This is a re-post (there's a link to the original post at the bottom). While this isn't a speech I've used or borrowed from, I couldn't help but post it for my own amusement -- encouragement...
Good afternoon friends, families, and graduates. Thank
you so much for asking me to come and speak before you on this momentous of
days in the lives of these five year olds. We come together today to recognize
and honor our preschool graduates. Over the past two years they have come
through these doors to play, paint, draw, build, dress-up, read, write, color,
and learn. Through the power of play these students have grown socially,
emotionally and academically. Through the power of compassionate and love
filled teaching, these students are now prepared for elementary school.
Students, as you move into the next phase of your
academic lives I have some advice for you. First, forget everything you did
here. Especially anything that was fun and playful. You will be entering into a
world of testing and strict standards that will dictate your every move. Your
play time will be replaced by test preparation and your coloring will be done
with a number two pencil in small circles.
My second piece of advice is to hold on to your
creativity as long as you can. While you were here in preschool you were
creative in the most unfiltered and pure form. You learned new things out of
curiosity and a natural love of learning. As you get older your classes will
become more rigid, structured and scripted. Do whatever you can to be creative
in your work and pursue your natural curiosity.
Another thing to keep in mind is to avoid failing. Yes,
when you tried singing your ABC’s and messed up, your teacher gave you as much
time as you needed to figure it out and get it right. Even though you failed
initially, your teacher did help you learn from it. However, as you move
forward, failure is seen as weakness and ultimately will determine your lot in
life. Too many failed tasks and you will be labeled a failure with no chance of
success in this so called real world.
Now don’t get me wrong, elementary, junior high, and high
school will have some great things as well. Those friends that you made in
preschool will still be with you. Although as you move on in your schooling,
those friends will now be competitors. Instead of playing together you will
compete with each other for awards, spots on sports teams, and class ranking.
If you are lucky you will come out on top.
My last piece of advice is for you to never lose your
hope. If you are fortunate enough you will have a teacher willing to make
learning as fun for you as it was here in preschool. This teacher will allow
you to think outside the box and allow your natural creativity to flow. They
will encourage you to be more than a number on a standardized test or a grade
on a report card.
Teachers outside of the preschool world, if you are in
the audience I ask you a favor. Look at these bright and enthusiastic faces.
They have a love for learning and treasure every day at school. Do whatever is
in your power to keep them this way as long as possible. Don’t squash it with
test prep, awards competitions, and overly standardized learning.
In closing, my most heartfelt congrats to you and the
work you have done in the past two years. Keep the memory of the past two years
in your mind and never forget what is possible when you love learning and let
your curiosity lead your way.
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