Roberts Academy students are learning chess with guidance from the Mercer University chess team. Each Wednesday morning, senior Marcus Mumber and his teammates arrive early to lead lessons for the Academy’s students.
Roberts Academy, established in July 2024 at Mercer University, is Georgia’s only school for children with dyslexia outside of metro Atlanta. The school serves 65 students in grades 2-6 and uses the Orton-Gillingham Approach, a teaching method designed for those with dyslexia.
Mumber, who was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, credits chess with helping him build academic confidence. He explained that after joining his high school chess club and competing successfully against skilled players, he realized he could also succeed academically. “Growing up, I believed the narrative that school would always be a struggle for me because of my dyslexia,” Mumber said. “But once I started winning against some of the most intelligent people in my high school chess club, I realized something important: if I could outthink and outplay them on the chessboard, then I could also excel in the classroom.”
Mumber learned about Roberts Academy while studying biology at Mercer and reached out to offer his help after reading an article about the school. “As someone with dyslexia, I know how isolating it can feel to struggle in school. I wanted to create a space where kids could feel empowered and valued for their unique strengths,” he said. “I reached out to Roberts Academy with my personal story of how chess changed my life, and they believed in me enough to lead an initiative to teach their students every week. I am genuinely excited to wake up at 7 on Wednesday mornings to teach them this year.”
Each week before classes begin, between 30 and 50 students gather in the lunchroom for lessons ranging from basic rules to advanced strategies. Dr. Jeff Pullen, associate professor of mathematics and advisor to the Mercer chess team, noted that the partnership has grown beyond teaching chess skills alone: “At the beginning of last year, the partnership started out as an avenue to purely teach the students how to play chess,” Pullen said. “However, as the year went on and we got to know the students better, it has also become about checking in and making sure they’re doing well in their studies and extracurricular activities. This year, Marcus has continued to prioritize making those personal connections.”
Dyslexia affects up to one-fifth of people worldwide; while it presents challenges related to reading or writing, it can also encourage creative problem-solving skills—abilities that align closely with playing chess.
“Dyslexic students often excel at visual-spatial thinking and creative problem-solving, which are both key parts of chess,” Mumber said. “Chess is not about memorizing moves; it’s about visualizing the whole board and imagining the possible outcomes. That kind of strategic thinking directly mirrors the strengths that many dyslexic learners have. When I work with the students at Roberts Academy, I’m constantly amazed by the bold and imaginative solutions they come up with. When I present them with a challenging puzzle, they often find moves that completely surprise me.”
Joy Wood heads Roberts Academy and sees value beyond game tactics: “Marcus, Dr. Pullen and the entire Mercer chess team have been incredible mentors for our students,” she said. “Chess is especially well-suited for dyslexic thinkers who often thrive at recognizing patterns and approaching problems from unique perspectives—both essential skills in the game. Yet the true power of this partnership goes beyond the chessboard. Our students are building relationships with a successful dyslexic adult and a team of encouraging role models showing them that their differences are strengths.”
Students themselves describe positive experiences: fourth grader Blaine Mullis enjoys playing opponents from Mercer (“I like playing against people… (The Mercer chess team) is really nice”), while fifth grader Chloe Kirby values learning new ways around tough problems (“There are tough problems to solve… It looks hard but I can figure out ways to make it easy”).
Mumber hopes these lessons will boost student confidence long-term: “The world needs creative and innovative thinkers who see problems in a unique way,” he told them.” School may feel hard right now but those challenges will shape you into someone resilient and innovative.Dyslexia is a gift,and you should never feel ashamed or less than anyone for being different.”
