Competition
I found this section interesting. I initially posted the name of the top student after each module, but I received many complaints from students who were discouraged that their name hadn't been listed. I had to discontinue the practice.
Hi Todd,
Sorry to hear you had such an experience with your students. I encourage competition but always as a group. I have teams that work on projects and we see who can complete the task the quickest and the most accurate.
In our culture today people get upset if one person is recognized over another, yet that same person will be competing with 100 other people for that one job. Or competing with others to win the contract, get the bid, etc. I work with my students to develop skills that will set them a part from the "herd". This is what will get them hired, I just try and do it in a way that doesn't get them upset.
Gary
I found the same problems with competition, until I changed the game. I realized after snowboarding with my wife that I wasn't going to improve unless I started snowboarding with better riders. I used this theory in class. The best students worked with the not-so-good during practicles and constructively critisized while the whole time I reiterated that they were their greatest learning tool. Immediately, grades improved and practicles became fun. The same also worked during theory classes, teaming up study partners, and socializing students on the way.
Hi Timothy,
Glad to hear about your positive experiences with getting your students involved and progressing with their learning. I think part of the fun of being a teacher is finding new ways of getting students excited about the course content. By being willing to change you found a solution to the advantage of everyone. Your students are excited about the class, you are seeing progress and learning is ocurring, that is as good as it gets. Keep up the good work!
Gary
I have seen the same result, but on the other end. I have had 2 different students come to me when they were the ones being praised. They felt that the ranking system was outcasting them from the other students.
Hi Matthew,
This is a key point in class management. Making sure you balance the need for reinforcement by students with making sure you don't set them outside of their comfort zone with other students. I think this is part of the fun of teaching trying out new strategies for finding the right chemistry in each class. As you know teaching is never boring and each day presents a new challenge.
Gary
When I am teaching a subject that is new for the student, they feel that they will never have to use this in real life, I do a demonstration accurately but not to the best of my ability and then ask the students to do theirs and make it better than mine. It seems to work because they want to better than I did and give it their all and say "Look I did it better than you!"
Hi Susan,
Students do like to show of their newly acquired skills and knowledge. By using their demonstrations skills they are doing just that. They also get to see how they measure up against the "model", you the instructor.
Thanks for sharing this strategy.
Gary
Competition in the classroom can rarely be an individualized item. I like to have group competitions during my classes. I teach technology so we usually will create or build the game to incorporate technology and play jepardy or hang man, even the simplest of games become great fun. The students like it and I never don't praise the teams that are not first. I try to recognize all students, and may even comment on the strength that they brought to the competition.
Hi David,
This is a good way to increase activity in the course all the while enabling all students to participate. I use a lot of team games as well and the students really like them. I also move students around to form teams so everyone has the opportunity to work with everyone else.
Gary
