Competition
Games seem to mativate and keep intrest in learnig
Competition breeds success.
Dana,
How do you use competition in your classes?
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
As games, when students are competing with their peers they seem to enjoy it and I help them to understand this is an exercise to help further learn the material at hand. Sometimes this take the edge off students in the beginning of the course.
I think you have to know your students before introducing competition into the classroom. If you have a student who has low self esteem or who has had failures in the past games that stress winning also suggest losers. A student with low self esteem, fear of failing, or fear of "looking bad" may not attend class so they will not have to compete in classroom games.
When using games in the classroom having the class split into teams maintains the competitive feel but provides a non-threatening environment for all students.
Pamela,
Helping students to feel a part of the class is important and your strategies help that to happen. We need to know our students so some of the shyer students don't get our attention and support that they need because we are focused on the more verbal and outgoing students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
