Is Gary Kasparov sure to be a great chess teacher?
Masterclass is a place where world-class performers (several of them with little or no teaching experience) offer pricey online recorded lessons ($90 per class!) to their star-struck students.
Let us try and deconstruct what Masterclass is actually about. Gary Kasparov may be a chess legend, and Serena Williams might be among the best tennis players the world has seen. But why should that also make them world-class instructors in their trade?
The Masterclass videos make for great marketing, entertainment and glamour. At some point, we have started telling ourselves the story that if somebody is world-class at something, they can tell us their secret (‘Learn chess from Gary Kasparov!’).
However if I had the key to Kasparov’s house, could I use it to open the door of my own house? The path to mastery is paved with hours of practice that is deeply personal.
Masterclass features world-class performers talking about their paths to the top. Great teachers help students along paths that the students choose to go on. This difference is worth considering before shelling out $90 per session.
Inspiration: Akimbo
