For the last few weeks, several students in every class have been challenging me to the most pages read contest. One read over 3,000 pages. In his words, "I usually watch a movie. I just didn't. I read instead."
I read, also. Then, I slacked off, wanting some of them to win. Several I beat...two, including the one above, beat me.
What is it that makes us just love a good competition? Whether the extrinsic reward of "beating" others or the intrinsic reward of achieving, competition pushes us, motivates us, compels us. While negative consequences may occur as some get left out, some seldom win, the positives seem, in my experience, to outweigh the negative.
This competition was a win-win. The students read. I read.
And the winners? Sweet treats on Valentine's Day...aka, Gillmore Brownies, which resulted in my baking 11 batches of Double Brownies = 22 brownie mixies, 5+ cups of water, 11 cups of oil, and 44 eggs.
Yes, they are sweet kids...figuratively...and literally!
We'll not tell them that I had planned to treat them to this favorite treat...shhhhhh. :)
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