Some people think that children should be taught to be competitive in school. Others, however, say that cooperation and team working skills are more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Although

it is sometimes thought that schools ought to teach children to compete, other people believe that the focus should be about cooperation. In my opinion, deciding whether to focus on competition or team working skills should depend on the age of the child. On the one hand, children who learn to compete against each other often do better in school, according to some.

In other words

, the competition between students motivates them to excel in their studies or tasks which

consequently

produces better academic performance and results.

Furthermore

, it is commonly believed that these skills are essential for children to learn in order to succeed later in life when they must compete against others in the job market.

On the other hand

, it is often thought that it is better if the emphasis at the school is on cooperating with others. People do not live, work or socialise apart from others, so learning how to work alongside others ought to be taught from childhood. Without these skills, many think children would lack the ability to communicate with each other or know how to deal with confrontations and conflicts in a constructive way.

Finally

, in my view, both skills are indispensable for a child’s future but the focus should depend on a child’s age. While young children need to learn how to communicate effectively and learn to work with others, older children, who are starting to take exams and be assessed on their academic performance, would benefit more from the competition. Schools,

therefore

, need to be flexible as to when to focus on one over the other. In conclusion, despite people having different views, I believe it would be better for young children to develop team working skills and older children to become more competitive.