How a bit of competition stopped Ludo being an educationally subnormal moron

13 February 2010

Toby Young suffers from Status Anxiety

The effect was instantaneous. We thought it would take him a month before he learnt all 72 tricky words, but he had them down pat by Sunday. The introduction of an element of competition, combined with a desirable prize, transformed him from an educationally subnormal moron into a fast learner.

So what lessons should we draw? I don’t want to burden my teaching staff with the need to make every lesson ‘fun’, but bribery clearly works. Then again, that too can be a chore. I recently heard a story about a London secondary school teacher who promised a group of GCSE students she would reward those who got A grades by taking them to a restaurant of their choice. Without exception, they all chose Nando’s.

Toby Young is associate editor of The Spectator.

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Ian G

February 18th, 2010 11:58pm Report this comment

For the sake of those who do not live in London, a small percentage of the population who can be disregarded for all practical purposes, please be indulgent and explain the significance of 'Nando's'.

Ian G

February 19th, 2010 12:05am Report this comment

Apologies. I thought you were being London-centric. Google informs me that it is a fast-food chain - a Portuguese MacDonald's for chicken! Which explains my ignorance... Oh well.