Competitive Edge

An article about the British experience - I wonder how easily it would be transplanted to a North American context.

Boys are being failed by our schools



I don't know if competitiveness and leadership are "traditional male traits" but I do see that competition is being downplayed in favour of collaboration - a different focus that does have a price.

Full disclosure time: I was ultra-competitive in high school - so much so that I avoided things that I would lose at in order to escape the sting of losing (yes, that was a problem that required letting go. I can still quote you chapter and verse why I was ripped off from being valedictorian because of Phys Ed...PHYS ED!) Fear of losing and failing was a primary motivator (and glares from my parents during report card time - Why only 89% in Chemistry, Ray? WHY?)

So I'm all in favour of competition, as it got me off my fat keister and got me through university.



Nothing as scary as the final exam worth 100% of your mark. Nothing as exhilirating and freeing as getting by that last test knowing that you've passed it at the last minute.



I think that this is not a girls vs boys thing. I have two girls. Believe me, girls are competitive. Mine even race from the van to the door of the daycare to see who can get in the building first, even though there's no prize - because it's fun.

Competition is fun. Or at least it's supposed to be.

Trying to ensure that everyone reaches the finish line at exactly the same time, giving prizes for coming in 10th in a field of 10 - what kind of impetus is there for anyone to get better? I'm sorry, but sometimes self-esteem needs to take a bit of a beating in order for someone to be motivated to improve themselves. I'd rather have my kids fail at a place and a time where their failures could be relatively inexpensive lessons to them about adapting to challenges and adversity rather than have them be hand-held right through university and into the job market where they fall flat on their face the first time they screw up at work.

It's not so much the screwups in life. It's what someone does in reaction to screwing up. And, I think in this there's some truth in the belief that we may be failing the next generation with the idea that there are no failures and that everyone should be rewarded just for showing up and taking up oxygen.

There has to be some middle ground where the competitive process is allowed to work while simultaneously there's something in place to catch those few students that suffer real psychological damage via the competitive process.

In any competition, some people will lose. They don't have to like it.