How to Deal with Competition in School: Healthy Ways to Learn and Cope

Co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and Madeleine Criglow

Last Updated: February 22, 2023 References

Whether you're a student or a teacher, dealing with competition in school can be tough. A little bit of competition can be healthy and motivating, but too much competition can be detrimental to the learning experience. Thankfully, there's a lot you can do to grapple with and minimize competition's effect. Read on for some tips on how to deal with competition as both a student and a teacher.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Dealing with Competition as a Student

1
Try your best. This helps you feel good no matter what the results. Rather than focusing on beating your peers or doing the best in the class, emphasize simply doing the best that you can do.^{[1]
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Research source} Make time each day to complete your coursework, give everything an honest effort, and ask your professor questions when you need help.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- Doing your best helps you be competitive with yourself, rather than your peers.
- Rather than focusing on peers start focusing on yourself.
- Don't expect others to help you start helping yourself
- Make selective friends.
2
Accept your mistakes. Don't be too hard on yourself. You can't make an A+ every time. When you get a grade you're not happy with, take it as a learning opportunity and try to do better next time.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.} Avoid looking at it as a major failure or a reflection of your self-worth. No one is perfect!^{[4]
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- Let's say you bombed a mid-term. Let yourself be disappointed, but think of ways you can do better next time, too.
- Arrange to meet with your professor during their office hours, start seeing a tutor, or review your notes after class each day.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ashley Pritchard, MA
  School Counselor
  Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
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3
Focus on yourself. Avoid comparing yourself to other people. When you find yourself wishing you were more like your peers, remember your strengths. Maybe you don't test as well, but you're amazing when it comes to writing a strong essay. Don't lose sight of what makes you special.^{[6]
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- If you catch yourself thinking, "I'm never going to be as good as Sarah. She's so much smarter than me," stop yourself and replace that with an encouraging thought about yourself.
- Think something like, "I always try my best, and I'm smart in my own way."
4
Surround yourself with positive people. Avoid toxic, competitive dynamics with your peers. Make friends that encourage you and make you feel good about yourself. Find like-minded peers by joining clubs or teams that reflect your interests. Limit the time you spend with people who put you down or make you feel bad about yourself.^{[7]
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- Reflect on how you feel when you're with your friends. Good friends root for your success and support you through your mistakes.
5
Keep your grades private. Sharing your test scores and essay grades can encourage unhealthy competition. Even if you get a really good grade, avoid bragging about it to your peers. Instead, be proud of yourself on the inside, or tell a few trusted people in your life, like your partner or a close friend. On the flip side, if you don't do so well on an assignment, don't feel any pressure to tell anyone if you don't feel like it.^{[8]
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- Keeping your grades private helps you focus on yourself and avoid competing with your classmates.
- Grades are not the only measure of success. Though they're important, you go to school to learn new things and find what you're passionate about. Don't let the fear of getting a bad grade diminish your excitement for learning.
6
Maintain a life outside of school. This helps you keep things in perspective. Yes, doing well in school is important, but so is making friends, spending time with your family, and keeping up with your hobbies and interests. Make plans with your friends on the weekend, keep up with hobbies like making art or playing music, and exercise to destress and feel healthy.^{[9]
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- Taking time to focus on extracurriculars can help you feel rejuvenated when you come back to your coursework.
7
Avoid cheating. Be honest and maintain your integrity. Even if it helps you feel superior to your peers, lying and cheating won't make you feel good in the long run. Only turn in your own work, and don't bring in notes or use your phone to cheat during a test. Cheating can take a toll on your psyche, and you can also get into some pretty serious trouble if you get caught.^{[10]
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- Sometimes cheating is a sign that you're under a lot of pressure. If you feel like you have to cheat to get by in school, talk to your professor about getting some help with your workload.
8
Talk to a counselor or therapist. Do this if you're overwhelmed by competition in school. A therapist or counselor can work with you to find ways to manage your feelings in a healthy way. Get a referral from your doctor or search online for the mental health professionals in your area.^{[11]
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- Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it. Even the strongest students and athletes need some guidance sometimes. You should never feel ashamed of asking for help.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Dealing with Competition as a Teacher

1
Emphasize collaboration over competition. Arrange students in groups and have them complete a project together. Assign roles within the group to play to each students' strengths, such as note-takers, editors, and presenters. Encourage students to respond to each others' points in class discussions constructively and respectfully. ^{[12]
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- To create a community-minded atmosphere, display students' work throughout the classroom and use words like "our" and "we" instead of "I" and "you" when you talk about the class.^{[13]
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2
Teach students the importance of listening to each other. This helps them see other students as peers and people they can learn from instead of competitors. Educate students about active listening skills, like making eye contact, asking questions, and waiting to speak until someone has finished their thought.^{[14]
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- To do this, try adding active class discussions to your regular curriculum.
3
Encourage students to compete with themselves, not others. Avoid comparing students to each other when you speak to the class. Pitting them against each other can foster unhealthy academic pressure, which leads to a more competitive environment and even cheating to get ahead. Motivate students to do their personal best and improve with each assignment instead.^{[15]
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- When working with students one-on-one, help them set goals for what they can do to improve that correspond with their unique strengths and weaknesses.
4
Foster students to have a growth mindset over a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset is based upon the belief that people are born with innate gifts and capabilities. A growth mindset suggests that everyone has the potential to achieve great things by working hard, learning from their mistakes, and striving to improve. Encourage students to adopt a growth mindset so that they will be motivated to keep trying even if they don't immediately succeed.^{[16]
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- To promote a growth mindset, give students positive reinforcement throughout the learning process. Rather than singling them out as naturally gifted, praise students for their hard work and practice.
- This will help them have more faith in their abilities and be less inclined to compare themselves to others.
5
Guide students to see failure as a learning opportunity. A competitive atmosphere fosters a fear of failure. Change your students' perspective on that by teaching them that failure is a part of the learning process and not an indicator of their lack of skill in the subject.^{[17]
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- To do this, try praising students for their efforts as much as the final result.^{[18]
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Set clear expectations. Establish learning goals for the class each week and communicate them to your students.^{[19]
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Research source} Give students detailed instructions on how to complete their in-class work and homework assignments. Encourage them to ask questions if they are ever unsure about an assignment.^{[20]
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- If students don't know or understand what's expected of them, they may get discouraged and start to compare themselves to stronger students.
7
Address cheating if it's happening. Set clear expectations for your students regarding what counts as cheating. Establish consequences and inform your students of them if someone is ever caught cheating, such as receiving an incomplete on the assignment. Follow through with these consequences if it happens to show that cheating is unacceptable.^{[21]
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- Rather than simply emphasizing the immediate consequences, show your students the ethical problems of cheating. Teach students positive values like integrity, honesty, and respect, so they'll be less inclined to cheat.^{[22]
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