A NEWSLETTER FOR TEACHERS THE BRIDGE TEACHER For Your Information… Gear up for 2011! While you are planning your New Year’s Resolutions, be sure to consider all the resources ACBL has available for bridge teachers. A few of those resources are:

Winter Edition • December 2010 • The Cooperative Advertising Program – A fantastic program that can help defray your advertising costs for look beginner and/or newcomer bridge lessons. What’s • Pre-recorded radio ads targeting the “empty nesters” and/or “recently retired” Inside … that can be personalized with your contact information; • Free bridge articles that can be personalized with your contact information and The Business of Bridge presented to your local newspaper for possible publication—or, they can be used —KISS ...... 2 as handouts for classroom and/or workshop discussions;

Learning by Doing ...... 3 • Brochures & software available as handouts such as ACBL bookmarks, “Learn to Play Bridge 1 & 2” CD’s, and the “Exciting World of Bridge – Are the Inmates Running Welcome to Your First Duplicate Game”. the Asylum? • Youth Promotional DVD available to anyone attempting to get the youth Part Two ...... 4–5 audience interested in learning to play bridge. Educational Foundation • FedEx Offi ce discounts – 35% print discount on 8 1/2" x 11" black & white Grants ...... 5 and color printing.

Seminars & Meetings • Offi ce Max discounts on certain products and printing. Louisville NABC ...... 6–7 Visit the ACBL website at www.acbl.org for FYI ...... 7 more information about the above resources Youth Bridge or send an email to [email protected]. Symposium ...... 8

Dynamic Graphics AMERICAN LEAGUE 6575 Windchase Blvd. Membership Increases Horn Lake, MS 38637 Don’t forget that new membership fees are increasing. www.acbl.org The cost for a new ACBL membership (fi rst-time) will be $28.00 (U.S.) effective January 1, 2011. Please discard any outdated instant membership applications that you may have at the end of this year (12/31/10). Do you have to start at the very beginning, or are you refi ning partly- developed skills? Is this a bright, The Business of Bridge receptive bunch? Some classes are very fearful and timid; they require a lot more hand holding and cajoling. KISS Plan your time so you have enough examples. It may take two or three by Lynn Berg tries before the light dawns for some. The trick is not to bore the ones who got it right away. Last year I was invited to a real “white bread” situations using Look at the topic in several retirement complex to give a talk on Stayman with hands like different books if you are not using bridge. I knew most of those attending a text for the class. You’ll see that the weren’t duplicate players, so I decided -KJ94 -A732 -JT7 -82 best introductory lessons are starkly to keep it simple and very basic. So I Or simple with well-defi ned goals and examples. talked about Stayman: a little of the -KJ94 -A73 -AJT76 -8 history of the bid, including Sam Be ready to deal with diversions. Even some of the “what if” Stayman’s disclaimer that he had not I realized that most of those questions are diversions when you invented the bid, some very obvious present still played 16-18 no trumps are introducing a new idea. You are examples and some practice hands and took that into account with my teaching Stayman and someone asks, I’d hoped to be able to lay out. examples. “What if partner opens 1NT and the Unfortunately, the audience were But nothing I said was going to next guy bids 3D?” It’s not exactly not at tables for four, and there was convince Gail’s neighbor that she off topic, but it you stop to deal with no way to do cards on the table. should try Stayman. It was just too that issue in the middle of Stayman The whole lesson would probably much for her. 101, you’ll lose the majority. Worse have been easier to follow had they I think the single most common yet is the person who says, “I know been able to see opener’s hand and teacher error is trying to do too much this isn’t what we’re talking about, responder’s hand—not just on an in the time allotted. Usually with but…” You have to be gracious easel or blackboard but actually the best will in the world, with the but fi rm that, interesting as those in front of them. Montessori was motive of giving more and more, we questions are, they’re not what you’re right: we learn better when all of our just do too much. Do you remember discussing today. senses are engaged, as they are when the story of the little boy who asks You can see that planning is the students participate in setting up and where his little brother came from? key. Justice Holmes once apologized manipulating cards on the table. Very uncomfortable, his dad starts to a correspondent that he was sorry My friend Gail, a seasoned to stammer out an explanation of to write such a long letter, that he duplicate player, attended the talk. the process. The boy interrupts hadn’t had time to write a short As the talk progressed, she wondered impatiently: “Dad, I just wanted one. Staying on topic and avoiding if the material was too basic until the to know what hospital Mom was diversions, resisting the impulse woman on her right muttered, “I can’t in.” We need to know what agenda to show just one more wrinkle or be bothered with all that complicated the students have and we need to complicaton: the welfare of the class stuff!” Mind you, I didn’t mention identify simple, clear objectives to is in your hands. Garbage Stayman or Smolen or accomplish in the teaching session. forcing Stayman or Stayman in Don’t tell ‘em how to make a clock competition. I didn’t talk about 5-4 when they ask you for the time. hands or following Stayman with the How can you avoid cramming too eep t bid of a minor as a way of handling much information into your lesson? a very weak hand like -K742 Know your audience. How much -6 -J97642 -83. I dealt with background can you safely assume? ...... ?? ♦2 T HE BRIDGE TEACHER’ S BOOKSHELF

