Olga Volodina

Chess and Gymnastics

Olga Volodina graduated from the Moscow Institute of Management and has been teaching chess at the Berkeley Russian School for seven years.

Olga is a teacher with the unique ability to explain the most complex problems and concepts simply so that all students understand. When students learn the game of chess under Olga's tutelage, they are learning more than how to move chess pieces, the goals of the game and how to win. They are gaining valuable lessons on life, including problem solving. Studies have shown that young children who learn chess in a systematic way perform better on standardized tests, have increased cognitive development, higher IQ and increased math and reading skills than their counterparts who have not had the benefit of chess instruction.

The most challenging task for the instructor is to teach students to lose gracefully and with an awareness of their accomplishments. The most rewarding is to teach students to enjoy the game and see the beauty in chess. Olga's chess lessons are more than instruction on theory and tactics, but lessons on life.

The Berkeley Russian School's goal is to teach any child the game of chess, regardless of his or her ability. Some children are ready to learn the game earlier and some later, although the youngest group is 6-7 years old.

The students' strongest motivation is to checkmate Olga at least once. What can be more gratifying to a teacher than being surpassed by her student?!

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