By Kate Sun
“The grade means everything” that’s what parents tell their children nowadays. They just want their children to get the perfect grade. Children’s all-round development, however, has been omitted. That, of course, as time goes by, children still rely on their parents. Is score really so important for a child?
Veronica Cheong, the principal of a continuing education institute.
Veronica Cheong, the principal of a continuing education institute, who has devoted herself to education for five years, pointed out the problem. “In order to enhance the reputation, schools in Macao grade children by scores, that causes the phenomenon ‘the weak will be separated from the strong’.” Cheong stated that she has met students who have high academic performance, but have little self-caring abilities. They are asked to only focus on their study, while their parents take care of everything else for them. These children have become incapable of handling simple problems in their daily lives, just because they are educated to think that achieving high grades is the only thing that matters.
The condition is influential to the development of children, either in the aspect of mental health or self-confidence. “It lowers their comprehensive capacity and reaction to setbacks” Cheong commented. It is critical for children to be confident about themselves. Parents tend to blame children for not focusing on their studies and fail to see their potential. Teachers and parents should give the children compliments, or even small rewards, to encourage their achievements in daily lives, said Cheong.
In fact, once children build up their confidence, they also develop a sense of self-identification. It allows them to do what they are interested in and passionate about, besides studying. With parents and teachers’ encouragement and support, they can have better development. “As they build up their confidence, their horizon will be widened; without parents and teachers’ pressure, their confidence and self-caring ability will be boosted,” said Cheong.
Cheong suggested that parents can train children from small things in their lives and encourage them to take care of themselves, instead of doing everything for them. This should be applied to their daily lives, don’t just push them to study. Giving children more freedom to do what they want.
“Learning is more than just the grades,” she said, it is not difficult to train children to live independently, but it’s difficult to make parents change their mindset and give their children a chance to develop in an all-around way.