![]() ![]() You participated in International Day and Science Day, donated Halloween candy, collected soap and canned goods galore.Īlong the way, you have made new friends, and have been taught by many wonderful teachers. You played games at the Math Carnival, punched tin, made bread on Pioneer Day, and came through Ellis Island as immigrants. You found the Gingerbread Man and set butterflies free. ![]() You have created beautiful pieces of art, performed musically, and learned much about physical fitness and wellness. You have learned how to read and to write you have become proficient at math, learned how to think like scientists, and have become acquainted with many of the world’s regions, customs, and history in your social studies lessons. You have worked hard and accomplished much in your time here. As we prepare to move you up to the middle schools, it is natural to think a little bit about your experiences in elementary school. I am pleased to be able to say a few remarks, and share some of my thinking with you on this, your last day at. Ward for permission to share her words here, for parents to consider: How well do we, as adults, heed the advice of an elementary school principal to her graduating students? As in any good speech, the speaker’s words have resonance not only for the graduates but for all audience members, and I asked Mrs. 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.This speech was delivered by Melanie Ward, Principal of Mendon Center Elementary School on Jon its annual Moving Up Day Ceremony which occurs on the last day of school. In closing, my most heartfelt congrats to you and the work you have done in the past two years. Don’t squash it with test prep, awards competitions, and overly standardized learning. Do whatever is in your power to keep them this way as long as possible. They have a love for learning and treasure every day at school. Look at these bright and enthusiastic faces. ![]() Teachers outside of the preschool world, if you are in the audience I ask you a favor. They will encourage you to be more than a number on a standardized test or a grade on a report card. This teacher will allow you to think outside the box and allow your natural creativity to flow. If you are fortunate enough you will have a teacher willing to make learning as fun for you as it was here in preschool. My last piece of advice is for you to never lose your hope. If you are lucky you will come out on top. Instead of playing together you will compete with each other for awards, spots on sports teams, and class ranking. Although as you move on in your schooling, those friends will now be competitors. Those friends that you made in preschool will still be with you. Now don’t get me wrong, elementary, junior high, and high school will have some great things as well. Too many failed tasks and you will be labeled a failure with no chance of success in this so called real world. However, as you move forward, failure is seen as weakness and ultimately will determine your lot in life. Even though you failed initially, your teacher did help you learn from it. 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. Do whatever you can to be creative in your work and pursue your natural curiosity.Īnother thing to keep in mind is to avoid failing. As you get older your classes will become more rigid, structured and scripted. You learned new things out of curiosity and a natural love of learning. While you were here in preschool you were creative in the most unfiltered and pure form. My second piece of advice is to hold on to your creativity as long as you can. Your play time will be replaced by test preparation and your coloring will be done with a number two pencil in small circles. You will be entering into a world of testing and strict standards that will dictate your every move. Especially anything that was fun and playful. Students, as you move into the next phase of your academic lives I have some advice for you. Through the power of compassionate and love filled teaching, these students are now prepared for elementary school. Through the power of play these students have grown socially, emotionally and academically. Over the past two years they have come through these doors to play, paint, draw, build, dress-up, read, write, color, and learn. We come together today to recognize and honor our preschool 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. Good afternoon friends, families, and graduates.
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