Global Chess Day celebrated in Diepsloot @MontecasinoZA @TsogoSun #TsogoCSR

Hi Guys,

The International Day of Chess was celebrated with fun chess games and lessons by Montecasino’s Tsogo Sun Moves for Life programme at five Diepsloot Primary Schools, from 25-28 July. The International Day of Chess, under the auspices of the World Chess Federation since 1966, traditionally falls on 20 July, and was celebrated by the Diepsloot pupils on their return from school holidays.

The aim of the activities for the three foundation grades was to focus on chess as an inclusive and entertaining sport that can be applied in many different aspects of learning.

Nationally, Tsogo Sun Moves for Life operates in 50 schools around the country, with 19 549 participating learners, 543 educators, and 17 tutors from the local communities. The programmes are sponsored by seven of Tsogo Sun’s casinos. Montecasino has been sponsoring the chess programme in Diepsloot for four years in five primary schools, accommodating 3 797children.

Grade 3 learners from Paradise Bend Primary School in Diepsloot celebrating international chess day. (Left-Right) Pretty Ncube, Dineo Make, Morrison Sibanda and Thembani Sibanda

The participating primary schools are Reshomile, Diepsloot Primary No. 4, Muzomuhle, Paradise Bend, and Musenga Vhadzimu.

The chess fun and games took place during the normal chess lessons and included ‘chess charades’ for Grade 1s; ‘the chess piece is me’ for Grade 2s, where the kids used recycled media to design themselves as chess pieces, wrote about why they chose the piece, and shared their choices with their classmates; and a ‘tic tac chess tournament’ for Grade 3s, a chess version of noughts and crosses, where winners played winners until the last child standing became the grade winner.

Says Shanda Paine, Tsogo Sun’s Group CSI Manager, “The International Day of Chess activities over the four days were a huge hit with the children, who participated wholeheartedly, while gaining skills in chess, maths, communication, expression, reasoning, planning, creativity, self-confidence, and more, as well as creating greater awareness of the significant benefits that chess can offer every child within the schools and among parents.”

Grade 1 Learners from Paradise Bend Primary School in Diepsloot celebrating international chess day :(left-right) Nathi Nkosi, Lesedi Madube,Nomathemba Mnguni (Montecasino) Thapelo Madube, Mduduzi Nkomo, Nkosana Sithole, Sboniso Ntobela (Montecasino), Siphamandla Ndebele and Backrow Sibonkosi Ncube

Mike Page, Operations Director and Complex GM of Montecasino, “Montecasino is very privileged to be in a position to take this value-adding chess programme to these children in Diepsloot. The Tsogo Sun Moves for Life chess programme intentionally links chess principles to life skills, mathematics, science and language, and impacting the improvement of the educational performance of as many children as possible.”

For more information go to www.montecasino.co.za, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/montecasino or follow us on Twitter at @MontecasinoZA. 

Cheers!!!

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Teachers Test their Chess Skills in Fun Tournament @MontecasinoZA #MovesForLife

Hi Guys, 

In a fun and informal chess tournament to thank teachers for their valuable contribution to the Tsogo Sun Moves for Life Chess programme, 85 teachers from five primary schools in the Diepsloot area pitted their skills against each other in a series of friendly games and quizzes at Montecasino, which sponsors the programme in the area.

Nationally, Tsogo Sun Moves for Life operates in 57 schools around the country, with 23 766 participating learners, 569 educators, and 22 tutors from the local communities. The programmes are sponsored by eight of Tsogo Sun’s casinos, which also sponsor annual chess tournaments for learners from the schools in their catchments areas, as well as separate chess tournaments for the teachers, to give them a well-earned break from teaching for a day.

The teachers are from Paradise Bend Primary, Muzomuhle Primary, Diepsloot 4 Primary, Reshomile Primary, and Musengavhadzimu Primary.

Says Shanda Paine, Tsogo Sun Group CSI Manager, “The aim of the Moves for Life chess programme is to use chess as an education tool that helps to improve maths, science, and problem-solving in learners – particularly in disadvantaged areas. We’re extremely aware that the strength of the programme is dependent on the dedication, enthusiasm, hard work that the teachers put in, as well as the sacrifices that they make to ensure the success of the programme. We’re indebted to them and this is one way we can treat them to a day of entertainment and fun at our participating casinos.” The tournament also serves as social year-end event for the teachers in the programme.

In the Teacher Tournaments different work stations are set up where the teachers compete in friendly games such as quizzes and board games that test their chess knowledge, as well as the classroom activities and integrated lessons that they have implemented during the year.

This is the second year that Tsogo Sun Moves for Life Teacher Tournaments have been hosted. “The teachers are very enthusiastic about these tournaments – and every year the numbers of participating teachers increases. Not only is it a day of fun, but they also say they enjoy networking with teacher colleagues from other schools, and the chance to pick up ideas and suggestions on how to improve their own lessons,” adds Paine.

As these are not formal tournaments, there is no overall winning teacher or school, but there are constant small prizes that are won at every work station during the course of the games.

“We’re delighted at the growth and success of the Tsogo Sun Moves for Life chess programme over the past few years and proud of the youngsters who are moving up to participate in major chess championships around the country, but we’re also thrilled that the programme is proving to be an effective tool that is equipping teachers to master maths concepts, which in turn is helping children to master the basic building blocks of maths in a fun and incidental way,” says Paine.

For more information go to www.montecasino.co.za, join on Facebook at www.facebook.com/montecasino or follow on Twitter at @MontecasinoZA.

Cheers!!!

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