Checkers with chess pieces

While Dorothy was away at market yesterday, Eva and I were the only two in the house. Maku and Lydie have had disagreements with the parental units and have moved back to the homes of their respective bio-moms. More on that later.

As is usual for a Wednesday, a number of Bormase youths came by the house during Dorothy's absence. While David and Felix were hanging out, I thought that I'd break out the chess set that I had made (a former PCV lived amongst wood workers and had a set made). While Eva, David and Felix expressed interest in learning to play chess, all had given up by the time I explained the pawn, rook and knight. Instead of continuing to learn, we used the chess pieces to play checkers on the beautiful paper and sharpie drawn board that I made.

While playing, I thought of how appropriate a distinction I was seeing between chess and checkers. Chess clearly takes more understanding and planning than does checkers. However, both games can be played with more success as you learn to look ahead one, two or preferably many moves. I feel as though the difference is very similar to the approach of my neighbors in Bormase.

Anyone can see that if you plant maize or cassava when the rain starts, it will grow and eventually you can harvest and earn money. Very few people in the village take a step back, think of what ELSE they can do and how a different approach might benefit them more. The benefit might not be immediate but it may be far greater than that of charging straight ahead and doing what you know will work.

While playing checkers, it was very common for my competitors to get a piece to the other end and have it 'kinged' without using it again for several moves. Rather than gaining this distinct advantage and taking advantage of it, David and Felix would leave the piece at my end of the board and start again with a new piece, working towards a new goal altogether.

Unfortunately, the school system teaches students to memorize and regurgitate information in order to ensure the necessary 39 percent passing grade. There is no incentive for thinking creatively or taking a different approach. It's not uncommon to ask a student a question only to hear them recite a definition verbatim until they forget a single word. Once there is a roadblock, they stop. The memorized definition does not quickly change to an ad lib definition, it just stops.

Akwaaba Ghana.

More next time, I'm short on time.
Love to all and thanks to all who have contributed to my PCPP!

Ira