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Virtual Cognition

Some things do not have to be taught, they are already in place the day we are born.

A few examples: Fears. (Snakes, high places, etc.) Some fears are NOT learned. They are genetically ingrained into our conscious minds before we are born. (Fears can be enhanced or more deeply ingrained by bad experiences.) But I do not think these fears are taught. We definitely have patterns that are burned into our sub-conscious that are there from Day 1.

Any good, experienced parent knows and understands this. And it is not just fears either. There are many things that come out as a child grows that are like part of a pre-set pattern. How a baby likes to hold keys and shake them and hear a noise. A certain fascination with basic shapes at a certain age. How kids love to play with toys like dolls and cars. A four or five year-old, sitting down and playing with toys - talking to them. (Developing your imagination.)

One thing that has NOT been done - to the best of my knowledge - is a scientific survey of a VERY experienced group of people. (Like Grand-Parents, for instance.) These people often have 50+ years of experience of dealing with children ... first their siblings, then their own children, then the grand-children. Do you really think it is an accident that Grand-Ma is so good with kids? How does she seem to know - almost instinctively - what a child needs or wants? This group of people are a huge pool of experience - that has never been really tested or explored (SCIENTIFICALLY) by knowledgeable and experienced researchers.

I think much of this can be done by observation. Put a group of children in a room. See what toys, games, etc. that they automatically gravitate to. Then design games and activities that are based on their natural proclivities for that age group.

Every group is different. As an experienced teacher, (I have taught chess both in public and private schools); I can tell you the chemistry of every group of children is NEVER going to be exactly the same. You will simply have to observe and learn to try and deduce what methods are going to work best with any particular group.

Ever notice how when children get to a certain age, (teens) that they stop responding to a certain standard set of techniques ... that may have worked only 1 or 2 years earlier? A young person seems to have a pre-set pattern that dictates they challenge authority when they reach a certain age. (Hormones? Or a change in social patterns?)

One of the ways that you can use this in chess is always allow the student to have some choices of their own. Allow them to choose different openings. Set up an interesting position and allow them to play one side of the other. Always encourage them to think out loud, or at least in the appropriate setting. Every player will - eventually - develop their own unique style. (Although this process can literally take years.) This is part of the patterns that were already ingrained in their brains asserting themselves.

(I will continue my thoughts on this subject at a later time.)