Meet me in St. Louis

You're the teacher.

You're the coach.

Why would you insist that the student meet you where you're comfortable?

I've been watching my contemporaries, those who teach and coach beginners on how to improve at the game we love. And I have to admit that some of the ways they go about helping is baffling.

For example, a common technique I've seen used is to provide puzzles to teach a concept or principle. I love principles and concepts but, unfortunately, these are rarely based on the student's current level of play, style of play, or even most common situations. I've seen teachers giving beginners lessons on Knight and Bishop vs King mates.

One of my students said it very well, "why should I learn endgames? I never get there." I love teaching endgames, it's how I teach total novices (less pieces, you learn the power of the King, you learn the power of the pawn). BUT, my student is absolutely correct. If you know how all the pieces move, and all the rules, if we spend all of your time in the endgame, you'll lose interest pretty quickly when every game you play, you can't get out of the opening.

I believe the best way to teach chess (actually anything) is meeting the student where she is and building course work to help her grow (and improve) incremementally. Improvement is almost always incremental. Until you stop giving away "Free Candy" or losing to scholar's mate, teaching you the intricacies of passed pawns or Nimzowitch's "Die Blockade" seems ridiculous. If you don't understand king safety, why am I going to teach you a new line in the Sicilian Defence?

No, you really have to meet the student where he is.

And that means you have to determine where that is. I've created an self-assessment for this purpose. A simple tool really, and one that you can take on a periodic (monthly?) basis to see if YOU think you're improving. It also helps you pick areas to focus on. So if you wish your coach or teacher would meet you where you're at, you can share with her what you want to focus on.

All improvement should start with a clear discernment of where the student is currently.

NOTE: If you want to take the self assessment click here.