From the moment we are born we are judged. Judged by parents, grandparents and friends. Judged in comparison to siblings. Babies are weighed and measured. Toddlers undergo regular development checks. Are these merely observations or judgements?
At primary school judgements in the form of tests really kick off with fervour. Reception baseline checks, phonics, Key Stage 1 & 2 SATs, multiplication tests, Primary 7 assessments. I totally understand the necessity for many of these to measure a child’s progress, but have we not become rather obsessive about them and what happens to those children who don’t measure up at the right stage? If you are not academic or a late developer (I speak from bitter experience), that child will not only know that they are not measuring up to their peers at an early age but now they have it in writing to prove it. It is all too easy to write a child off early when their potential may develop and appear at a much later stage in their life, possibly well beyond schooling years. Richard Branson, now billionaire founder of the Virgin brand dropped out of school at 16. Similarly, Lord Alan Sugar business guru and The Apprentice Star left school with no qualifications. He is now worth £1.5 billion.
Primary school tests are a mild warm up for what is to come at secondary school. Evaluations, exams, call them what you may, come in torrents, judging academic success, athletic prowess, creativity, musicality etc. In adult life we are judged by the success of our qualifications, job, relationships, home, travel exploits and of course, wealth. The list goes on, but is this a fair and accurate way to assess humankind?
How do you measure altruism, compassion, empathy, generosity? These values may sound dull in comparison and are not so discernible, yet where would we all be without them? Why are the latter qualities whether natural, learnt or developed often considered a lesser value than the former?
So, don’t be too quick on your assessment of others please. Their best qualities are probably not the ones on academic certificates, excellent and well deserved though these may be.
“When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself.” Wayne Dyer.
