When students compete they will become more inquisitive, research independently, and learn to work with others. Healthy competition inspires kids to do their best – not just good enough. We don’t need them to be losing while they’re children in our school.Įlizabeth Morley, Principal of the Institute of Child Study Laboratory School, Toronto, Canada At our school we are helping them to get ready for all stages of life. There are enough opportunities in life for children to have a disappointment and to learn to handle that. Roosevelt, former President of the United States Since the beginning of this year we have strengthened that innate motivation by offering children new forms of competitions and disciplines that are even more attractive now, more challenging and thrilling.ĭavid Deister, project manager, German Athletics FederationĬompetition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but co-operation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off. Children feel the need to compare their strength and skills to others. Athletics competitions have always been popular with children. All the children wishing to take part are allowed to do so and they all proudly go home after a formal ceremony equipped with a written document attesting their participation. Priority is given to team competition with children taking part in a great variety of disciplines. New disciplines in the field of kids’ athletics have been designed that are especially adapted for children aged between 6 and 11. We realised this and, as such, have changed the emphasis in club athletics nationally. Sports’ competitions are bad for children if those taking part are expected to achieve more than they are capable of. Children feel better about themselves when they work with others instead of against them, and their self-esteem doesn’t depend on winning a spelling test or a Little League game.Īmerican Alfie Kohn, author of No Contest:The Case Against Competition Co-operation, on the other hand, is marvelously successful at helping children to communicate effectively, to trust in others and to accept those who are different from themselves. Competition leads children to envy winners, to dismiss losers. By definition, not everyone can win a contest. But winning doesn’t build character it just lets a child gloat temporarily. But the more he competes, the more he needs to compete to feel good about himself. In a competitive culture, a child is told that it isn’t enough to be good. But there is no such thing as ‘healthy’ competition. And I used to think that competition could be healthy and fun if we kept it in perspective. Most of us were raised to believe that without competition we would all become fat, lazy, and mediocre. We sought a few words of wisdom from those who have had something to say on the subject … Bad: Whatever your view, the jury’s still out. Others say it can destroy self-esteem and lead to resentment. Some argue that it encourages a child to excel in today’s fiercely competitive world where we compete for everything be it a job, a partner or a house. Is competition a good, or a bad, thing f or children? It’s a subject that has divided opinion for years.
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