Rankings

I am beaming with pride.

My 8-year-old, Thun, came home with his report card. He is ranked 3rd out of 31, and he is #1 in mathematics. This is the Thai system. They rank 8-year-olds.

When I went to his school, I saw the rankings prominently displayed outside of the classroom. There's no hiding. Name and ranking, just like the League Tables in soccer, or the Standings in baseball. When I saw his name third, I was proud, but then I realized: the kids at #30 and #31, they've got parents, too!

But what really makes me happy is this: not only do they rank the students; they rank the subjects, too! Thai Language ranks first. Mathematics ranks 2nd. Science and English are tied for third. Art, computers, and religion (surprisingly!) are tied for 5th, and PE comes dead last!!! Why can't our school do that?

Thun's grades in the important subjects are all very good. However, his teacher thinks he's no good at PE, because he likes to play ball instead of listening to the teacher, and he sucks at Art, because instead of drawing a still life, like he's told, his imagination wanders to abstract expressionism!