We think you can do better!

Most of us know a little bit about St Jerome because he translated much of the Bible from Greek into Latin.

He, like many great men, made a number of statements and sayings. But it is still strange to think that a man who lived and worked over one and a half thousand years ago was the author of the current eleven plus song.

Parents use a variety of styles of singing and presentation when they are delivering the same old message:

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best.”

Think of the millions of children over the years who have had to listen to their parents exhorting them to `do their best’. Thank of all those parents urging their children on with vastly different emotions in their hearts.

Parent One to child standing beside the high diving board at the swimming pool. “The first time will be the worst. After you have done it once you will really enjoy diving in. Just do your best.”

“There I told you that you would enjoy yourself. Now this time try to keep your arms together, straighten your legs and tuck your head in a little more. You can do better if you just try hard.”

Parent Two to child sitting on a horse for the first time. “It really is easy. Just hold on with your legs, lean forward a little. Are you ready now? Just do your best.”

“There I told you that you could do it. Now concentrate on your posture, try a little canter, no, don’t fiddle with your hat. Just listen to what I say. You will do better this time.”

Some poor children in the build up to the eleven plus examinations are given so much advice and exhortation from their parents. The children feel that they can never really please their parents. What ever they have done well they are urged on to do that little extra. The children feel sometimes that they are under pressure to get better and better.

To relieve the pressure we now need some famous song writers to provide the tune for our `Eleven Plus Song.”

Try singing this to one of John Lennon’s songs:

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best.”

Think of how Beyonce and Shakira would combine to sing the words:

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best.”

I bet Dolly Parton could belt out a really good version of:

“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best.”

So we can see now that preparing for the eleven plus is: “Not what you do, but the way that you do it.”