First-Grade Teacher Spreads His Love of Chess

While technological advances have reshaped much of the educational landscape, John Sherman's first graders have become quite adept at an ancient game they play mostly in a traditional manner. 

Chess is king in this classroom as some 19 students often spend lunchtime, some recess periods and a bit of math time learning and perfecting the game. Many are also part of a Wednesday afternoon Chess Club Sherman runs for first through third-graders. 

And for a game more than 1,000 years old students pair up on unique chessboards, some from far-flung parts of the globe. There's one from Morocco Sherman's son purchased while traveling, another his daughter got in Zambia and a set a parent purchased during a trip to China. 

Sherman, in his ninth year at Cherry Brook Primary School , has been playing chess since he was a kid and feels it is more than just fun. The game helps develop cognitive thinking, math skills, patience, and learning to "think beyond the moment." 

"There's some lifelong lessons you can learn from it," Sherman said. 

And technology is not completely absent in this love of chess. As they line up to leave the classroom, students do get a chance to play the game on a "smartboard," for this purpose essentially a large, touch-sensitive computer screen.