Is competition a good, or a bad, thing for children? It’s a subject that has divided opinion for years. Some say it encourages a child to excel in today’s fiercely competitive world, while others say it can destroy self-esteem and lead to resentment. Some say it’s tough living as an adult; others say it is tougher living as a student.
A student in every sphere of his life is running, but alas! Not to win but to defeat somebody. When a child was born in old days, he was taught to be “Good” but that concept of being good is now being converted to being a “Better” and unfortunately, it is so happening that in striving to be better the essence of being good is lost.
According to research, most of the students were not affected by the absolute figures of their own performance but had extreme reactions when told about the performance of their peers. Winning at all costs attitude can easily manifest into aggressive behaviours, a loss of sportsmanship.
Over time, our education system has evolved into a complex competitive game involving grades, prizes and league tables. We need to understand the deep impact this can have on pupils, and recognise how a heavy price will often be paid when individuals are driven by such motivations.
In focusing on grades and marks, schools risk overlook some important aspects of students, such as the joy of learning, children’s instinctive love and embrace of certain disciplines over others, the satisfaction that comes from solving puzzles and the excitement of challenges that lack clear outcomes.
Focusing on coming top, being the best and superior to those around you actually demotivates more than it motivates. When someone wins, the message to everyone else is ‘You are not good enough. Too many pupils thus leave school nursing a deep-rooted sense of failure.
A healthy competition, especially within one’s niche, drives a person to be better. However, a competition that is driven by the maddening thoughts of being better than everyone, will only lead to demotivation and thereby, an end to one’s creative side.
Being a student I can safely say that I have seen and felt it all along that while competing you do not win from others but you sure lose yourself and become somebody you were never meant to be.
Prioritising human connections across the education system will help create citizens who are ready to contribute to society. The future challenges that younger generations will face aren’t ones that can be ‘won’. From climate change to global inequality, these are all areas that will require collective, long-term responses.
