3 Reasons for the Audition
We tend to associate auditions with those behind the scenes clips of American Idol or some other talent show where performers get up in front of judges to do their thing, under the expert and scrutinising eyes of the big-shots behind their desks. How stressful it must be for those wanting to get in. The same with sports trails, what with scouts that attend competitions to talent spot – would you be able to play your game well knowing that somewhere in that audience, someone is watching your every move, taking down notes, comparing you with the other athletes – all of a sudden, it’s not just a race for the gold, but something more personal, even scary.
For Direct Schools Admissions (DSA) trials, there is also
the interview part which plonks the kids in front of a panel of one or more
interviewers, firing them with questions about
anything from why they want to get into the school, why they love their chosen
sport/art, what they think their strengths and weaknesses are – much
like a job interview, but maybe toned down a bit with a little more eye
contact and encouragement. I would find interviews more intimidating than trials, but who
knows what goes on in there – and
most kids come out smiling, almost like they visited an uncle, minus the
sweets. I won't be surprised, however, if some come out in tears, feeling that they didn't do well enough.
Is it good for our young children to be placed in such tense
and stressful situations when their innocent and playful cerebellums and
amygdalas are still developing? They might not fully comprehend the importance
of such activities, or on the contrary they might become emotionally scarred
and end up blanking out at the critical moments, which could affect them in the
longer term.
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| Nigel participating in a track & field meet |
I guess you need to know your children well – find out what makes them go, what
makes them stop. Some kids are inherently shy and introverted and might not do
well - but in my opinion, there could still be some benefits of putting them
through a such stressful experience.
- It forces them to open up – Most children tend to be shy and quiet around adults – sure, I’ve met a few who are talkative and super confident, but those are probably the exception. So when a child goes for an audition and interview, it forces them to get out of their comfort zone and open up – at least for a bit. Given there is a strong motivation (either driven by the child himself or parents) to try and impress, he is put into a position where they have to speak up, make sure they are heard (especially in group interviews) and stand out from the group. I think it is critical for parents to spend a bit of time preparing the child for this, doing dry runs and giving "model" answers which they can use - I don't think there is anything wrong with this - but maybe more about this in a future post.
- It prepares them for the workforce – The world is a cruel place, full of competition and politics. No longer will you be able to shelter the kids from the “evils” and brutality of society, but for them to succeed, they will have to participate, navigate and even leverage the skills they’ve picked up. Job interviews are always going to be part of the hiring process and even though academic qualifications are important, the ability to cope with the stress of an intense audition or interview, keep it together, and remain calm and coherent is probably more critical.
- It lets them experience failure – In life, not everything will go your way. No matter how good you are, there is always going to be someone better, stronger, faster, more qualified. And you will have good and bad days. If your children have never experienced failures before, then it might be a tough eye-opener for them when they get out there – the ability to accept that you did not succeed, that things did not go your way, is an instrumental part of a being an emotionally and socially healthy individual. As parents, our job is to ensure our kids are ready for the world – and in reality, the world is really mostly about failure, with the occasional success thrown in. Our children need to know how to weather the storms of life, holding on to their values and beliefs while keeping their eyes on the prize, never giving up or falling into depression.