Instead of stifling competition, let’s ensure all students are prepared

Credit: Allison Shelley for American Education

In July, 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde made history. She became the first African American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Justifiably proud of her achievement, she articulated the true meaning of her win.

“I’m really hoping lots of little brown girls all over the world … are really motivated to try out spelling … it’s really a fun thing to do, and it’s a great way to kind of connect yourself with education, which is super important,” she said.

This raises the question: What if there were no spelling bees? How would Zaila and others like her know the joy of dedicating themselves to a goal and the pride of achieving mastery? How would they and the world recognize their potential? How would they and the world benefit from their talents?

Questions like these matter far beyond the spelling bee arena. There is currently a strong push to eliminate qualifying tests for admission to selective high schools in Virginia, California and New York. Opponents of testing see tests as barriers that keep students of color out of these good high schools.

However, admission tests are merely a way to assess student readiness for advanced learning. An unprepared student admitted to a selective high school is likely to struggle academically in a milieu of well-prepared students and a challenging curriculum. To avert this outcome, the focus must shift from test abolition to helping students achieve the academic proficiency needed to excel at tests.

Competitive entrance tests are like a snapshot taken at a moment in time. In order to get a good snapshot, a student needs to have prepared for it. Studies show that students achieve notable growth when they engage with the process of learning and preparation.

Moreover, the benefits of preparation are enhanced when students prepare to take part in a competition. A study of participants in the National Science Bowl showed that, among many other benefits, the process of preparation tapped into the students’ natural curiosity and enhanced their sense of personal competence and ability. As Zaila’s example illustrates, the process of preparing for the highly competitive spelling bee also fostered her perseverance and motivation.

Instead of getting rid of testing and competition, we must do more to make sure each student gets the support they need in order to fully develop their capacities as learners. One way to achieve this is through tutoring. In my role as a volunteer math tutor, I have seen the power of personalized tutoring to help students develop their skills and talents.

My student, Maria, is a sixth grader who comes from an underserved community. During our 45-minute twice-weekly Zoom sessions, I explain concepts using real-life examples and provide plenty of practice. Maria’s favorite topic is the money she earned babysitting her younger brother during the lockdown. Piggybacking on that, I showed her how to estimate the number of hours she worked and calculate her hourly rate. She soon advanced to figuring out how many hours she would need to work in order to buy herself a smartphone. In just three months of twice-a-week tutoring, she has gone from an F to a B!

Students struggle academically for a variety of reasons unrelated to aptitude. Many lack a parent or other mentor who can explain concepts patiently. Often, they don’t get sufficient practice, which is crucial for solidifying the understanding of core concepts. They don’t get positive reinforcement when they succeed or are not held accountable when they don’t put in the effort. In some cases, their peer groups may treat proficiency as uncool or irrelevant.

The resulting weak foundation leads to a rickety structure. Many students lose interest because their grasp of the basics is weak. As a result, unlike Zaila, they don’t get a chance to see that learning can be fun and that there are rules and strategies just like in a video game.

An engaged and committed tutor can undo the effects of these deficiencies. Instead of eliminating competition, we should expand tutoring and other forms of student preparation in order to increase every student’s chance at success.

My fellow tutors work in fields like e-commerce, 3-D printing and aerospace. We are exposing our students to the wonders of STEM and to the field’s power to both improve society and offer lucrative and satisfying careers. It is exciting to think about the paths that these inspired students will pursue as they mature.

By compensating for their situational gaps, tutored students thus gain many of the advantages that their privileged peers possess. They develop study skills and time management strategies, perseverance and resilience, self-confidence and a sense of agency. These traits are sure to serve them well throughout their lives, regardless of whether they take the selective admission tests.

There has never been a call to eliminate screening in professional sports or in music conservatories. Our culture supports and rewards athletes, performers, and yes, spelling bee contestants like Zaila, for devoting hours per week for years on end to achieving their goals.

Students are, in essence, cognitive athletes. They deserve the same support and a shot at the same kind of success as participants in other arenas. Let’s make sure they get all the help they need to do their best.

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Nandini Patwardhan is a writer based in Oakland.

The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.

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