“The eleven plus is not in his personality.” This could be
familiar refrain in the minds of some parents. Why does this bright and able, intelligent
and warm’ child who is always kind and thoughtful struggle with these
confounded eleven plus papers? Why does his behaviour deteriorate so much when
he is confronted by a paper? We never had problem with him learning to read,
his swimming teacher said he was a star and he learnt to ride a bike at phenomenally
young age. Why?
There are a number of points of view when looking at
personality.
The ten year old child’s personality is defined by
behaviour. This, however, is only true if the child’s eleven plus intentions
are the same as those of his or her parents.
The eleven plus child’s personality is demonstrated in the different
roles he or she is able to play – the serious student, the likeable dilatant. Of
course the attitude of the parents may have a part to play. Parents who are too
anxious may not achieve the results they want. Conversely the laid back parents
who allow a state of near anarchy may also not allow their child to achieve his
or her potential.
Finally, but probably not exclusively, the personality of the
eleven plus child is, to a degree, rather a matter of a ménage of subjective
concepts. This means, in part, how the child
views himself or herself and how the same child views the immediate environment.
If mum and dad expect an eleven plus pass – and this is based on sound
suppositions – then the eleven plus may well be within the `personality’ of the
eleven plus child.
Parents will be very aware that their child’s personality
can be as variable and changeable as the wind on a wind farm. We can just hope
that the eleven plus wind blows strong and steady towards the examinations.
