Summary, Analysis, Synthesis
Suzanne Sievert writes an interesting article on how the adults deprive the children of their motivation and curb their spirit of competitiveness by not offering them the chance to win. When the 5-year-old boy of the author discovers that there is no winner for the pumpkin-decorating contest at his school, he gets discouraged and is dissatisfied. After all, he was immensely proud of his entry and wanted to know what the judges think about his entry as compared to other children. The judges would sure have faced a tough time selecting a winner among a creative bunch of pumpkins that were scary and funny. They declared every child a winner and awarded black and gold ribbon to every Halloween pumpkin. The judges wanted to send the message that everybody won. However, the 5-year-old saw no point in having a competition without a winner. It seems that the adults think that the children are too soft and weak to face defeat. While this may look great in theory, things do not look that positive on actual grounds. Competition means motivation for the kids, and it is essential to announce a winner to keep their competitive spirit alive. That does not mean that children should be pushed into a fierce competition and unhealthy rivalries, but right games and healthy contests can drive the importance of drive and determination. If there was a winner announced for the pumpkin contest, children would have taken their defeat in their stride and tried again next year. Having no winner is like a letdown and a lot of hopeful entrants were turned away when no one walked away with the first prize (Sievert 2010).
Analysis - The article by Sievert is well written and drives home the point of the importance of having a healthy competition in children’s lives. By taking a real life example from her life, she adds credibility and strength to what she is saying. She wants to persuade here readers into changing their mindset and realize the importance of having good quality competition as well as having a winner. Her focus is to show how a competition loses its value when there is no winner. The article makes for a fascinating read and by using direct speech between her and her son, she certainly makes the article more effective.
Synthesis - I agree with Sievert on what she has to say about children and the competitions in their lives. She is indeed making a significant point here and draws attention to the mistakes made by the adults. After all, there are competitions being held everywhere for children and at different levels and in different fields. It is how they are organized, the kind of competitive environment their offer and how the winners are announced that matters more than who the winner is. As a parent, it is essential to cultivate the competitive spirit in children.“Positive & Negative Effects of Competition on Academic Achievement “-Kristine TuckerAccording to Kristine Tucker, Competition is natural in academic fields where students work hard to pursue excellence and reach the top of their classes. At the same time, the goals are not met if the competition leads to high stress and anxiety, especially for the younger students, where their mind and personality is still developing. They are still not able to handle the pressure of academic and the competition. Academic competition is beneficial when students feel motivated to work harder and get excited about the preparations for the quizzes, standardized tests, and competitions. According to education professors, team-based competitions offer better results. Still, there are only a few winners and majority face defeats and losses. If the teachers manage the competition smartly and fairly, they will ensure that both winners and losers are treated equality and with respect. Students how didn't win should learn to take their loss without losing their self-esteem and still feel motivated to participate in future competitions. Students should gain an appreciation for classmates and view academic competitions as stepping stones to learning. However, all purpose is lost if the competitions are creating fear, anxiety and disappointment among the Students, who might worry about not measuring up to the expectation of their teachers or parents. Students should be taught to beat their previous individual scores by promoting friendly academic competitions which are sure to help reduce anxiety. Many students take those academic competitions so seriously that they put everything else on hold. This can only lead to a negative Competitive environment that only harms their personality and development, leading to unbalanced lives.Analysis- The author’s purpose behind the article is to draw attention to the positives and negatives of academic competitions. The central argument is on how the competitions can impact the student in positive and negative manner, depending on how they are organized. She takes an example from the book "Looking in Classrooms," by education professors Thomas Good and Jere Brophy to reinforce her point. The tone of the article is earnest and to the point and the author covers major necessary angles regarding the lives of the students.Synthesis – The author is absolutely right on what she has to say in the article. After all, the young students are still at a developing stage, and their mind does not have the maturity to handle fierce competitions in their life. As adults, the parents and the teachers carry the responsibility to provide them the right atmosphere to grow and develop. The outcome of the academic competitions should be positive and not negative, or they defy the very purpose behind. After all, the competition is being held to motivate the students and encourage them to do better, and not to develop any negative personality traits. There should be a balanced approach to those academic challenges, and the students should not feel any fear or pressure when facing those competitions.
Works Cited
Sievert, Suzanne." It's Not Just How We Play That Matters.” Newsweek Magazine. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Tucker, Kristine." Positive & Negative Effects of Competition on Academic Achievement.” Demand Media. 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
