"I Ran a Race"

The other day, I ran in the City to Surf "fun run". It was my first time. I finished. And I was really pleased to get a medal at the end. The medal is like the school certificate which says, "I ran a race": I took part, I finished, I did not win.

I really appreciated getting the medal!

..o0o..

Thinking Lateral
Need new thinking for your own problems? email nick leth at gmail dot com

The organisers gave a medal to everyone. But that didn't stop them praising the winners... Fastest man, fastest, woman, fastest child, fastest wheelchair... all were publicly praised. That's what you expect: Sure, it's a "fun run" -- but we all like to know who won.

The winner took less than half my time. I'm impressed. But I'm still pleased with my own performance: I know that I did pretty well -- for me. I know I can't run fast but, hey! I did my best!

Schools scrap rankings on report cards

The West, 5 Sep 06, page 14

Meanwhile, schools try to ignore the children who can think fast.

The Federal Government wants each student to be ranked, as being in the top quarter, bottom quarter or middle half of their group. But oh dear, this could "harm children's self-esteem". That's the opinion of "teachers, parents and principals" who lobbied the state government.

"Parents whose children are failing know they are failing and they don't want the world to know," says Alison Woodman, President of the WA Secondary Schools Executives Association. Oh? And how do they know that their children are failing? Do they look at the child's school report card? The one that now says only, "Your child attended schoool"?

Then, "they don't want the world to know"... Do schools publish every report card on the web? Have I missed something here? How does "the world" know the results printed on your child's report card?!

But it gets worse.

Publishing quartile lists is "very elitist" says Woodman, and "the only parents I think who want it are the ones whose children are likely to be at the top."

So, what Woodman is saying is, "Twenty-five percent of parents -- the parents of the top quartile of students -- are elitist bastards who should be ashamed of their children. One quarter of parents should be ashamed of their children's abilities."

If only those smart children could run faster... Then they could have their achievements praised publicly, printed in the paper. If only they could run faster than other children -- then we could all praise them.

The ability to think fast is an embarrassment; it should be hidden. The ability to run fast is praiseworthy.

Oh dear... How will my self-esteem handle the knowledge that I was not the fastest runner in the City to Surf...

..o0o..

Independent Thinking
Independent analysis of your problems by Agamedes Consulting. Support for your thought: email nick leth at gmail dot com