I'm 100% certain one student actually told me something like, "I tried so therefore no one should criticize me." But I think it even included, "I feel I tried hard..." He actually didn't even do the trying part.
There are definitely leagues for kids where they don't keep score and no one wins or loses. There is also a proliferation of trophies, so that everyone gets one, and the whole enterprise becomes meaningless.
My daughter was in soccer for a semester or so--hated it, never scored a goal, and was brutally sick that year and half the time wasn't even there.
She still got a big trophy and a medal. For what, I don't know.
OK, I know the "trophy for everything" meme receives a lot of well-deserved mockery.
On the other hand, not so long ago, youth sports were overflowing with dog, eat, dog athletic Darwinism.
Certainly, there can be a middle ground where youngsters starting out can be given a measure of freedom from abject ridicule in order to develop their abilities (or the awareness of lack of same). Then, unleash the trash talk!
Should a six-year-old be shunned from an activity of interest because local cliques have already decided which families produce the "winners"?
Stella, that's hilarious. Back in the mean old 70s, I was on a swim team for three solid years and got nothing but one white fourth-place ribbon. Ever. I sucked despite trying really, really hard, and the world responded accordingly. I don't recall ever thinking that that was unfair.
This is effing brilliant. It reminds me of two other piece of pop culture:
There's an ep of How I Met Your Mother, where Marshall goes to coach the kindergarten basketball team: They don't keep score and everyone gets a trophy, and Marshall completely freaks out.
Or Pixar's "The Incredibles," near the beginning when Bob is arguing with Helen about why he "won't go to [his] own son's graduation." He says, "It's not a graduation: He is moving from the fourth grade into the fifth grade...It's psychotic. They keep coming up with new ways to celebrate mediocrity..." (I watched it this weekend, and am again in awe of the genius of Pixar's ability to slide things like this into entertainment.)
Oh BC, I agree with The Incredibles take on elevation of academic achievement. When did it become a high school degree? How did moving up from one grade to the next become a graduation?
[Though, my daughter's kindergarten moving up -- yes, they called it that, not graduation -- was pissingly funny when the teacher awarded each student a prophesy predicting their future career. My daughter's fashion sense and - ahem -- strong personality earned her the prediction she will run her own design house.]
OK, kindergarteners with construction paper mortarboards and tassels? Just too cute and, one could argue, having some social redemption for reinforcing the importance of education at this early juncture.
But middle schoolers in full cap-and-gown "graduating" to high school? These kids (and their parents) should know better and should save the parties for when a high school diploma has actually been earned.
In the town where I grew up, there was only one graduation and that was at the end of Grade 12. The resulting celebrations ranked alongside local weddings as being the blowout to end all blowouts. Back in those days, finishing high school was considered the end to one's formal education as few people went to university or tech school.
I'm 100% certain one student actually told me something like, "I tried so therefore no one should criticize me." But I think it even included, "I feel I tried hard..." He actually didn't even do the trying part.
ReplyDeleteThis would be funny if it weren't my daily life at work.
ReplyDelete"I tried, therefore no one should criticize me." Oh, truth. Speak it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet, on the athletic field, no one accepts this. Or...I am frightened to ask...do they, these days?
ReplyDeleteFroderick--
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely leagues for kids where they don't keep score and no one wins or loses. There is also a proliferation of trophies, so that everyone gets one, and the whole enterprise becomes meaningless.
My daughter was in soccer for a semester or so--hated it, never scored a goal, and was brutally sick that year and half the time wasn't even there.
She still got a big trophy and a medal. For what, I don't know.
OK, I know the "trophy for everything" meme receives a lot of well-deserved mockery.
DeleteOn the other hand, not so long ago, youth sports were overflowing with dog, eat, dog athletic Darwinism.
Certainly, there can be a middle ground where youngsters starting out can be given a measure of freedom from abject ridicule in order to develop their abilities (or the awareness of lack of same).
Then, unleash the trash talk!
Should a six-year-old be shunned from an activity of interest because local cliques have already decided which families produce the "winners"?
Stella, that's hilarious. Back in the mean old 70s, I was on a swim team for three solid years and got nothing but one white fourth-place ribbon. Ever. I sucked despite trying really, really hard, and the world responded accordingly. I don't recall ever thinking that that was unfair.
ReplyDeleteThis is effing brilliant. It reminds me of two other piece of pop culture:
ReplyDeleteThere's an ep of How I Met Your Mother, where Marshall goes to coach the kindergarten basketball team: They don't keep score and everyone gets a trophy, and Marshall completely freaks out.
Or Pixar's "The Incredibles," near the beginning when Bob is arguing with Helen about why he "won't go to [his] own son's graduation." He says, "It's not a graduation: He is moving from the fourth grade into the fifth grade...It's psychotic. They keep coming up with new ways to celebrate mediocrity..." (I watched it this weekend, and am again in awe of the genius of Pixar's ability to slide things like this into entertainment.)
Oh BC, I agree with The Incredibles take on elevation of academic achievement.
ReplyDeleteWhen did it become a high school degree?
How did moving up from one grade to the next become a graduation?
[Though, my daughter's kindergarten moving up -- yes, they called it that, not graduation -- was pissingly funny when the teacher awarded each student a prophesy predicting their future career. My daughter's fashion sense and - ahem -- strong personality earned her the prediction she will run her own design house.]
OK, kindergarteners with construction paper mortarboards and tassels? Just too cute and, one could argue, having some social redemption for reinforcing the importance of education at this early juncture.
But middle schoolers in full cap-and-gown "graduating" to high school?
These kids (and their parents) should know better and should save the parties for when a high school diploma has actually been earned.
In the town where I grew up, there was only one graduation and that was at the end of Grade 12. The resulting celebrations ranked alongside local weddings as being the blowout to end all blowouts. Back in those days, finishing high school was considered the end to one's formal education as few people went to university or tech school.
Delete