No
Competition! That was the cry during the early 90s. Too many
children had been turned off by ultra-competitive P.E. classes.
Educational circles responded with this statement, "No
competition!"
When I examined my own principles
I had to disagree. No competition was just dead wrong! Less
competition, and teaching appropriate responses when a game
finishes seemed to be the correct answer instead. As we grow
up we learn that life does have winning and losing, and our
responses do matter. However, I rarely use the words 'win'
and 'lose' because of society's negative response
to one of those words. Students would come into class and
immediately give complete allegiance to a team that was made
3 minutes earlier.
Many classes would overreact when
a game finished. It seemed that I was always putting out fires
and having corrective discussions with my classes. Younger
children would even run up to me and ask who won. If I answered
the question honestly it would illicit an ecstatic or tearful
response. I knew at this point something had to be done about
the responses I was receiving. In fact I no longer answer
that question. I simply say if you do not know who "took
the game" then it is not important to you, and that is
just fine as long as you tried your best!
Below you will see the solution that
I formulated for my school. It seems to have taken a lot of
pressure off with respect to winning and losing, and in the
same vein taught appropriate responses; responses that everyone
can agree on without reducing the competition or intensity
of the game.
How many of us have made that mistake
as parents? Your child just played a game and you ask "DID
YOU WIN?" This question generates an immediate response
of exultation or embarrassment in varying degrees. Many children
will come up with ridiculous excuses or play the blame game.
For example, "Jimmy let the winning goal in!" (When
there are 11 players on the field). Instead ask, "how
did you play?" Or, "how did 'Johnny' (your child's
best friend) play today?"
Children will usually not make derogatory
statements about close friends. "Tell me what you think
that you did best during the game." "Tell me one
thing you think you could improve on." Your children
will certainly volunteer the score; they can't help themselves!
Remember score is much less important than your child's response
to the score.
There will always be other games and
other scores. I've had hundreds of discussions with 3rd, 4th,
and 5th grade classes about their chances and why we play.
The outcome is unknown, and this adds to the excitement. In
fact if we knew we would win every time, many would find play
less stimulating. Play in this case may even border on apathy.
I always say if you finish life 50/50, 50% wins and 50% defeats,
you've been quite successful. Some have the perspective that
Johnny's team always wins and that just isn't true in the
long run.
Instead of saying you won or you lost, I use "your team
got that game," "your team took that game"
or "you met your goal." Yes, I know it is a semantic
difference but is much more tolerable for your children. The
other thing that I often do is blow the whistle to end the
game, and then have teams switch sides and play another team
in an effort to not dwell on the game that has just finished.
The next question obviously becomes, exactly "what do
you teach about winning and losing?"
Usually, early in the year with all grades (not Kindergarten)
we have an in-depth discussion. We discuss game goals! For
example, your team's goal is to score 100 points. If you meet
your goal before the other team, what should your response
be? It should be modest to loud cheering amongst your team.
You just met your goal! That should be worth something! It
is a rare occurrence when I have to tell a team that's enough
cheering; it's time to stop celebrating.
A child's response should not be 'acting crazy, running around
the room like the proverbial NFL player who just scored a
touchdown (doing a dance
in the end zone taunting the other players)!' It should
not be saying, "we won." This is just a derogatory
statement that is already known and does not need to be reiterated!
If uttered the team on the "losing" side feels like
they are being harassed, or at least my observations indicate
that feeling. Obviously some students take things harder than
others, and it will be those students who will let you know
their dissatisfaction with the other teams' response, especially
if the response is other than what you have discussed as satisfactory!
Class discussions are always pertinent and usually very productive.
I will, and always have, held my students to the standards
mentioned above (past 17 years). Winning and losing becomes
less important, is less focused on, and becomes realistic
instead of a bad thing. I usually leave my classes with this
statement, "If I never teach you how to win or lose appropriately,
and when you later are presented with this situation (Usually
in middle school. I'll be here for elementary school) you
may act inappropriately. Your teacher may ask "where
did you go to elementary school at?" You will say Fern
Hill, and I will be embarrassed (as I did not do my job).
We have pride in our abilities (but that is another article)
at Fern Hill and usually respond appropriately in all situations.
It's so nice to see small children play, have fun, compete,
and handle situations appropriately when many in society can't.
BIO:
Michael Usilton is a graduate of West Chester University (Health
and Physical Education) where he played four years of collegiate
tennis. He enjoyed teaching college at his alma mater while
working on his Master's degree via a graduate scholarship.
He taught at the Vanguard School (approved private school)
for six years before getting a job in the West Chester Area
School District. For the past 18 years he has been at Fern
Hill Elementary. He is a former coach of tennis, soccer, (West
Chester East HS) softball and basketball (Vanguard School)
while teaching high school and his first few years of elementary
school. He is a veteran
co-op having mentored 45 student teachers to date.
He is married and has 4 children ages 13 and 11 (triplets).
He has had the pleasure of teaching his triplets for the past
six years during their elementary tenure. Recently he has
written a book on games for student teachers (unpublished)
and has written several articles that he thinks his school's
parents would enjoy. His hobbies include fishing, building,
and his recently acquired skill (with his son) riding a unicycle.
No
Competition! That was the cry during the early 90s. Too many
children had been turned off by ultra-competitive P.E. classes.
Educational circles responded with this statement, "No
competition!" 