Kindergarten Graduation- necessary or not? When it was first proposed at our school in 2018, I didn’t think much of it then. It would be cute to see 5-year-olds in caps and gowns. It’s a trendy thing in the USA and we are bringing it to a small town in India. However, as the process unfolded, the entire event lacked meaning and purpose, apart from a cute photo op! The event happened, and a couple of days after it, I had a half-day discussion with our teachers and we asked ourselves, “WHY”, as we do with many things that happen at our school. We asked why this event was conducted, what everyone, especially the students, got out of this, and what truly was the outcome we wanted- money, time, and plenty of effort went into making this event happen. To have each student’s name called, for them to dress in cap & gown, to come on to the stage to receive a kindergarten graduation certificate – what for? At least in the US, many kids celebrate their being together from about 6 months of age to about 5 years in the same preschool, and it’s a time to celebrate their graduating from a preschool into a new elementary school. But at our school, the kids will continue at the same school, just move to a different classroom! After an in-depth discussion, we decided not to have kindergarten graduation ceremonies at our school. It was also an important lesson for all of us to not get carried away with doing things just because it’s trendy.
And to those who say that we must celebrate the little moments – we do! When our children learn why neem sticks are better than plastic toothbrushes, why nuts/fruits are a better snack than Kurkure, and when they can cutely articulate why excessive screentime is not good for them, we invite the parents, we listen to our little ones present & explain, and take pics & videos to rejoice in their learning journey!
As educators, it is our responsibility to do what’s meaningful, to do what’s right, and to be authentic. All parents must reflect on what they expect from schools and why. All schools must reflect on why they do what they do. #nosecretsineducation #spreaditlikewildfire #kindergartengraduation #meaningfulcelebrations
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