Cristina Wager-Weisman, Music and Performing Arts Teacher

I was recently at a dinner party when a friend started to speak about the accolades that her daughter had received. The child's resume was filled with awards and accomplishments but I was not impressed. The child was also a bit bratty. It seemed that social and emotional skills, including kindness and empathy, had been thrown by the wayside in lieu of grades, awards, and resume items.

The impact was far deeper than I had expected as her parents went on to explain how she seemed to be having trouble making friends. With endless competitions and meaningless trophies, I have to ask, are we raising a generation that will feel valueless when they realize that a life for the sake of a trophy is an empty one and that the relationships we build with one another are far more valuable?

In the article Stop Trying to Raise Successful Kids by Adam Grant and Allison Sweet Grant, the authors reflect on how kindness seems to be on the decline. They posit that we have become so focused on awards and accolades that we are not modeling or teaching our kids empathy and kindness. Where will that leave society?

The world is changing. Even colleges are beginning to look at the individual person, not at the resume of achievements. I personally know of at least two elite suburban private schools that are struggling with college admissions because of this. Of course, we at Waterfront Montessori have understood the value of grace and courtesy and the importance of social and emotional skills. Perhaps that is why our alumni go on to accomplish so many wonderful things. They already understand how to empathize, work with others, and pursue their passions for internal motivations, not external rewards. It is kindness and empathy that have helped our alumni and students become who they are, the movers and shakers of today and tomorrow!