Meet Dianna

Our tutors are the merriest! That's why each month, we select a super special tutor to feature and celebrate! Check out our interview with our December Tutor of the Month, Dianna!

Where are you from, and where do you live now?
I'm originally from just outside of Boston, but I moved to Washington, DC, a few weeks ago after fifteen years in NYC!

What's your favorite game besides chess?

I love Bananagrams! And any other game dealing with words. I'm also a writer so I love playing with words.

Can you recall a particularly special or impressive moment from a Chess at Three lesson?

I have so many favorite moments from my Chess at Three lessons! I am always amazed when a student unexpectedly blows me away with their skill. You teach them and you hope they're absorbing what you're teaching, and then they make a move that is genius! You think: How did they know to do that?

What's your favorite story from the Chess at Three curriculum?

Picking a favorite story is so hard! I would have to say one of my all-time favorites is the Crazy Chess story. It's super fun to have the kids go along throughout the story saying, "What?! That's so weird!" as you count up all the silly things that happen.

You're an amazing, in-demand tutor. What's your secret?

I try to always make sure my students are having fun and that they have options during the lesson. Do they want to play another game? Do they feel like drawing? Do they want to make up a new game? Should we play with all the pieces, or just some? I'm primarily teaching online right now, so it can be really fun to make up chess games from the students' imaginations that have ridiculous combinations of pieces that would be impossible on a physical chessboard.

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