Technolandy

Day 166 (of 2024/25) Grade 7 camps… and track meets… and graduations… traditions & attendance…

Who should and should not attend, that is the question. Whether it’s nobler to acknowledge the attempt or believe that there’s a quest that needs to be solved and resolved first…

Hmmm should things like this; https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMSNj2yVE/ lead to cancelling of the event for everyone? For some? What about the other dangers: https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-graduates-celebrate-with-rituals-full-of-promise-and-sometimes-peril

So many good things going on and so many … barriers… 

Should all people crossing the graduation be guaranteed of passing all the needed credits before they start their steps? I remember this debate way back when it was being discussed/decided for us ‘who’ would and would not be allowed to cross the stage. Much like others continue to decide what last minute criteria may need to be considered before students:

• Walk the graduation stage
• Go to an overnight camp
• Take part in a field trip
• Get a reward (lunch, ice cream, video game party etc)
• Run the 100m 

Considerations such as:

• Behaviours (recent and legacy)
• Completion 
• Participation
• Attitude
• Gender
• Age
• Clothing (regalia in particular) 

Back when course completion was being discussed for my graduating group, the decision was also made that graduation would be at the very end of June to allow as many opportunities as possible for students to demonstrate ‘enough’ for course completion – but when grad dates get busy and moved earlier and earlier, that ‘guarantee’ becomes less… valid. Certain?

Yes, I’ve shaken some hands congratulating students a while back who are *still* completing the course that they should’ve finished 11 months ago… but they knew then, and know now – you only get to walk the stage once… and it was important for them to walk with a particular group of friends and allies.  Is this a sufficient reason/validation?

I know they (one in particular) are also used as an example (admittedly, not them in specific but in a general way) for why that ought not happen and nobody should cross until – and my mind has shifted… as a few have noted, why not have the opportunity to celebrate 13 years connected with education… even if some/many years were not what ‘we’ consider successful? Who does it hurt? Who does it benefit? Who does it harm?

Why do we even bother with ceremonies like this if we postulate the importance of ‘life long learning’? You don’t ‘graduate’ kindergarten, elementary, nor middle schools but sometimes those ‘leaving events’ can be bigger than some formal ceremonies! I know, I know – crossing a graduation stage is a continued symbol of the ending of free public education and entering the real world… more important for some than others…

How do you decide who does and does not get to take part in year end ‘traditions’? Are there any yearly events you’ve discontinued?