The best method for children to learn throughout their young age has sparked a hot debate in society. While joining a competition allows students to perform their best, I would personally argue that teaching cooperation to youngsters will enable them to understand teamwork and communication, providing more advantages to them.
The Healthy Advantages of Competiton
Advocates of the competition say that a sense of competition generally creates a healthy learning environment. When rewarded for winning a competition, children will naturally be motivated to push their own limits, enabling them to learn important life values, such as diligence and punctuality.
This notion can be exemplified in many high school essay competitions, where participants endeavor to research as much as possible about the topic, construct their finest paragraphs possible, and submit their work before the predefined deadline.
Although only winners will obtain physical awards, typically ranging from money and certificates to accolades and trophies, other participants are also able to gain irreplaceable experience and valuable life skills from such competition.
Simply put, competition is a win-win solution for all.
The Compelling Benefits of Cooperation
However, proponents of cooperation reason that another practical method for children to learn is by cooperating with one another. Instead of picturing schoolmates as rivals who must be taken down, students who can cooperate well often perceive their school friends as allies who can help one another.
During group projects, for instance, children are taught how to communicate, discuss, and collaborate with teammates. Such experience can benefit students in a major way, especially in the future, when they will work with colleagues in a professional environment.
Hence, it is undeniable that learning cooperation is absolutely essential for children.
Competition vs Cooperation
Weighing up the benefits and drawbacks, I believe that it is more important for children to learn how to cooperate than compete. Due to the rewards offered, competition might distract participants from its main purpose: learning and enjoying the learning process.
Such a major disadvantage can very well be minimized in a collaborative setting, where no physical awards are expected.