Question

What do you think about competitive academic activities, such as spelling bees, focusing on the following questions:

(1) Do spelling bees and other academic competitions encourage or discourage working hard?

(2) What are the effects on self-concept and self-esteem for the few winners and the many losers?

(3) Do these events encourage a mastery orientation, a learned-helpless approach, or both?

(4) What types of comments can teachers make if they want to offer process praise rather than person praise for students’ performance in academic competitions?

(5) Do students think that competitive school activities should be eliminated? Why or why not?

(6) How would you suggest modifying the structure of spelling bees and other competitive academic activities so that they encourage cooperation among children, rather than just competition?

Answer 1

Competitive academic activities are proprietary activities provide students with the Chance to compete with one another, building excitement and engagement to ensure optimal learning at every stage. Spelling bee is a competition in which contestants are asked to spell a broad selection of words,usually with a varying degrees if difficulty.

1. Spelling bee is competitive activity need more preparation. Those difficulty words need much preparation which need hard working by student or contestant. So those competitive activities encourage working hard by student.

2.Self concept is self identity, its a collection of beliefs about oneself. Self concept is distinguishable from self awareness, which refers to the extent to which self knowledge is defined ,consistent,and currently applicable to one's attitude and dispositions. Self esteem is an individuals subjective evaluation of their own worth, it encompasses beliefs about oneself as well as emotional States,such as triumph,despair,pride and shame.

These academic activities like spelling bees ,effect the self esteem and self concepts in both ways . For the winner improve the self concepts and estimate ,by improving of pride. It affect negatively for loser due to shame in front of large population in competition. So in preparation stage itself parents and teachers need to educate contestant about chances of winning and loosing, we need to encourage them to participate but not to win. This step help to reduce negative effects.

3.Mastery orientation is defined as having the goal of learning and mastering task according to self set Standards. Learner is focused on developing new skills ,improving and acquiring additional knowledge.  

Learned helpless approach is a state that occur after a person has experience a stressful situation repeatedly , they feel that they are unable to control or change the situation so they don't try , even when opportunities for change become available.

These Competitive activities improve mastery orientation in winners and effect negatively and cause learned helpless approach for losers due to shame. Those losers don't show interest to participate again in that type of competition.

4. Nice preparation skills or method you followed , The method you followed give the better result these types of comments praise the process.

5. These type of competitive activities needed to improve the knowledge of students. But all the students not accept these due to their past experience of losing, but winners always willing for these type of activities.