In desi communities the general thinking is that if you are not getting good grades/marks at school you are good for nothing. You are bound to fail in life. If the kids are getting good grades desi parents will be boasting about it to everybody they know. If the kids are not getting good grade parents feel ashamed.
How much do you agree with this thinking ?
I read an article by an expert. This expert works with teens. His advise was to set your expectations from your kids at the right level.
He says their grades should be least of your concerns , you should make sure that they are putting right time and effort in their studies. According to him grades do not reflect a measure of success in practical life. Many people with just high school education are billionaires now.
Students and parents what is your take on it ?
Education is VERY VERY important and no survey, no expert can make me believe otherwise :). Having said that i am nt saying that make the kid depressed by putting unnecessary pressure on them. But make sure they are putting in all their efforts and doing good in their education. If they are having difficulty doing good inspite of studying hard than its the parents duty to seek help for them. Also, i am against parents/family pressurizing children to study what they wanted to study lol please let them find their field of interst and study that. It's no rule that you gotta be a doctor/scientist to prove you are highly educated. You can be an artist, a mechanic, a beautician but yet highy educated as well.
Yes, there have been cases, infact many such cases, where the people are not educated but are millionaries or billionaries. But that doesnt mean education is not important as it definately gives you an edge over the others. Education doesnt mean having done your graduation/masters but also to be aware of happenings around you and should have exposure about everything.
So for atleast me, Education is the most important thing in a person's personality. And i think the parents have everything to do with making their kids do well in school so it should very much be their concern :D
Re: Pressure to get good grades/marks.
I think the pressure to excel academically is unnecessary and has little bearing on how the child will fare as an adult. When a child is so very pressured to get top grades, then thats where the focus is. Rather than on becoming a well-rounded, creative-thinking, life-enjoying person. Anyone can rote-learn - spit back whatever is drilled into the brain. oes this foster a love of learning? Nope. Nor does it foster creativity or independent ways of thinking. If you take a look at the history of high school valedictorians you will see - its usually the middle range of high school graduates who really shine as adults.
Education IS important. VERY important. But more important is love of learning which can be totally squashed if you pressure a child too much to be the best.