To put the methodology into practice, over the past 20 years, we've been able to refine our unique copyrighted and proprietary materials that have been hailed by teachers and graduates alike.
Why we don't see Ho Math Chess advertisements very often?
Our business has been running based on word of mouth.
Over 85% of our existing students pre-register our September program before the summer vacation starts. We normally reach nearly 100% enrollment a few days before the new term starts.
Why students go to Ho Math Chess Learning Centre?
Parents have to drive their children to our centre and also pay fees. Many of our students come from private schools so it is an extra tuition fee on top of what they already paid to the private schools. We strive to excel and promise to parents that their children could perform much better with our help. Many of our students are planning to go to either prestigious or ivy league universities so that they want to maintain their math marks at "A" grade if already is on the "A" students list and determine to achieve A if not at A level.
How is Ho Math Chess different from other learning centres?
How is Ho Math Chess different from other learning centres?
When I first started Ho Math Chess I did some investigation to determine the different methodologies of existing learning centres.
I found that one type of math learning centre just gives out worksheets with small and steady increases in difficulty and calls this kind of drilling method, “self-learning.” It may help those who need to improve their computational skills, but for a lot of students it is a waste of their time and brainpower. Math is not just doing computation. It is a tragedy that younger students are only asked to do rote computation while they have the optimal chance to develop their brain by engaging in more diversified mathematical activities.
There is another type of math learning centre that seems to guide students in overly conceptual learning. The drawback is that their teaching material does not complement the local education authority's math course curriculum and may not be presented in the best, logical order. Another problem with this type of teaching is that it does not develop students’ confidence, since it does not parallel their schoolwork and help them improve their math grades.
Realizing the shortcomings of the existing math learning centres at the time, I vowed that I would establish a unique centre that combined all their different strengths. The result was Ho Math Chess.
What is unique about Ho Math Chess?
1. Math + Chess = A Cool and Fun Way to Learn Math.
Chess has lasted for thousands of years for good reason. Children today can still continue to use the game to develop thinking strategy and brainpower. The most outstanding unique feature of our centre is that Frank Ho, a Canadian math teacher, created the world's first integrated math and chess workbook. The mathematical chess puzzles are used to further instil math concepts into student's learning while adding the elements of fun and creativity. Ho Math and Chess is not just a math learning centre or a place to learn chess. It is an interdisciplinary, specialized math learning centre that uses chess as a tool, and integrated math and chess workbooks as part of its teaching material.
2. Ho Math Chess = A Gymnasium for the Brain.
It is well known that we require regular physical activity and many of us even pay monthly gym memberships, but where do children exercise their brains? We continue to be active in the summer months, yet why do we let our brains slumber? Enrolling your child in one of our summer programs will give him/her the extra edge before the school year starts and keep their brain sharp.
Additional benefits of chess, just like with sports, are that children learn to play with their peers, to follow the etiquette and rules of the game and to have sportsmanship in both victory and defeat. Furthermore, they develop patience and strategy, critical thinking ability, and learn how to plan ahead. What is the next best move? Playing chess also requires flexibility and quick thinking, when faced with opponents’ possibly unexpected moves. It is obvious that these valuable skills learned while playing chess can be transferred and applied into the real world.
3. Don't be bored, come on board.
Today, children spend a lot of time playing video games, watching television and using the computer. To strike a balance between leisure activities, chess is an excellent brain exercise and is also a lot of fun. Many young children complain that math is boring since they are usually only given the same-old computational questions when they are mastering the basic operations. Math is more than just computation, and modern math emphasizes very much the importance of problem solving skills. Adding the element of chess gives math even more variety and depth and makes it more exciting and interesting for young children.
Come to Ho Math Chess today and expect to improve your math marks, enrich your brainpower and math knowledge while having fun!