When I Couldn't Resist Taunting a Student Over an Old Rivalry in Class

So here's this student named Alex who has been causing trouble for me ever since they started high school. Let's just say we didn't get off on the right foot from day one, and it hasn't gotten any better over time. Last week, I found out Alex had signed up for a poetry slam at our school. Now, back in college, I was part of the campus' most popular slam team, so naturally, when I heard about this event, my competitive side kicked in big time. I decided to challenge Alex during class one day by pointing out their lack of experience and reminding them how much they needed to improve before even thinking about stepping onto that stage. Of course, the whole class saw it as some form of teacher bullying, but honestly, I was just trying to push Alex to work harder. And yes, I know my methods aren't exactly professional or supportive, but hey, who says teachers can't have a bit of healthy competition? The day of the poetry slam rolled around, and surprisingly enough, Alex did pretty well with their piece. They didn't win the whole thing by any means, but they definitely held their own. It got me thinking though, maybe I was wrong all along about just pushing them harder without offering constructive feedback. Maybe next time, I should actually try helping instead of throwing shade. But honestly? If Alex were ever to sign up for another poetry slam next year, you can bet your bottom dollar that my tongue-in-cheek jabs would be ready and waiting again. After all, it's not like this little tussle over confidence and talent is going away anytime soon.