Learning by Doing by Pat Harrington Experts in education tell us that This hand shows your students the the best way to learn is through need to learn suit preference signals experience. Our bridge students don’t and makes them anxious to hear learn as much from listening to us as what you are about to teach. they do from actively experiencing Nothing teaches better than seeing bidding, play, and defense. As bridge a concept in action. When I introduce teachers we must fi nd new ways to the idea of to a twenty- let our students experience bridge. table class, I set up an experiment. your opponents have fi t.” Once the Here are some examples: I provide each table with a suited students experience confi rmation Teaching defense lends itself deck of cards and instruct them to that this statement is true, they can nicely to learning through experience. lay out a minimum 1 opening see the benefi t of competing. When I teach the suit preference hand for North (about 13 points) with You could adapt the fi rst part of , I begin class by having each six hearts. Then I have the students the experiment for a small class by table play the hand shown below. make up a hand for South showing a having your students try to change minimum response (about 7 points) the hands to get rid of the East-West Q 9 6 2 with three hearts. North-South have fi t. Let them exchange cards in any K Q J a fi t; the bidding will go 1 -- 2, suit except hearts. North-South must K 4 2 and they will try to stop there. retain the nine-card heart fi t. Repeat K 4 2 In the second part of the the experiment with North-South J 5 10 3 experiment the students shuffl e and having an eight-card fi t several times 3 A 10 8 4 2 deal out the remaining cards to East for a small group. 10 8 7 6 5 A 9 3 and West. When the East-West hands B e c a u s e ex p e r ie n c e i s s o i m p o r t a nt 10 8 7 6 5 Q J 3 are laid on the table, lo and behold, to learning, I have increased the every one of the twenty tables has an A K 8 7 4 number of hands that I include for eight-card or better fi t in some suit 9 7 6 5 play at the end of each class. When (it’s mathematically impossible not Q J I started teaching beginners, I was to). Moreover, many East-West pairs A 9 lucky to have time for four hands – have more points than the North- time for each player to declare once. North deals and North-South South pairs who were about to win By the end of an eight-week course, reach 4 with South declaring. the bid! each of these “bridge players” had You can let the students bid if you I then repeat the experiment declared a maximum of eight times! wish but I just specify the contract. giving North only fi ve hearts. (Take Now even my beginners play six or Suggest that West lead the singleton. back the East-West hands. You can more hands per class. No, I didn’t Then leave the students on their own use the same North-South hands make my classes longer. I learned to complete the play. by replacing a small heart with to talk less, and my students are Discuss the results. Sometimes a different small card from the 4 will be defeated; other times it remaining cards in the deck.) This learning more! will make. All the defenders who time some East-West pairs didn’t As bridge teachers, we need to didn’t beat 4 are wondering how have a fi t, but many did. break away from the traditional they could have known that East had I use this experiment to introduce idea of being all-knowing teachers the A rather than the A. You a lesson on balancing when the imparting information to the offer the solution to their problem by opponents try to stop at the two students. We need to create an teaching the suit preference signal. level in their agreed suit. The environment where our students East returns the 10 to ask for a experiment makes the concept far can experiment and learn under our diamond back; the 2 would ask for more memorable for the students guidance. That can be hard to do, a club instead. than just hearing me say “you but it is far more rewarding for both are very likely to have a fi t when teacher and student. ♦3 Are the Inmates Running the Asylum?

