Winning?!?!

Following on from a conversation with a group of coaches I got thinking about how we frame “WINNING” for children.

Winning is often linked with competition and who comes first. And for sure I can understand that winning may be important to adults, elite players, those that have invested time and money into their goals. Everyone has different experiences of winning and will have a different viewpoint. Are adults then guilty of imposing their beliefs on winning onto children? What if we looked at winning in different ways in relation to children?

What if every child could win?

What if every child set their own definition of winning? Rather than it being imposed on them?

What if a winning experience was linked to each individuals own goals, dreams, aspirations, objectives?

In relation to teaching and learning…

What if winning was something a child could do something today that could not do yesterday? Taking on a challenge they were scared to attempt? Working with a new partner?

What if winning for children was directly linked with their personal bests? (this always makes me think of the person that finishes 4th in an Olympic games and is as happy as the person that finishes 1st purely because they have improved their personal best)

What if winning was less about the result and more about the process?

What if we were able to turn winning into something that everyone attains for? Rather than a small minority who possibly conform to the adult version that is imposed on children?

This got me thinking about a pastime that I enjoy, running. And how “winning” a marathon for me would not be coming first out of all the competitors but improving my personal best. Winning for others might be just completing in one piece, it may be getting to the start line having overcome difficulties in their training, it may be raising lots of money for charity. When looking at it like this I can then see that winning will mean lots of different things to different people.

What are your thoughts on WINNING in relation to children???  

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