Competition in Year One

[Cortina]

The children in DS's class are very competitive with each other - is this healthy?

It is teacher driven in the main, he thinks that it will motivate the children.

To clarify, for example take book bands, the number of children on each level book band is written down for them to see. So they know they are one of 5 on green or however it works.

There are similar schemes set up with writing etc. The number working on a certain level handwriting book is displayed and as a child moves up they are added to the new list etc.

The children are all trying to get to the next level etc. Does this happen in most classrooms?

It's a year one state school. Thoughts?

[Cortina]

Sorry, mean state primary.

[anchovies]

I have a ds in year one and to be honest it is the complete opposite. My ds has no idea who is on what level or even what the groups mean (they are sorted into ability.)

How do you feel about it? Personally I am not sure I would be that thrilled with such a competitive environment, especially as there is a big difference in abilities in my ds's class. I encourage ds to be supportive of his peers, which is not something a typical 6 year is always very good at!

[PollyParanoia]

Our book bands are up on the wall too, though not handwriting or numeracy. I don't know why and have tried to ask the teacher but she's quite defensive with parents. I find it a bit unnerving. Ds can tell you exactly where everyone in the class is and it definitely spurred him on (he kept demanding to be moved up a level and I think may be above where he should be).
On the one hand, the vile, competitive side of me quite likes it esp as my first born is near the top. However, the rational, mature side of me finds it repugnant for this to be the case with a bunch of 5/6 year olds and risks pigeon-holing them at too young an age.

[Cortina]

Think I agree, anchovies.

I've seen some seemingly fairly entrenched views from the teacher & teaching assistant as who is bright, average etc when I don't believe abilities are fixed etc. I don't think they'd agree they have these views but I see so much to the contrary, unfortunately. As I've said on here a lot I believe ability labels are sticky and so much happens and is messaged on a subconscious level which can impact negatively on children.

I found out today that a child I'd privately assumed was a genius - perfect cursive writing, superior to most adults at 6 years old, high reading age, could read and write before school started etc, etc, receives more than 16 hours of one on one intensive tutoring per week, (poor thing)! The teacher talks about how much this child can do and how 'clever' they are etc. They may be of course, but I think if you took my very average son and did the same you could get similar results in time (at great cost to his development)!

On the other hand maybe some competition is healthy? And this system might motivate some children to achieve more than otherwise?

Interested to see if other classrooms operate in a similar manner?

[lovecheese]

TBH this sounds like really bad practice. And it is done to movitate the children? What about the children who are struggling? I suppose the same teacher might say a bit of bullying by the able kids might "toughen up" these weaker ones. Awful.

[Shaz10]

I don't do this but am wondering how the children get on? OP do they like the competition? It might be quite a good motivational tool, or it might be completely demoralising.

[HeavyMetalGlamourRockStar]

In Year 1 when there is such a big gap in abilities, relating to age and differing rates of development - comparison between children can be very damaging toself esteem. Labelling kids as failures - bottom of the class is not healthy.

The race to be the first to finish the book scheme does not encourage a love of reading -in fact nearly the opposite.

I think lots of kids are naturally competitive, they will often figure out where they are in a class - I just don't think they need their place in class advertised. I would be really opposed to this system, especially in the Infant years.

Learning is a journey not a race!

[Cortina]

Shaz 10 - names are not given, just numbers in other words, 5 are on level one this week/month etc and so on.

I hadn't realised it operated this way until fairly recently, I'd noticed the children were hugely competitive with each other and think this is where it stems from (?)

Not sure whether it's that out of the ordinary? Be interested to know. Does it work like this in prep schools?

[Elibean]

Cortina, we certainly don't have this system at dd's school, but re your question about competitive kids in Y1: some are, some aren't. Some compete fiercely over who is best at skipping, one little girl I know is very anxious to move up book bands to show her Mum (her mother is anxious about her level of achievement), some don't compare themselves at all to the others, most do over one thing or t'other. Usually nothing very academic

tbh, I think constant comparison against one's peers is pretty unhealthy, though occasional light hearted competition is motivating and fun. It depends a lot (like so much!) on the spirit in which it is done.

Encouragement is another matter...

[Elibean]

ps state primary, small-ish, London.

[Cortina]

Thanks, Ellibean. Can you give me examples of occasional light hearted competition that you mention?

Do you think whether or not children of this age are competitive is nature or nurture?

[Builde]

I would be massively uncomfortable wit this, despite having one of the brighter ones. They are five and should learn because it's made fun for them.

Sounds terribly old fasioned.

[Elibean]

Bit of both, maybe, Cortina?

Light hearted competition...I suppose I was thinking of dd's Y1 teacher the other day, when the kids were split into groups to learn the story of St George, laughingly saying to the TA 'I think my group will tell the story the best, Ms X, don't you?' and of course the TA responding in kind 'nooo, Mrs Z, I don't think so!'. Fun, not serious/important tone of voice, and no serious consequences.

[themacsmum]

Just wondering whether this system has been adopted as a way of interpreting an frequently Ofsted comment - 'the children don't seem to be aware of the targets that teachers have set for them'. My DS is at an infant school where the focus is very much focussed on enjoying learning but I know that this has attracted some Ofsted criticism and can easily see how this reading band league might seem tempting to a school keen to improve their Ofsted feedback. May not be the case at all but just a thought.

[omnishambles]

Good grief - mine isnt competitive at all - the dcs know what book bands eachother is on and who is the fastest runner etc but it isnt seen as competitive - in fact ds comes home saying 'its ok mummy because everyones good at different things'

Everyone learns at their own pace surely and at this stage its still influenced by birth month so think this is really unhelpful tbh.

[PollyParanoia]

Book band lists on wall have names in ours - velcroed on. Very mixed ability class and agree with all the other comments about the wisdom of this. Some of the children are 20% older than others, some girls, different home environments etc. Making all aware of their relative "cleverness" risks calcifying these irrelevant differences.