We’re looking for teachers!
Would you like to teach chess? Are you interested in learning the skills to teach a roomful of children to sit and concentrate on a game of chess for an hour? Does helping kids learn critical thinking skills, teaching them to distinguish good ideas from bad ones, excite you? At the U.S. Chess Center, we work in large suburban settings and in urban classrooms teaching children the rules, discipline, strategy, and etiquette of chess. We need more teachers for both our urban and suburban chess classes! Full time or after-school part-time positions are available.
Do you have what it takes to teach chess?
Successful chess teachers with the U.S. Chess Center will have prior experience with kids; enjoy playing chess; be fluent in English; have excellent communication skills; be dependable; and have a desire to learn and employ the methods we have used to help kids win more than 50 state and national championships. In return, you will learn to keep a roomful of children challenged and engaged in learning the rules, discipline, strategy, and etiquette of chess through critical thinking, not memorization. You will have the satisfaction of seeing the self-confidence that comes as students develop skills that will serve them in many contexts. And you will have a job that our former teachers have found life-changing.
Compensation
Money: Moderate
Satisfaction: Enormous
To apply, please send your résumé with a cover letter including your expected salary to admin@chessctr.org. See below for a description of our teaching position.
“Working at the U.S. Chess Center builds skills for life — for teacher and student alike. Even though I am now working as an attorney on the other side of the Atlantic, I still find myself using the things I learned while exploring and communicating the beauty of the game to young curious minds. And judging by the successes that our former students have had, I am sure that the same can be said for them.”
Tunde Oyewole
Of Counsel, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
“I loved my experience as a teacher. I was a pretty green chess player, but the Chess Center taught me the game, how to teach, and I had the pleasure of working with wonderful children. It was probably the most rewarding work experience I’ve ever had.”
Eric Grynaviski
Associate Professor, Georgetown University
“When I joined the Chess Center, my enthusiasm for chess far outpaced my understanding of the game. Thankfully, my new coworkers were more than willing to help me learn. Teaching chess was the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. And, once it was time for me to move on to my next step in life, management took a genuine interest in aiding me with grad school applications and references.”
Will Eager
Implementation Manager / Consultant
“If you love chess, as I do, there is no greater joy than the opportunity that the US Chess Center can give to share that. Teaching kids to think, and to learn a skill for life is exactly what is offered. It has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and has gone through me to many others. Why would you want to miss that experience?”
Greg Acholonu
Owner of GCA Children’s Chess LLC
CHESS TEACHER
Full-Time (averaging approximately 40 hours per week) or Part-Time (from 4-20+ hours per week) positions available
Our Chess Teacher positions are in-person (not remote/virtual). Applicants must reside in (or be willing to relocate to) the Washington, DC metro area.
SCOPE OF POSITION
- Responsible for teaching chess and carrying out administrative functions of the U.S. Chess Center under the direction of the Executive Director.
- Most of our classes are between 2:00pm – 6:00pm on weekdays, with some school day (9:00am – 2:00pm), evening, and/or weekend hours also possible
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
- Teach chess at schools, the U.S. Chess Center, and other places (both in-person and online), primarily to children but, as needed, also to adults. Chess teachers are expected to learn and use the Chess Center’s procedures and proven instructional methods; new teachers will be taught by existing staff.
- Communicate with parents/students as needed about chess classes and progress.
- Liaison with PTAs/PTOs and school staff as needed.
- Undertake related responsibilities as needed or as assigned by the Executive Director.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with kids
- Enjoy playing chess
- Fluency in English and deep understanding of American culture
- Excellent communication skills
- Desire to learn our proven methods of teaching chess
- Personal transportation
- Dependability and maturity
BENEFITS (for Full-Time Teachers)
- Health insurance (medical, dental, and/or vision available) for full-time employees
- Holidays and paid time off (generally we follow the ‘school calendar’ but also offer evening, weekend, and summer programs) for full-time employees