I always thought it was stupid. But when we did it for my son it was cute and we have good pictures from that day. We wouldn't have 'missed' out if we didn't do it but it was yet another thing we got to do together as a family.
Trickle down sociology. FBlade - Was not referring to the education system in Europe but rather the corporate environment.
The average man prides himself on his cynicism, for fortune shall never shine on the feeble; The bolder man prides himself on his hope For only he realizes the boundaries of greatness -Ronny
I had a pre-k graduation! It's a good excuse to watch your kids put on a cute program, and some cute pictures come out of it. I was waitressing last week, and a lady declined ordering dessert because they had her son's pre-k graduation cake at home. lol!!
My son's is next Friday. They're calling it a Learning Celebration. No cap and gown or anything. Just to show what they've learn over the past year.
Maybe not an accomplishment, but these ceremonies do encourage parent involvement. It promotes a positive attitude towards school and learning. I have no problems with my kids feeling good about themselves. There will be plenty of people in the world that will try to rain on my kid's parade, so I don't need to be one of them.
Honestly. Even high school shouldnt be considered a real graduation. It should be college or nothing. Anyone should be able to graduate as long as they put minimum effort. Save for foreigners who have trouble with the language.
At the school where I teach, we have a 5th grade ceremony (the school calls it "graduation", I call it the "5th Grade Parade"). On the last day of school, at the end of the day, the 5th grade students file out the main hallway while the K-4th graders (and some parents) line the halls giving them high-fives, applause, etc. And over the PA system, they play "Pomp and Circumstance". It does serve a purpose: a lot of these kids are leaving the only school they've ever known, the only friends they've ever known, the only teachers they've ever known, to enter into a new school experience. You can see it hit them as they walk down the hall that they're really leaving, and some get a little teary-eyed and emotional. It's actually quite nice without, I think, diminishing what they'll experience later as 12 graders.
Agree 100% high school diplomas aren't worth the paper they're printed on either. I don't agree with everything the movie Waiting for Superman was about but what struck me was despite how much kids suck at math or science they are full of confidence about themselves. I guess they all believe they will end up winning American Idol or something.
I didn't even go to my high school graduation. Three different schools and no friends at any of them. Plus, standing on a football field watching other people do stuff hit a little too close to home. And college graduation, hell, it just felt like those pricks wanted more money.
I don't know about the pre-K "graduation" thingy, but I got the biggest kick out of watching my kids do a play back then (different years, obviously). Heck, through elementary and middle school both of them were into choir and theatre. I must have hours of movies somewhere of that stuff. One of these days, I need to gather the films together and edit that **** down. Totally cute! Then they got into stuff like robotics. Pretty trippy watching a robotic competition, but the cuteness factor just isn't there.
LOL at the folks that think this is horrible tragedy. I don't think the kids are taking this as seriously as you all are. I think it's good for them...it teaches them how important school is and also how to start acting with ceremonies and formal events and such. Chill out folks, society as we know it will be okay...really...
exactly....the kids are too young to make too much of anything, especially start thinking that they deserve things without having earned them or something like that. For the most part all they are getting is a paper saying they passed, which is true. Also, how many kids that age actually haven't earned it? It's an age where kids are actually eager to learn, like school, and absorb all kinds of things more easily. The real issue is teaching as it gets to middle school and then high school. That's where kids get passed a lot more despite not learning enough. Even then, graduation ceremonies aren't what will make them think they're better or worth more than they are. It'll be the inflated grades for deflated work that cause that. Besides, if certain kids don't care about school enough, why would they think so much about a graduation? Those kids will be the ones falling asleep in the middle of it or missing it completely. The kids who value the ceremony will be those who also value their education, so they won't be the ones slacking off.
