What is your approach for running your scholastic chess club? Are you formal and academic or is your club relaxed?  Is your club quiet or noisy?

 For the past 5 years, I have had a few different scholastic chess clubs.   Most of my kids range from Kindergarten to 7th grade. 

When I started, I ran a structured academic club.  Everyone had folders with exercises and skill builders.  I also encouraged competitive play outside of club.

Nowadays, my clubs are more relaxed.  We occasionally short lessons with the new students to bring them up to speed on basic rules and concepts.   But for the more part, I plan a different fun event each week that passively introduces new concepts.  I don't emphasize tournaments outside of club anymore unless I am asked.

 What are your thoughts on the subject?

I run a high school club, and we play for fun, no silence or seriousness. Relaxed club play is much more fun than any tournament I played in.

I visited another elementary club once.  They competed nationally and did pretty well.  They had a two-tier club:  an anything goes casual club for any of the students and a bonus "select" club on another night where participants were hand-picked by the director for quiet play and study.  Seemed to work really well for them.

Lets hope relaxed, I'm in that chess club!