Additionally, research suggests that it’s a bigger negative for students who don’t do well with competition than it is a positive for students who do respond well. • Competition teaches learners how to win. Some people might say, “What’s wrong with teaching students how to win?” But a focus on winning can suck all the air out of the room. Basically

“excessive praise . . . distorts children’s motivations; they begin doing things merely to hear the praise, losing sight of the intrinsic enjoyment.”

If one takes appropriate action, one receives praise. If one takes inappropriate action, one receives punishment. Adler was very critical of education by reward and punishment. It leads to mistaken lifestyles in which people think, If no one is going to praise me, I won’t take appropriate action and If no one is going to punish me, I’ll engage in i