Competition Culture

“We have some announcements of our students’ achievements in the past week.”

This line precedes the several slides shown in Assembly every Wednesday, displaying the faces, names and classes of inspiring students who have dedicated more time and effort to venture “beyond the classroom”. As the announcer of these achievements in the Assembly, the Spring Magazine and the school’s Instagram page, how involved and encouraging is Springfield towards competitions participated by students?

Hunger for victory, or no hunger at all?

As the participants of competitions are students, these students must have the drive and willingness to sacrifice their spare time to train and give their best performance, prepare and edit the best document or artwork, or study as many topics as possible preceding test day.

Trading spare time for a chance of victory is driven by several factors – prize was mentioned only once. Most respondents stated that gaining unique experiences and challenges that cannot be found in classrooms is a factor that influences their willingness to participate in competitions. While some wish for the activity itself to be enjoyable, some are adequately motivated by the networking opportunities with other schools and memories made with teammates. One student referred to fear of missing out (FOMO) on competitions as a major motivator for students’ participation. Because friends have won competitions, some students feel inspired, taking chances to win in competitions themselves. It is also a well-known fact to respondents that participating in competitions could improve the quality of university applications, but the time and effort that would be spent in a certain competition may affirm or deter their participation.

But why say no to competitions? Some respondents are unmotivated and disinterested in competitions, and others may not have an expertise in any particular field. Low confidence in winning also deters students from participating in competitions, due to being afraid of public shame and feeling like they have wasted time, and sometimes money. However, one teacher stated that students should not just aim for victory, and be disappointed when they do not attain it. Students should be proud of dedicating - not wasting - time and energy to go beyond, as joining a competition to expand our skills and knowledge is already a success in itself.

Influential or indifferent teachers?

Students? Mostly motivated. But what about our teachers? Do the very people that nurture us and guide us through our journey of education play any role in our journey outside of the classroom? Several responses to the survey state that certain teachers have confidence in the potential of their students. As a result, they recommend (or force) their students to join competitions, and share any details or context regarding the competition. If they do end up registering, they dedicate more time to assist the competing students.

One respondent elaborated on the difference of support coming from PB2 and PB3 teachers. PB2 teachers tend to discourage students from attending competitions due to interference with attendance of classes. On the contrary, PB3 teachers strongly support participation in competitions to grow as a student and improve university applications. The seed of competitive spirit should be planted early on to prepare students for an ever-competitive world; make-up tests and an extension of homework and project deadlines should be considered for students attending competitions, as they are pushing themselves to greater heights while bringing the school’s name with them.

What do the teachers themselves say? Some teachers do encourage students to participate in competitions, on the basis of new experiences and an expansion of capabilities and interests for students. Students will have pride in themselves when they win, but they are also representing Springfield in regional, national or international stages. Teachers notice smart students from their performance in classrooms, but that expertise is confirmed when they compete.

But others do not. One teacher expressed concerns about the large workload that school already puts on students – competition is just another additional layer. If somehow, students find school not challenging enough, then they can find challenges outside of school in the form of competitions. Some teachers could force students to join competitions in the absence of the student’s own motivation. A problem emerges: is the student competing for themselves or the teacher wanting credit?

Encourage or not, one thing is certain: motivation should be intrinsic. Every teacher would give some time for their students to prepare them for competitions if necessary, as long as it fits with their schedule. Some students need a discussion partner to gain ideas and insight from; a teacher, who is more knowledgeable in their field, is the perfect choice. However, a discussion partner is not a fellow team member. Students should work themselves for the competition, not teachers. Satisfaction of victory is only gained when the student works for the victory and knows that their teachers and peers are supporting them.

Does the school even care?

Students? Mostly motivated. Teachers? Very supportive. What about the school? As the representative of a school in any competition, the school’s name is basically tethered to the student; it is the competing student’s second identity. Ideally, the school’s involvement in students’ participation in competitions should be great. Let’s see what students and teachers have to say.

Respondents of the survey reported many instances of the Student Council and teachers emailing the school regarding future competitions in certain subjects. Other teachers prefer a more direct approach, by informing their students in class. The school has also been willing to pay some competitions’ entrance fees.

In contrast, the majority of students and teachers claim that the school’s support is inadequate. There is no appreciation for teachers who willingly reduce their free time to help students prepare for their competitions. Documents and data required to fill in certain competitions’ application forms, such as a letter of permission, were not quickly made available to registering students. Lack of help in application was also reported; some students are even left on their own on competition day, without a teacher to accompany them. One stated that asking for assistance feels like begging.

Some claim that the school is uninterested in the preparation for competitions, as there is no specific programme to guide students. Much of the focus of the school is concentrated on the Cambridge curriculum and school activities, which hinders the involvement of the school in external events.

Ironically, despite all this, Springfield continues to claim these achievements “as their own”, one student claims, as a part of their marketing strategy.

Springfield’s favorites

Ideally, Springfield’s support for competitions should be distributed evenly between all fields to display well-rounded qualities of the school.

Unfortunately, this world is not ideal. And this school is not an exception.

Fig 4.1 shows students’ opinions on the fields of competitions Springfield promotes most. The percentages add up to more than 100% because respondents could select more than one choice.

The highest voted fields tend to be more objective; in subjective competitions such as writing, the opinions regarding a participant’s work may differ greatly from judge to judge. This lowers the predictability of winning, which therefore lowers motivation to join these competitions.

Even in the sports field, the school is extremely selective as to what sports it will support – basketball seems to be their favorite pick. For example, Springfield’s basketball team is recommended to competitions by the school. In comparison to the performing arts field, Rebel Queens, Springfield’s dance team, has to find competitions themselves. Other fields such as filmmaking are so niche that it could be difficult for the school to find competitions for them.

Naturally, teachers would only, or mostly, recommend competitions in their field of expertise. If a teacher does not want to promote competitions, or if none of the subjects a student takes are related to their talent, then no awareness of competitions would be achieved and no action would be taken by the student (it is very rare for highly motivated students to search for competitions on their own). Teachers should be the igniting flame that starts a student’s motivation to join a competition.

On the other hand, it seems like every Assembly brings victories of varying competitions but similar names and in similar fields. This begs the question: is the unfairness in support due to just higher support in certain fields or the higher success rate in those fields that urges Springfield to maximize their students’ expertise in those fields only?

Everyone is different. Especially in their talents. You cannot force a chef to excel in mathematics, or a mathematician to excel in cooking. Many students at Springfield are more than ready to embark on adventures beyond the classroom. Many teachers are more than willing to sacrifice some of their free time to assist these ambitious students. Now it is the school’s turn to give everyone – not just some people that excel in certain fields – the support they deserve and promote competitions in as many fields as possible, in hopes for more talented students to bring the name “Springfield” to more places.