Chess and Education

How can chess make your children smarter? It is well-documented that children who play chess have improved cognitive abilities, including improved analytical thought and decision making abilities. So, why aren't we teaching chess in our schools?

In an article from the Fairfield County Advocate in Connecticut, Rob Roy observed "Children with special problems can also learn chess. I taught a successful course for emotionally and educationally disadvantaged children in the Waterbury schools and used chess as a way for them to learn and practice self-control. It was like turning on switches in their heads. You see the child looking at a problem, breaking it down, and then putting the whole thing back together. The process involves recall, analysis, judgment, and abstract reasoning."

I truly believe that chess should be taught in our schools, or at least offered as an after school activity for the students. As a parent, why wouldn't we give our children every opportunity to improve their minds and gain self confidence?