The importance of teamwork!

Dear 小tz,

I know you will not like what I am going to write this time. After all,we spend a good 20 minutes talking about it that Sunday. So much so that most people at the bus-stop turned their heads just to check on us. I could have just asked you to shut up and listen but I know it will not work. If this approach doesn't work on your father, how can it work on you. Right?

Putting it here in writing again so that in future, if you decide to read about it again, it's here. Oh, talking about this blog, it's content is getting more and more. I really need to tag or label them so that it's easier for you to search in the future. Well, when you feel like reading on my nagging, there is a tag you can click to see all your daddy's nagging. If you are unhappy, there should also be an option for you to read those funny post we wrote. If you would like to understand your crazy daddy, you know where you can find those posts.

So, back to the topic.

On that faithful Sunday, I was seated in your dance studio together with all the other parents who were invited to watch the mock examinations. Yes, "s" because like what you always say, there were 2 mock examinations. One after another, your tap and jazz examinations.

Not sure if you are stressed.You looks for like you are having fun. Believe me, I am stressed watching you. Very stressed.

You were in the second group to be assessed. Watching the first group frighten me off terribly. I saw how some of your classmates freezed under pressure and forget all their dance steps. I saw some receiving scolding for not following instructions. I even saw a boy broke down with tears and refused to continue thereafter.

It is not easy. At 6 years old, I went through one of my hardest moment in life. I am constantly worrying if I get to eat my next meal then. However, never, never did I once have to stand in front of a group of adults and be critically assessed for my performance. You had that and you done that. 

Bravo!

I would likely breakdown and cried like what your classmate did. But you did it! You are not very good, there are definitely areas that you can improve. Neither were you bad or among the worst. You do it so naturally as if it is part of you. So natural that I see myself smiling with pride while filming you. 

Oh... see! I talked and talked without going to the point I wanted to say. Sigh...

Old age they say.

Now, back to our 20 minutes of heated argument.

I don't like what you said while we were waiting for our bus. You told me that you didn't like being in the same group with one of your classmate. 

"She was slow and didn't know what to do!" You said.

It is good that you took your dance lessons and examinations seriously (not sure if you will do the same for your studies #facePalm#). It is good that you pace yourself with your classmates to make sure you are not the last in class. However, it is not good at all for you to blame your teacher for putting you in the same group with that classmate of yours. Neither it is good to blame that classmate of yours for her bad performance and do nothing about it. I tell you why...

Your teacher must have her reasons for doing so. I suspected that she wanted a balanced group to be presented to the examiner. A group with strong and weak students so that the whole class have an equal chance to be assessed fairly. Imagine if you are paired with best in class, you will likely score lower as compared when you are in your current group. You may even score lower than the best in the weakest group.

Your teacher may also wanted the weaker student to be guided by stronger students so they have a chance to pass the examinations.

Next, you need to know about reality in life. There are many things in life that we cannot change. Instead of grumbling, why not share what you know and learn from your teammates next time before class? As you share your experience, it gets reinforced in your mind and you will get better. Its a win-win solution. 

Last but not least, not everybody is good at everything. Even if a  person knows a lot of things, he cannot be best in everything. I saw your strength in your determination to be perfect, the hard work you have put in and your calmness in facing the examinations. I believed that is why your teacher put you first to be tested in your group, so that you can show your teammates how to do and not have any false start. However, I saw your weaknesses too. You are weak in certain basic moves and your movement wasn't that well defined. Don't always think you can't learn from people who are weaker because you may never know their strengths that you may need to learn or seek their help.

The best team is a team with teammates understanding each other strengths and weaknesses, and uses their strengths to support the weaknesses of their fellow teammates.

Picture:

小tz reading her thick library book. Definitely her strength and her daddy's weakness.