Win-Win

Last night I played a game with three members of our youth group: a number of square cards, each with as different pattern on them are cut into four pieces and dealt out at random to each of the members. I gave the following instructions:

• The object of the game is for everyone to end up with a completed square in front of them
• WE have completed the game when everyone has a square in front of them
• You are not allowed to talk
• You may not take pieces from another person
• You may give pieces to any other person.
  

Some interesting comments:
So you win when you have a completed square in front of you No, we win when everyone has a completed square
How can it be a game if no one wins. Everyone wins. It's called Win-Win. It's better than someone winning and someone losing. The two boys looked unconvinced.
It was almost impossible for them to not talk!
One of the boys simply refused to play...this is stupid. We kept on playing.
Another boy was happy to complete all the squares that were put in front of him and looked pleased at his efforts.
He folded his arms when 3 completed squares were in front of him as he looked as though the task was completed.
I simply repeated: we win when everyone has a completed square
he pushed two completed squares away from him
There was still the problem of having to convince the non-player to accept a square when he had decided it was all too hard.
These aren't squares these are rectangles said Mr Over-Achiever
........................and I just find myself thinking that our education system advocates many of the values that precipitate this non-cooperative behaviour.
May God preserve us from: You only win when someone else loses!!