How to Ace a Job Interview for a School Chess Instructor

Can you control the classroom?
I never shout at a single child. Never insult a child. For a good move: "Well done!" For a bad move: "Good, but there is room for improvement." I don’t allow myself to be undermined.

How do you deal with difficult parents?
I always give the answer they want to hear but include honest feedback with kind words. In the case of a child with difficulties, I always highlight the child's positive qualities and then suggest what the child should do. For example, "You should go on Lichess and practice for ten minutes a day," and this will bring them up to the general level.

What do you do if a child gets hurt?
I assess the problem. Always comfort the child. If the problem is serious, I report it to the safeguarding lead.

What teaching experience do you have?
From 2006 to 2011, I was a chess teacher. I posted an advertisement on the community board in Salemi, and within a few months, my name spread. I went to people's homes to give lessons, mainly to children (90%). Once a week, I held a small club in the public park, open to children, where I gave lessons with a wall-mounted chessboard. The children's ages ranged from 5 to 13 years.

Teaching method:
During the lesson, I ask many simple questions to keep the children alert. The fact that I say "yes" to every correct answer makes them feel good. It’s all about maintaining their interest until the end of the lesson.

Structure of the term:
Each week, I give a lesson on specific topics such as: how the pieces move, the lawn mower checkmate, checkmate with a rook, castling rules, what checkmate is... When the lesson is mixed, I usually divide the children into groups: the beginners' group, which sometimes colours chess-related drawings, and the advanced group, which I set to do puzzles. When the average age of the class is very diverse, group work is necessary.

Never use physical traits to identify the children:
You can refer to the colour of the shirt or simply the name.

If a child asks: "Are boys stronger than girls?" The answer is: "It’s all about hard work." "Does God exist?" Smile and say: "I am your chess coach, let's talk about chess." For inappropriate questions, you are not the right person to respond. The only situation where you go beyond the chess context is during an injury.