Školské aktivity Pridané: 28. apríl 2026

Dohoda je dohoda!

Náš zahraničný kolega prišiel s netradičným návrhom pre našich žiakov. Hovorí sa, že sľuby sa majú plniť, a v našej škole to platí dvojnásobne! Nedávno p. Mike Zavilla uzavrel so svojimi tretiakmi malú stávku: ak všetci do jedného napíšu nadchádzajúci test na čistú jednotku, strávi celý deň v škole (aj cestou do nej a z nej) v tom najbláznivejšom kostýme, aký si viete predstaviť.

Tento experiment ukázal, čo všetko žiaci dokážu so správnou motiváciou. Možno nabudúce vymení odmenu za trest, ak výsledky nebudú dokonalé! Ale nateraz klobúk dole pred našimi šikovnými tretiakmi.

A ako to vnímal náš kolega? Tu je jeho krátky príspevok:

When you make a bet with a class and they rise to the challenge, you have to keep your side of the deal!

A small challenge I set for 3^rd- graders to put maximum effort into an upcoming test. “If everybody in this class gets a 1, I’ll wear something ridiculous for a whole day. To work, in work and from work”.

It had to be something significant, random, not relevant and something where I would not “blend-in” anywhere. I couldn’t explain it to anybody I met that day and it had to be less than comfortable. I didn’t think I’d have to wear it as I expected some of the class to forget or not put in the effort, but they did. I had to honour my promise. Nothing motivates students more than the prospect of making a teacher or Instructor uncomfortable. The whole purpose was to demonstrate doing something you find unpleasant for the goal at the end of it. THEIR discomfort was for my summary ridicule, MY discomfort was for their success. I also wanted to show them humility, far too many people take themselves too seriously. Waking that morning and realizing that “Today was the day” I was really not happy and didn’t want to do it BUT, a deal is a deal. I’m trying to teach my own children and students that if you make an agreement you have to honour it. I’m also trying to get the message across to disregard what other people think of you and just “do your thing”. Be unpredictable and be that person who is most likely to do anything.

It was a fun experiment that showed what can be achieved with the right motivation; perhaps for further tests I’ll set a penalty for less than perfect scores!

The high points of the day were the looks on their faces when I walked in “as promised” and the laughter that followed. Several students who’ve never really spoken to me “as a person” also started to talk with me that day.

The low point of the day was standing on the side of the road (people driving past beeping horns) having to prove to the Police that I wasn’t in fact returning from a party and drunk, by blowing into their breathalyzer machine! By the end of the day I’d forgotten I was even wearing it. I stopped on the way home for petrol and also to buy a bottle of wine, everybody seemed too polite to mention how I was dressed!