(Ho Math and Chess™ of Illinois)
An After-School SES Tutoring Provider Approved by the Illinois State Board of Education
The World's First Integrated Reading, Math and Chess Curriculum!
How Chess Academy Impacts Standardized Reading and Math Test Scores
An SES provider approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.
For details on this innovative math tutoring program,
please call John at 773-414-2967.
(Fax: 1-800-986-1844)
The CPS Provider Code for Chess Academy After-School Tutoring is 146.
What is Chess Academy?
Chess Academy (Ho Math and Chess of Illinois) is an innovative and successful tutoring program that specializes in teaching reading and math for students in grades 1-8. Chess is used as a learning tool to improve students’ problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills in the areas of logic, pattern recognition, perception, coordination, spatial relations, decision-making, and visualization. We provide individualized tutoring for each student with a low student-teacher ratio of 10:1 and 60 hours of instruction. Our program offers bilingual instruction in Spanish and several other languages and fully accommodates all students with disabilities or Limited English Proficiency. Services are provided at no cost to you and take place at your child’s school. We also include instruction in Math Extended Response Writing for the ISAT Test. Free access to an online integrated learning system in both math and reading is included as well as part of this program.
Ho Math and Chess™ is an internationally franchised learning center, which specializes in teaching math using chess as part of its teaching tools. It was established in Vancouver, Canada in 1995 by Canadian certified math teacher Frank Ho, as a supplemental mathematics tutoring provider. Over 12,000 students have been serviced since then and today it has 11 locations worldwide. Mr. John P. Buky, manager of Ho Math and Chess of Illinois™, is very pleased to bring this innovative math teaching method to the state of Illinois. John is a certified and experienced teacher and chess coach, also having done pioneering work in the fields of education and chess. John serves as a member of the United States Chess Federation Chess in Education Committee.
How is Chess Academy different from others?
A myriad of research supports the educational benefits of chess, so that by using chess as a component of mathematics instruction, the learning effect is multiplied. Ho Math and Chess™ created the world’s first math and chess integrated workbook for elementary students. These proprietary and copyrighted teaching materials are created in multi-concept, multidirectional, and multi-step formats to further stimulate students’ interest in learning mathematics. Its workbook and teaching method have been field-tested in Vancouver, Canada for over 10 years and is proven to be effective in improving student’s math scores. Testimonials may be found at: http://www.mathandchess.com/math_chess_testimonials.html.
How does Chess Academy help children learn math?
Not only does Chess Academy emphasize computation skills, students can also improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills by working on integrated math and chess workbooks. Our program encourages students to tap into their potential and curiosity using a variety of mathematical chess puzzles worksheets and problem-solving materials. The diversity of our curriculum is flexible enough to meet all students’ individual and unique learning needs and styles.
What is the mission of Chess Academy?
The mission of Chess Academy is to challenge each student's potential to the fullest and to excel each student's problem-solving abilities to the highest by providing a unique and enriched mathematics curriculum. Our goal is to build a solid mathematics foundation for each student while improving their critical and independent thinking abilities, confidence, self-respect, and skills necessary for lifelong researching and learning.
How are chess and learning connected?
Chess is a visual-spatial task that requires a high degree of information processing. Peer reviewed scientific studies have demonstrated that learning one task will facilitate learning in other tasks (Kuo et al, 2006). Thus, learning how to play chess will stimulate an improved response in other learning and memory related tasks. This improved response can be seen both phenotypically (e.g. reading and math scores) as well as physiologically in significant increases in new synaptic formations and in significant increases in the amount of neurotransmitters that the synapses release. - Wilbur Tseng, Northwestern University Medical School
Why Chess Academy?
"The study of chess hones logical and critical thinking abilities, abilities in very high demand in our increasingly technical world. These are the very same abilities used in mathematics and science; thus a child who develops an interest in one is naturally more likely to be receptive to the other. The links between mathematics and chess are well documented, from the incredible dominance of the mathematician E. Lasker as world chess champion, to the feat of programming that resulted in the computer Deep Blue defeating world chess champion Garry Kasparov. Mathematical ability opens many doors for young people, and chess may be a way to unlock mathematics for your child.
Russian mathematicians tend to be the strongest in the world, similarly for Russian chess players. Coincidence? I doubt it.
Chess Academy is a Supplemental Educational Services Provider that fosters interest in mathematics and science through the beautiful game of chess. This novel approach is at the cutting edge of a nationwide movement in education that recognizes, and attempts to capitalize on, the myriad benefits of the study of chess for fostering intellectual and mathematical development in American students."
-- S.R. Doty, Professor of Mathematics
Ho Math and Chess Research and Articles
