My day started well today, bimbling along in the car on the way to work listening to the morning show on BBC Radio 2. Chris Evans was reviewing the papers and stated that there was a junior school somewhere in the UK that had cancelled a sports day, an event that they had held for the last 40 years. The reason?Apparently, a diktat from the local education authority had stated categorically that we should not be encouraging children to have negative emotions, therefore the potential of losing at the sports day is conducive to negativity so - no sports day!
I was so annoyed when I heard this story, which I take to be true, I couldn't help thinking about it for the next half an hour of the morning as I settled at my desk.
If losing is not an acceptable experience for a child because the emotions are negative, then why teach them to play chess for example because inevitably they'll lose sometime - but they'll never love this ancient game; why get them fit to play sport because they'll be on the losing team at some stage - but they'll never love sport or get fit; why take an exam which they might fail and therefore be upset - but they'll never become qualified; why teach them about relationships, because they may lose a loved one to someone else - but they'll never know love; why bother going for a job interview because they may not be the best person for the job and may come second - but they'll never enjoy employment.
Why bloody-well bother getting out of bed in the morning?
These moronic, unintelligent, impractical, unrealistic 'people' who come up with this rubbish should not be employed in the real world because they have no sense of the realism of life - at all. There - if you are responsible for this instruction and are reading this, I think your reaction will probably be a negative emotion. I am absolutely delighted but I am also really sorry for you because you are clearly unprepared for this. You might even need help. Those to whom you deny the opportunity learn from life's disappointments clearly would need help because of their inability to deal with failure or disappointment - all because of you.
I am a very positive calm person and so I never felt annoyed for long this morning. I now feel pity for the policy maker and I hope at some stage they will see the light.
Rant over. I hope you've had a great day, Bank Holiday weekend coming in the UK - wahaaaaay!
Chat soon
Ta-ra.
Picture above is a Clematis Montana over the pergola in the back garden
It annoyed me the first time I heard that there would be no winners and losers in sports activities in schools, as it's the taking part that counts. Yet many children will only ever excel on the sports field. If they're afraid to give them negative emotions regarding losing, then the whole marking system, report grading and exam system should also be banned. I mean, they may get an E-, or worse, an U(nclassified).
ReplyDeleteHi Diane
ReplyDeleteStrange really - I wish I understood the rationale that they use to come out with these statements. Your logic on grades is absolutely correct. Have a great Bank Holiday weekend
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