Issue55【0806G-Sunbird小组】第6次作业

toumingsenlinUID: 2344846

TOPIC: ISSUE55 - "Competition for high grades seriously limits the quality of learning at all levels of education."
WORDS: 537          TIME: 00:40:00          DATE: 2007-11-9 17:42:06

Adam smith believed that a free competition can impel the development of society. Does his theory work on education just like it does in economy? Or is competition for high grades among adolescents a bottle of poison? From my observation, blind running for high grades prevents not only the development of education but also the progress of individuals.

Competition for high grades is not the ultimate objective of education. The first purpose of education is to create a ideal condition of equal start. All knowledge inherited by tradition should be shared by all. It should be taught to every member of the society so that everybody is equally equipped for life. In addition, genuine education, as Socrates knew two thousand years ago, is not inserting the stuffings of information to one person, but rather eliciting knowledge from him. It is the drawing out of what is in his mind. We need the truth of our world not so-called perfect A record. We should look into our selves and find the spark of truth that God has put into every heart, and then kindle to a flame. In a word, exploring truth and creating equal start for every body is the ultimate objective of education, rather than high score.

Unduly running for NO.1 will lead to orgies of hatred among students. It may be illustrated by comparing the position of playing football with that of seeking for NO 1. In a village green where you pick up two sides, no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise. But as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused and some terrible consequences will follow. It is precisely the same with unduly competition among adolescents for perfect grades. Furthermore, the significant thing is not the behavior of students, but the attitude of educators, and behind the educators, the parents and society who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe that these useless number and symbols are tests of individual virtues.

Admittedly, competition for high grades also has its positive advantages. On the one hand, test contributes a lot for solidifying past knowledge and making a preparation for future information. The accumulation of knowledge follows a kind of compound interest law just like making a snowball. It will be bigger if you firm it frequently. On the other hand, competition pressure during the test can make preparation for future competition of society. Nearly all games practised nowadays are competitive. You will lose unless you do your utmost to win. How to confront with this pressure is not a business that can be undertaken in a day or swiftly improvised by a mere command of the will. It is necessary to practise it before entering the society. So, when it comes to the accumulation of knowledge and cultivation of competition sense, contest can not be ignored.

In the final analysis, blind running for high grades will hurt educational objectives and mental states of individuals although some proper competition may benefit accumulating knowledge and developing competition sense.