gryphea

Don't have a problem with this at all. They are placing the students; the kids know that 1st place is better than 8th.

My duaghter got a top ten in skiing this year. It was great. She came back competely enthused and striving to do better.

Oink

That's probably why Canada won only three gold medals at the last summer olympics. They value and teach mediocrity.

gryphea

No. Its cause they concentrate on their winter medal haul; an are which the UK value and teach mediocrity.

My daughter isn't going to be a gold medal winner. I'm fie with that and so is she. No reason why she shouldn't feel good about things though.

I realise you don't relish making anyone feel good about things though

GavinR

And they don't keep score in soccer either.

Oink

There's no need for personal attacks, keep it general.

Back to my point, if Canada didn't have stuff to dig up or chop down the country would be in a very sorry state. The lack of dynamism here is astounding and I'm afraid institutionalized. Second best is good enough, but that's no way for the human condition to prosper.

gryphea

Don't get this as in U10 in calgary they definately do (although they say they don't). League tables, seeding rounds, teired competition, knock out tourneys. All supposedly in an age group where they don't keep score.

gryphea

Ah but canada do have stuff to dig up and chop down and will have for a while. If not they would be in the sorry state the UK is in

In some ways I agree, which is why it suits my daughter very well but my son would do better in UK (possibly). He is a striver, an achiever and thrives on competition in a dog-eat-dog world. But I reckon he would do well anywhere

My daughter has really responded to the canadian style and I think she may have been left behind in the UK. She is still pretty competitive though. The top ten skiing made her go on to achive 4th at end of season. She won't currently do better than that as she is december born and competes with kids nearly one year older- so it seems worth encouraging her as as she grow older that age gap will close.

But , really to say the canadians are crap because of their summer medal haul doesn't make sense

gryphea

Wasn't it all slightly personal when you suggested we were abusing our kids?

Or is your tongue in cheek humour OK, but mine not?

Oink

I was asking a general question, it wasn't directed at you personally.

Its the basic concept of debating. You can pose a question, argument or idea and equally you can attack said question, argument or idea. You should not attack the character or motives of a person who has stated said question, argument or idea.

Oink

Of course it makes sense. It's an example and manifestation of the institutionalized mediocrity that seems to be at the heart of Canadian national consciousness. As I said before, IMO accepting second best, is giving up on what makes us human beings. There are winners and losers in life. I find it unconscionable that parents do not instill a sense of competitiveness. Who wants losers as kids?

Jingsamichty

I take on board gryphea's point about the school my kids attended, and the general 'oil family-ness' of the area, but in my opinion, that's what makes it worse... I could perhaps understand telling disadvantaged kids that they're all as good as everyone else, but I'm talking about a bunch of solidly middle-class kids from relatively privileged homes, with allegedly well educated and ambitious parents.

It's almost as if the school is encouraging the kids to absolve for their advantages by trying to out-nice each other. Instead of telling the kids how hard work and determination breeds success, they're told that there are no losers and we're all the same. Canada seems to think that there's no such thing as too humble.

There's an advert on TV at the moment, I think it's for Boston Pizza, and in it a kids' hockey coach opens a pizza box. On the inside of the lid is the most Canadian of slogans - "Celebrating a loss like it's a win." As nauseating as that is, Canada also teaches its kids to do the reverse.

But, I accept that I'm just a grumpy old bastard and would no doubt find something equally as unreasonable to moan about at my kids' new school in England if I was ever there long enough.

iaink

My parents moved me from Surrey to Merseyside when I was 6 or 7. Some people might consider that to be child abuse...

But in actual fact they would be wrong. Making statements based on faulty assumptions often leads to false conclusions. I loved the area I grew up in, it was wonderful. Not sure I would swap it for where I am now though.

If the parents are happy and settled, then most likely the kids will be too. There will of course be a period of adjustment just as there would be with a move from one town to another in the UK, but if the parents were restless enough to go through the hoops to get to Canada, then they were probably not all that happy and settled where they were in the UK in the first place, and that will have an effect on their kids too.

Auld Yin

So if you live here and Canada is generally crap, does that make you a loser for living here as long as you have?

gryphea

But it doesn't make sense because their perfomance at winter olympics is outstanding.

I don't really understand your position at all. You celebrate all winners (i get that) but when anyone on here asks about Vancuver's schools and dares to mention they want a good one, you come all over mediocre on them and state all schools are the same. Why is celebrating 1st place a good thing, when asking for good schools a bad thing?

My daughter will not be a world leader; but that doesn't mean she can't reach her full potential or that I don't want her to. I believe she is encouraged to reach her full potential more here. However my son is more like Jing's experience here in school.

gryphea

Who ever said the parents don't instill a sense of competitiveness?

The schools may not, but I don't think that's necessarily a reflection of the parent's attitude?