Tony Lazar

In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell showed the player roster of the 2007 Medicine Hat Tigers Hockey Team (researched by a Canadian psychologist named Roger Barnsley).

Listen to Tony Lazar’s view on how this affects a child’s progress through school:

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Key Points from the audio:

1. Seventeen out of the twenty five players were born in January, February, March and April.
2. The same pattern occurred throughout the National Hockey League and the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
3. He found that in any elite group of hockey players –
   1. 40% of the players will have been born between January and March.
   2. 30% between April and June
   3. 20% between July and September
   4. 10% between October and December.
4. September 1st cut off date.
5. What benefits are those born in the first six months receiving on account of age, maturity and size:
   1. Selected for plays
   2. Volunteering for to speak more often
   3. Chosen for responsibility
   4. Chosen as leaders
   5. Achieving higher grades
   6. Excelling in school teams
   7. Streamed in higher groups
   8. Higherself-esteem.
6. What advantages are the others missing out on.
7. The education system has dealt the younger children a big disadvantage.
8. If this is the case what can you as a parent do?
9. Complaining about the system is of no use.
10. Give your child the edge through time, communicating, and the best learning techniques, building confidence.