Part Two by Marti Ronemus

What do you respond to someone described our club. The aged (and like that? I just want to give her a hug. aging) nasties had driven our once- Here’s another one. thriving 12 to 15 table Tuesday night As I was reading your article, I club down to about 5 or 6 tables. kept thinking of our teachers who Dissent was rampant. I had been work so hard and receive so little the director many years previously, Of all the hundreds of articles I’ve back from our and Directors. but quit. I agreed to come back written over the years, none has ever I as a director have seen some pretty with conditions. Most importantly, gotten the response that my last one nasty stuff and a lot of it comes from Absolute Zero Tolerance, period! about clubs growing smaller because two long-time directors! Our club Also a teaching and mentoring of bad behavior and lack of Zero owner himself has been screamed program. They agreed and to their Tolerance got. My email box raneth- at by both of these directors, and yet credit, backed me up fully. Needless over with the saddest emails, and he doesn’t seem to hear it. How do to say, “the rest is history”. We are some that were simply beyond belief. you deal with this? We don’t have now regularly attracting 16 to 18 The most extreme was the woman the money to start another club, tables in Flight A and 4 to 6 tables who told of how a player, enraged by so maybe we will just have to quit. in the novice section (100 mp or her ruling, grabbed her by the jaw, The three of us are so passionate less). Had 24 tables yesterday! shook and yelled at her. She asked about bridge though, and we will Now, THAT’s what we like to hear!! me what she should do since her miss it. The kitchen table is a poor The third solution is to start a new Board wouldn’t back her attempt to replacement, but it will have to do. club. People, the market has created penalize him. I can’t imagine why And the club owners will probably a niche for you!! It isn’t often that she didn’t call 911 at the time. She blame people growing older rather your competitor has insured your was attacked. Her Board apparently than their inability to face facts and success with their bad behavior. Take doesn’t realize that she could easily see the damage they are doing! advantage of this!! sue them for a dangerous workplace It seems to me that there are three Seriously, it takes very little to and about a dozen other failures to solutions to these problems. First, open a club. It is much easier than protect her. accept things the way they are and you think. You have a fantastic Most were more like this: just live with it. I personally would resource in the ACBL. Between the I am one of those poor teachers fi nd this intolerable, but when fi nding Club Department and the Marketing trying to introduce students to themselves in a hole they can’t get Department, you’ll have all the bridge and lure them to games at out of, some people are content guidance you need. They’ve got our club. Unfortunately, the air at furnishing the hole as nicely as they handbooks, check lists, everything! our club is often toxic. Directors, can and living there. All you need to do is add water, stir Board members and players seldom The second solution is to stage and pop it in the oven. (I might add acknowledge newcomers, much less a palace , a revolt. Get a group that if I did it, anyone can. I will also welcome them or greet them with a of like-thinking people and elect add that, without ACBL help, we smile. Directors / Board Members them to the board. Stamp your feet wouldn’t have lasted a week.) Start are no examples; they are often and insist on changes. Here’s a letter small, one game. And remember sullen, unfriendly, and completely from someone who made that work. “Field of Dreams”… If you build it, unforgiving to new players. They (It was a help that she is a director they will come! appear to be unaware of zero and they needed her!) See what this gal says: tolerance or treat it as a joke. The Many, many, many thanks for I had the same problem several owner of the club tolerates shouting hitting all the nails right on the years ago. We ended up starting our and rude behavior. No one seems to head in your August article in own group (and club). When we fi rst really get it. “The Bridge Teacher”. You perfectly (continued on page 5) ♦4 (continued from page 4) started, as director I took several Educational Foundation Grants out in the hall and “explained our The ACBL Educational Foundation is a charitable trust fund rules of etiquette”. We set the tone established as a nonprofi t organization in 1987. This Foundation early and people quickly learned provides grants to promote the education of Bridge, separate from we MEANT it! We now are running the day to day activities of the Education Department of ACBL, that 6 to 9 tables regularly while the supports the current needs of the Bridge community. other group struggles to get 4. The other players are beginning to come Its goal is to make Bridge a game played by people of all ages and to our game now and are picking up walks of life. Contributions to the ACBL Educational Foundation are the pleasant tone of our players and in the form of gifts from individuals, families and corporations. The reacting in a positive way. Trustees of the Educational Foundation feel that grants to be made in I might quote another movie, the future are as important as grants made today. Grant Applications “Network.” Remember when William for all Bridge Educational projects and materials are encouraged. Holden stuck his head out the window and yelled, “We’re mad as The ACBL Educational Foundation encourages grant applications hell and we’re not going to take it for bridge projects, education materials, programs, and services anymore!”? Well, there you have it! that help the future of bridge. Innovative “fi rst time” projects and Get mad. Change things. those involving “matching funds” are especially encouraged. The Stay in touch, as if you need Foundation works through schools, nursing homes, hospitals, encouragement, I’m here. Keep the community centers, local ACBL Units and Districts, and ACBL faith! [email protected] national programs. To apply for a grant, go to http://web2.acbl.org/ hosted/edu/GrantApplication.htm and print an Application Form and submit it to the Foundation for consideration. NOTE: Due dates February is Junior Month are February 15 for consideration at the Educational Foundation March meeting, June 15 for the July meeting, and October 15 for the November meeting. Please submit applications early; grants are awarded for programs which are yet to occur, not for programs which have already taken place. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Mary Beth Lattan at [email protected].

