Identifying and Dealing with Competitiveness and Academic Struggles in the Classroom

Kennedy-Baird Thomas

09/21/23

With an increase in rigor of high school education, classrooms around America have begun to feel more and more competitive. The average student, who would otherwise appear as a high achiever and at the top of their class, suddenly finds themselves ‘lost in the numbers.’

However, there’s a possibility that when using a variety of mindful techniques and strategies in the classroom, competitiveness may not be such a monster, rather a friend.

Performance in school, sports, and the motivation to pursue higher academic careers can lead to ‘healthy competition’ that can easily become unhealthy. 

Teachers and students often have difficulty distinguishing unhealthy competition from healthy competition. Unhealthy competitiveness often glorifies the satisfaction of a ‘good’ grade over respect for peers. Unhealthy competition in the classroom can easily turn into an ego-breeding ground without the balance of healthy aspects. 

Belton New Tech’s admission process, a lottery or first-come first-serve system, tends to be more selective than other public highschools in the area. With this comes classmates who are usually of higher performance or academic motivation.  This can cause a skewed view of a student’s skill sets or academic performance when their pool of peers is highly competitive in their scores or grades. A student who would be considered above average and heavily involved in extracurriculars at an average public highschool can suddenly feel as if these accomplishments have become insignificant when placed in a setting of advanced peers, such as those at Belton New Tech.

However, interviews with Belton New Tech students and staff shows that the competitiveness found within Belton New Tech is actually quite healthy. 

‘‘There are so many diverse interests within students [that] it balances out,’’ said a Belton New Tech student. 

This concept shines light on a possible solution within the school to help students who feel the pressure of an unhealthy, competitive classroom. An expansion and nurturing of school clubs, organizations, sports teams, and a variety of electives, can narrow down a student’s interest and release the competitive pressure around the student’s subjects. 

A freshman teacher at Belton New Tech who came from a school widely considered ‘competitive’ gave some insight on the various factors that can cause a student to feel the weight of competition outside of just their peers.

“Different home lives drive students differently.’’

Student’s home support or pressure can greatly affect their performance in the classroom.

“Fear of acceptance at home can be worse than fear of acceptance in the classroom.’’

However, according to the American Psychological Association, ‘Rising parental expectations and criticism are linked to perfectionism in college students.’’

When asking this teacher’s stance on the health of the competition at Belton New Tech, he stated “While it may be a competitive atmosphere, it’s a safe atmosphere.”

Although the school and staff actively dedicate countless hours to their student’s education and curriculum, there are still a few students that may feel like their skills are diminished when compared to their skilled classmates. 

“It’s a number. It doesn’t necessarily mean you are not getting it or not being successful,’’ a Belton New Tech teacher stated in regards to pressure around a superior class rank. Progress should be seen as progress in the classroom and nothing less. Even if this mindset is not prevalent within the classroom, it’s a helpful mindset, along with a growth mindset, to keep a student’s mind engaged and motivated in their coursework. 

Despite the mental toll a competitive, high pressure academic setting can take, competitiveness can act as a launching point for a student’s academic growth and positively impact their work ethic. Class Rank can either be validation or invalidation.

If teachers and students alike can promote an attitude within the classroom that promotes positive relationships among peers, healthy competition can easily cultivate. Classrooms not just at Belton New Tech, but across all districts, should center attention on growing a classroom of minds that view failure as improvement rather than invalidation. Students who feel comfortable, accepted, and able to have room to grow are more likely to thrive in an array of areas in their life that branch well into their lives outside of school. Belton New Tech values community and the art of collaboration, and nothing better supports the health of a community than an environment where everyone is able to learn, discover, and educate others without unnecessary obstacles.

Photo By Ty Dunn