What students really love!

During all the years I have been working as a teacher, I have tried different strategies to work with my students. Some were really a success, others... were a complete failure. And some times, when I go with a negative thought that things won't work, students surprise me reacting in a positive way, working so well, cooperating, and really doing all so great. But sometimes, when I bring a nice activity (what I thought it would be a great idea)... then things go wrong. I don't get it.

But I have noticed, that the activities that never go wrong, are those related with the competition. Well. I won't say that students love competitions so much, but they really enjoy having a nice time, trying to be the first in the tasks.

Have you noticed that some of the students, those who are misbehaving, are just trying to call the attention of the rest of the class? And have you noticed that when you win in a competition, you call the attention of the rest of the people?

Now, I am working like that with my students. They are working in groups (I prefer to call them "Teams") in which, they have to participate in simple contests, and competing to get positive points. And it works. Because they know that the best team will get the best mark. So, during the class, I am doing different "contest activities" to make them work in teams, help each other, and compete in a fair way. I know it can sound unfair too, because every team will get a different score, but it is a way to promote the team work and that is the way they will learn how life is. They have to fight for what they want, and they must be the best to get it. In this case, in the classroom, as teams.