Teachers, if you are club managers, please consider running a game to benefi t the Junior Fund during the month of February. If you aren’t a club manager, please support this program by asking your local clubs to run these games. Any regularly scheduled sanctioned session during the entire month of February can be a Junior Fund game. The Junior Fund helps support ACBL’s Junior Bridge Program.

♦5 Seminars and Meetings at the Louisville Spring NABC—March 10–20 There is more to the game at the North American Bridge Championships when members have an opportunity to take advantage of numerous educational and social activities.

Club Directors Course The Teacher Accreditation Services. They will be available to Comprehensive course that prepares Program (TAP) answer your questions on scoring, candidates for directing club and reporting your games and managing Thursday, March 10, your club. Free. bridge cruise games. Anyone 1:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. interested in becoming a club Friday, March 11, director or a director aboard a cruise Marketing Matters — Live! 9:00 a.m. – noon ship is invited to participate. Study Saturday, March 12, materials may be purchased through Introduction to the updated ACBL 11 a.m. – noon Baron Barclay Bridge Supply. Bridge Series material and other Pre-register online by February 25 popular teaching products. Learn ACBL’s Marketing Director, Vicki at (https://web.acbl.org/Education/ modern teaching techniques from Campbell, will host a program for CDC/index.do) or contact one of the ACBL’s premier teachers anyone interested in marketing their Joyce Stone at 662–253–3138 or in this 10-hour interactive learning clubs, bridge lessons, tournaments, [email protected]. course which includes three hours etc. Don’t miss this chance to meet Vicki and explore your options. Fee: $50. of hands-on experience. Learn the business side of teaching bridge Dates: Tuesday - Thursday, and be introduced to 64 weeks of Free Bridge Lessons March 8-10. class material and more! There Time: 1–10 p.m. Tuesday with are even techniques to move your Jerry Helms dinner break; 9 a.m.–10 p.m. students into duplicate faster. Saturday, March 12, Wednesday with lunch and dinner Leave with the tools needed to 10 a.m. – noon breaks; 9 a.m.–noon Thursday develop a successful teaching followed by lunch break and testing. career. Pre-register online at Marti Ronemus www.acbl.org/teachers/ Sunday, March 13, Reception for Teachers and upcomingTaps.html or contact 10 a.m. – noon Club Offi cials Dana Norton at 662–253–3161 or [email protected]. Friday, March 11, Board of Governors Meeting 4:30 – 6 p.m. Fee: $125 Sunday, March 13, 10–noon This is the ACBL’s “thank you” (ACBL Accredited Teachers can reception for the teachers and retake for no course fee.) All members of the ACBL Board club offi cials who work so hard to of Governors are invited to attend recruit and retain our members. All ACBL score Q&A / Coffee the Spring NABC meeting. teachers, club managers, directors With Carol This meeting is also open to the and owners are welcome to attend. general membership of the ACBL. Saturday, March 12, Discussion will include recent 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. actions of the Board of Directors, Come by for coffee with Ken reports from the CEO and treasurer, Horwedel, ACBL Tournament and new proposals from the Board Director, and Carol Robertson, of Governors.

