Since October, I’ve been coaching a group of fifth-grade students in after-school math problem-solving skills. Now it’s March, and they’ve just had their district competition.
There are 14 kids in my group, and 11of them earned a medal, either for individual performance or for team performance. I want to make sure the 3 kids who didn’t earn a medal still come away with a positive experience.
Based on what I’ve seen them do during the year, it’s not a surprise that these 3 kids didn’t win a medal. But they still did a lot of work, and are working on problems above their grade level. It’s just that there were a lot of quality competitors at the competition.
My inclination is to tell these kids that they did good work (which they did), and that they are putting in more effort than a lot of other fifth graders at their school (which they are), and that sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. I think all these kids are resilient enough to handle that kind of statement, and I definitely think they should plan to continue with the program next year.
What would you tell these kids to encourage their continued participation in spite of a low finish at the district competition?
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Congratulations to you and your team for getting so far in just one year!
I agree with your inclination. Don’t baby them, and also, don’t single them out. Did you have a celebration with the team as a whole? Perhaps publish an article in the school newsletter that emphasizes the accomplishment of the whole team, and downplays individual medals?
Maybe you could find a subtle way to get the medal winners to encourage the others to continue? Affirmation from their peers, rather than from an authority figure, might mean more to them.
Best of Luck, hope this helps!