A professor had set up a school, but had his own ideas about how children should be taught. He disliked the examination system. In his school he wanted to teach the boys true knowledge — knowledge that would improve both their minds and their hearts.

The professor had his own way of judging students. All the students in the class were asked the same question. But often he praised the boy with low marks and scolded the one who had high marks. This puzzled the children. When questioned on this unusual practice, the professor one day explained, "I am not trying to show that this one is cleverer than that one. So I do not give marks on that basis. I want to see how far each boy has progressed, how much he has learnt.

If a clever student competes with a not so clever one and begins to think no end of himself, he is likely to grow dull. Sure of his own cleverness, he'll stop working. The boy who does his best and works hard will always do well and so I praise him."

The professor kept a close watch on the boys who did well. Were they still working hard? What would they learn if their high marks filled them with conceit? He continuosly stressed this to his students. If a child who was not very clever worked hard and did well, The professor was full of praise for him.

This is the story reminding you that in life, we always try our hardest not to get overly content with our abilities. We are in this world to grow. We are not really competing against others, but against our own potential. So push yourselves daily, and you will be a better person because of it.