I've just been to sports day at my sons school, it was a relief to see tug of war and other competitive games taking place. There where winners and losers, just like life. The school my boys are at do these days well.
I'm a big fan of sportsmanship but not a big fan of making it all equal. I loved it when Paulo Di Canio caught a ball flying into a box because he had seen a player fall over rather than just belt it at the net. Thats sportsmanship. Unfortunately Paulo also has extreme right wing tendencies which stop him from making my list of sporting greats.
I don't think girls should be in boys teams, thats imbalance. I'm not sexist just don't think it works from a physicality point of view.
I like rules and consequences; for instance if a child is late for school or a lesson they should be punished, if they are consistently late they should be kicked out, why? Well it's not because I am harsh or uncaring I would just want them to have a proper perspective on life. If you are consistently late for work you get fired.
Like wise if you are rude and disrespectful to your boss, you might not get fired but you'll definitely miss out on promotion, so suck it up and learn to be polite at school.
At school as in life there will be people who know more than you, don't answer back and question just get on with it, you'll have plenty of time to answer back and question later in life.
Respect those around you if you don't one day you'll get a slap, if you don't respect others I think it's time for a suspension....
If you start to smoke at school and they won't let you then don't do it, if the rules get broken you get booted out, just like the real world.
Schools aren't just about academic information being downloaded they are to help prepare people for the real world.
Thats why I like winners and losers because thats life.
Rant nearly over, by the way it's the parents responsibility to instill these values not the schools. The school just has to be consistent in upholding it's rules.
6 comments:
as a teacher I loved your post!!!!!
The local infants has banned competitive sports. Too much cotton wool parenting.
Amen! As a parent I love your post!
Quite Baz Luhrmann.
Yes, but no: I always hear alarm bells when the phrase "real world" is used as if the world we live in now is as it should be. Sounds a bit like education making "cannon fodder for the trenches" or just more workers for the production line (to fill the pockets of the desrving "winners"). Winning and losing is so often narrowly defined academically and sportingly. Like we need to be winners to be worth anything, or at least be able to define ourselves by not being a "loser" (a term of abuse i hear used by kids).
The Gospels often appear to locate Jesus with the losers, which is also where you guys in Ibiza spend so much time and effort helping the losers. The "real world" would say leave them puking in the gutter, but aren't you saying something different with your actions??? Surely they have just broken the rules of the real world and are getting what they deserve??
Yes, I enjoy competitive sport, but find it really hard watching my kids participate, as some of the competitive bile spat at the opposition (football) by parents leaves me feeling uneasy (and angry). If the real world is winning at all costs, show me the exit.
Sadly I find this rule-based real world infecting the church more and more: Winners - living in victory all the time - only please.
Just some random questions?
We also have mixed feelings on this one...as a primary school teacher, and a parent to two young girls, I have just declined a place at nursery on their behalf. We will homeschool them - a decision not based on faith but on having seen exactly what goes on in schools in the UK. Values and respect can and should be instilled in the home ... it is up to us all to ensure they are upheld in society. I love the African proverb: "It takes a whole village to raise a child".
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