Me vs. Me: Growing Together by Seeing Others as Comrades | Self-Improvement | TeamWork | iScool-03 |DR3

In this article, we will discover the powerful benefits of embracing the concept of “Me vs ME,” & “Seeing Others as Comrades”. Here are some of the benefits:-

- Focus on self-improvement by competing with yourself — no jealousy or unhealthy competition.

- Help others, fostering compassion, love, and care.

- Accept help, learning the value of kindness and friendship.

- See everyone as a comrade, leading to better social harmony and stronger relationships.

The Actual Competition

Understanding who your real competition is in life is crucial for growth and improvement. It serves as the foundation for your personal development. Many times, both kids and adults see their peers — whether students or colleagues — as their competition and focus their energy on outperforming them. However, this mindset is misguided and can lead to negative outcomes.

Competing with someone less talented or less hardworking than ourselves can hold us back. Instead of pushing ourselves to our full potential, we might settle for simply being better than our rivals, which can diminish our true passion and worth. On the other hand, if we compete with someone far ahead of us, we may find ourselves struggling to keep up, leading to feelings of anxiety and depression. This kind of comparison can increase our frustration and prevent us from becoming our authentic selves.

Adopting a “Me vs Me” approach can work wonders for our progress and productivity. By focusing on personal growth rather than competing with others, we maintain a steady path toward improvement. For example, if you’re currently at level 3 but aim to reach level 10, create a practical, actionable plan to advance one step at a time, starting with reaching level 4. It’s crucial not to feel discouraged by the distance from your goal. Embrace smaller, manageable steps and stay consistent. Over time, these incremental improvements will lead you to achieve your desired outcome.

Our Behavior with Children

This serves as a foundational principle for our approach. As teachers or parents, we must deeply understand what children truly need. Struggling kids require our attention, love, and support, rather than criticism or harsh words. We need to encourage them to openly share their challenges to build their confidence. Once we grasp their needs, we should provide them with small, actionable steps to address their difficulties. Additionally, it’s important to consistently appreciate their efforts and celebrate their small victories.

For bright Kids, it’s important to provide additional attention and learning opportunities. Instead of merely being satisfied with their current performance, we should offer them enrichment in their areas of interest. This approach not only saves valuable time in the future but also helps establish a productive routine and prevents them from becoming complacent or lazy. Often, gifted Kids finish their work quickly and turn to other activities because they lack proper guidance. By offering clear direction, we help them harness their talents effectively and cultivate a strong work ethic, steering them away from distractions and unproductive activities.

Learning Compassion, Teamwork & Me vs Me Approach

We should encourage children to focus on improving themselves rather than competing against others. By setting goals to surpass their previous achievements, they can continuously strive to be better. This approach fosters self-improvement and prevents negative emotions like jealousy or excessive pride. Children will view their peers as fellow comrades, all working to improve and grow. This mindset not only enhances their learning experience but also helps them become more positive and cooperative members of the community.

Some Ways to Make it Happen

Change the Seating Arrangement:

• Rotate students’ seats so they interact with everyone and spend more time with different friends. By periodically changing seats, introduce them to each other’s interests, such as birthdays, favorite foods and colors, favorite teachers or subjects, and future goals. This will help them learn to collaborate and understand each other better.

Encourage Public Speaking:

• Have each student take turns giving a short speech or reading something in front of the class. Evaluate the class as a whole, rather than focusing on individual performance. Teach students to support their peers by not laughing, clapping, and offering encouragement. Recognize their teamwork with small rewards like extra playtime or a story, and note their achievements in their diaries.

Collaborative Puzzles:

• Divide the class into groups and give them puzzling questions that require collaboration to solve. For example, if you write 121 on the board, give one group the number 11 and ask the other to find what number needs to be multiplied to get 121. Give the second group the number 21 and ask the first group what number needs to be added to reach 121. This and similar exercises promote teamwork and help students see each other as collaborators.

Identify and Foster Individual Talents:

• Recognize each child’s unique qualities and encourage them to develop their strengths. Praise their teamwork and highlight how collaborating well will benefit them in tackling future challenges. This approach will help them view each other as friends and foster better collaboration and mutual support.

These are just a few ideas for teaching and learning together. Feel free to come up with your own methods to incorporate these principles into daily life. The goal is to make this approach a natural part of our interactions. Happy learning!