The difference between student rewards and student competitions – what to use and what to steer clear of.
Several times a month we receive questions about the benefits of student competitions. Concerned parents want to know, "should my daughter get involved in the competitive world where boys dominate?"...
Competition Versus Cooperation – It’s Not an Either Or Proposition
There has been an ongoing debate in the world of youth sports about the value of the participation trophy. Those in favor want to make sure that every child feels that his or her participation...
Educators and parents both need to know how to talk to kids when they don’t get a trophy
To many parents, sending their kids home with a trophy is the biggest reward from participating in academic competitions. They want to be able to praise their kids and see those beaming smiles on...
How competitions can help students train their imaginations, and change the future.
Ask any football player, and he’ll tell you that he had sat in his locker before a game and imagined himself making the big play. There isn’t a pitcher alive that hasn’t imagined himself...
Teach Creativity to Enhance Problem-Solving Skills
The formal reason for sending our students to school every fall is to help them receive a good education and set them up for success in their future careers. In the past, a good education has...
Use Academic Competitions to Develop Agency in Your Students
Developing agency, the ability to become a self-starter and act independently, is a common theme in sports. A coach can teach a wide receiver how to run routes, but the coach can’t make him run...
