There are many competing views on the pedagogy of raising children. In this regard, some educators believe that encouraging competition is one of the most beneficial aspects of children’s development, whereas others argue in favor of teaching cooperation.
On the one hand, competition can be a great source of motivation for children. When teachers use games or prizes to introduce an element of competitiveness into lessons, it can encourage children to work harder to outperform the other pupils in the class. This kind of healthy rivalry may help to build children’s self-confidence while inspiring them to work independently and advance more quickly. When these children leave school, their level of confidence and determination will help them in competitive situations, such as job interviews. It can therefore be argued that competition should be encouraged to prepare children for adult life.
On the other hand, it is perhaps even more important to prepare children for the many aspects of adult life that require cooperation. In the workplace, adults are expected to work in teams, follow instructions given by their superiors, and supervise more junior members of staff. Team collaboration skills are far more useful than a competitive determination to win. This is the mindset that I believe schools should foster in young people. Instead of promoting the idea that people are either winners or losers, teachers could demonstrate to children that collaborating together yields greater benefits.
In conclusion, I understand why people might want to encourage competitiveness in children, but it seems to me that a cooperative attitude is much more desirable in adult life.