Common Vision on Competition

When the original proposal for Woods Learning Center was submitted, one of the foundation pillars was to create a “positive, non-competitive atmosphere that fosters an acceptance of the uniqueness of self and others.” This would include “opportunities for all students to be recognized, praised, and rewarded for their accomplishments.”

This represented a change from the culture of many schools, which often try to promote excellence through constant competition in spelling bees, science fairs, sports, and so on. Often there is a tendency in schools only to reward the minority that regularly succeeds according to general standards, whether that is in academic, athletic, or other activity areas. The highly skilled child does not need to improve to keep winning, and the child with challenges is discouraged to try. Children are pitted against each other and we begin to lose a sense of community in which everyone encourages everyone else with support and respect.

We believe that opportunities are lost when children are discouraged too early, and that a child’s love of learning and playing can be destroyed if they believe they are never good enough. We believe that each child should be measured and encouraged according to his or her own potential, and that any growth and learning are cause for celebration. Our children are just beginning to get a sense of self, to explore life’s possibilities, and to discover their likes and dislikes. Math and basketball are not activities reserved only for the “champions” in adult life, but competitions can give this message when we limit who gets to participate.

We also believe that children need to develop their own internal motivation to achieve goals. Ribbons and medals often create limitations by defining the same goal for everyone (easy for some, impossible for others). Our wish is that each child would have challenging goals, and gain a sense of achievement in reaching them.

We do not believe that competition is bad or always inappropriate, but that children need to have a place where it is not their constant worry. There are many opportunities outside the school to find competitive activities, and we absolutely do not discourage children from them when appropriately chosen by parents and students.

As a community, our goal is to allow a personal sense of self worth to develop and grow by encouraging risk-taking in a safe environment where everyone’s skills can improve, where everyone can try new things, and where children can learn to love life’s activities. Woods is committed to being a place where everyone who enters the doors is valued for who they are, not what they can do at one moment in their childhood. As parents and educators in this community, our common goal should be to have an environment where we assist everyone here to grow, improve, succeed—and sometimes just to take joy in playing together.

“Woods is a school where everybody gets to play.”
—former WLC student