The Graduate

Post date: Apr 10, 2016 5:47:34 AM

My daughter just graduated. No, it wasn't engineering, medical school or law school. It wasn't even high school or Kindergarten. She graduated Nursery school complete with the flat hat.

I attended a graduation ceremony twice in my life. For my masters and doctoral degrees. I even missed the one for my bachelors, because I had already left the country to pursue my masters, before the convocation.

But it looks like, this generation is going to graduate so many times, they will be experts at it, long before they are in college.

The school had a lovely ceremony. Each child was called to the podium and then presented with a title that best suited them. Some of the titles I recall are Miss Loving, Miss Talented, Miss Energetic, Mr Efficient, Mr Considerate and so on. My daughter was Miss Intellectual. They were made to wear the title on a sash and presented with the traditional graduation flat hat.

I liked that every child was called upon stage and told, in what way they were special. It was not a competition of marks. The teachers had observed them during the year and identified their unique qualities, and graduation day was to celebrate the best in each of them in the presence of family and friends. Everyone has something about them that makes them special and what better way to encourage them to explore their talents and find themselves. Today with so much focus on competition and out performing others, often the importance of introspection and self improvement are overlooked. The ceremony was a reminder that satisfaction comes from figuring out what you are good at, and then working on it to get better.

The kids were thrilled and even the more cynical parents could not help, but smile.

All in all a great ceremony. I look forward to many more in future.