Jupiterimages Director of Club and Member ♦6 Seminar for Teaching Young Get Online with Bridge Base Celebrity Speakers People Bridge Monday, March 14, Daily presentations (Friday, March Sunday, March 13, 11 am – noon 11 through Saturday, March 19) by 10 a.m. – noon some of the best-known players and Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Interested in teaching bridge to teachers at 9:15 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. with Fred Gitelman, the creator of Free. young people? This seminar will the ACBL’s Learn to Play Bridge help you focus on goals, format, program. Get a guided tour of the course materials and successful Bridge Base site and its outstanding practices. It will also be an teaching features. opportunity to exchange ideas and to look at materials available for Club Director teachers. Bring your questions. Refresher Course Join Dana Norton, ACBL Youth Coordinator for an interesting Tuesday - Wednesday, continuing education opportunity. March 15 & 16, 9 a.m. – noon You won’t want to miss it. Free. Continuing education for bridge directors to increase their skills. Must attend both sessions. Fee: $15 covers both sessions. Sign up at door. Dynamic Graphics

FYI School Bridge Lesson Program Youth bridge teachers that receive compensation from other sources are now eligible to also receive the $350 (US) teacher stipend from ACBL. Total compensation from ACBL and other sources shall not exceed $500 (US). Facebook Check out our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ pages/American-Contract-Bridge-League/ 175353597157 — become a fan and promote your bridge lessons and/or club on ACBL’s Facebook page. Toronto Summer NABC If you are planning to attend the 2011 Summer NABC in Toronto please be aware that a passport is required for all US citizens traveling to Canada. You may apply for a passport at many post offi ces around the country. Go to www.usps.com for more information on how to obtain a passport. Remember the ACBL Headquarters Moved Just to remind everyone, the ACBL moved its Headquarters offi ces in April of this year. We have a new address and phones. Our new address is: 6575 Windchase Blvd. Horn Lake, MS 38637-1523 Main Phone: 662-253-3100 Please use the new address when sending correspondence to the ACBL. We are still receiving mail addressed to the old address and this just delays our receiving your correspondence.

♦7 AMERICAN CON TRACT BRIDGE LEAGUE PRSRT STD 6575 Windchase Blvd. • Horn Lake, MS 38637–1523 U.S. POSTAGE EDITORS PAID Vicki Campbell & Dana Norton HORN LAKE, MS PRODUCTION Permit No. 11 Linda Harris CONTRIBUTORS

Lynn Berg • Marti Ronemus • Pat Harrington • Patty Tucker

[email protected]

217-854-7331

Chris Shaw Chris

Send your RSVP to: to: RSVP your Send

and vibrant youth bridge population.” bridge youth vibrant and

welcome any and all interested in the promotion, support and success of building a strong strong a building of success and support promotion, the in interested all and any welcome

tools and resources that we need to be successful and see how we can help each other. We We other. each help can we how see and successful be to need we that resources and tools

t us all. Our goal is to come together, recognize our goals and identify the the identify and goals our recognize together, come to is goal Our all. us t fi bene will that and

focus. However there are many aspects of teaching youth bridge that need to be addressed addressed be to need that bridge youth teaching of aspects many are there However focus.

approach teaching the young players in their area with a variety of material, resources and and resources material, of variety a with area their in players young the teaching approach

Patty said “We recognize that individuals, teaching groups and bridge organizations all all organizations bridge and groups teaching individuals, that recognize “We said Patty

North America. America. North

are co-hosting the event for individuals and organizations teaching youth bridge in in bridge youth teaching organizations and individuals for event the co-hosting are

Chris Shaw, Youth Bridge Education Organization and Patty Tucker, Atlanta Junior Bridge Bridge Junior Atlanta Tucker, Patty and Organization Education Bridge Youth Shaw, Chris

April 11th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Noon. to a.m. 9:00 from 11th April

A North American Youth Bridge Symposium will be held in Gatlinburg TN on on TN Gatlinburg in held be will Symposium Bridge Youth American North A Youth Bridge Symposium Bridge Youth