Graduation
I taught Middle School for 11 years. With apologies to my brethren and sistren who still labor in these grades, there is not a single thing I liked more about teaching at that level than about teaching High School. I enjoy the higher subject matter. I enjoy the nicer facilities (Sunnyside was brand new when I started there). I enjoy baseball games where the players aren't still learning to tag up on deep flies. But the biggest difference is the kids. No longer am I giving lessons on how to wear deodorant. No longer are my eyes darting from side to side as I walk down the hall, ready at all times to duck in case a kid should bounce off the wall and into me. No longer do the students write more notes to each other than about the assignment. Of course, freshmen are still hormonal whirlwinds, but they are growing out of it, not into it.Graduation is a yearly reminder of how different High School is. It's the one day that you can be sure the parents will act dumber than the kids. I hereby am calling for a complete ban on air horns.
One of the benefits of teaching Calculus is getting to know most of the valedictorians. Yesterday, KCee delivered the best graduation speech I have ever heard (with the possible exception of Winston Churchill's: "Never. Never. Never...give up."). She was eloquent. Her voice rose above the screaming masses. And she actually said something. I couldn't have been prouder. KCee will be going to Stanford in the fall. They picked a good one. Someday she will rule the world.
It was an evening of tears and hugs and handshakes. Many of the kids I said goodbye to will drop by and see me from time to time. Hopefully, I will keep up through e-mails and visits. But there was a large number of kids who I will never see again. All I can do is pray for their safety, their maturity, and their futures. Pray one along with me, would you?
God bless the class of 2006.
posted by Thurman8er @ 7:42 AM
5 Comments:
We had 12 valedictorians at my high school graduation. Each had at least a 4.24 GPA. They actually had to tryout to speak at the graduation because only three spoke. Thank goodness for that!
I just went to my cousin Breann's 8th grade graduation from Immanuel in Reedley. They had two valedictorians speak that gave two of the best graduation speeches I have ever heard, and they are just 8th graders.
Shane Mason
Keep up the High School ministry Bro.
Glad you had a good year.
BTW, it was our PE teacher who taught us about hygiene.
It's hard to teach hygiene when barely anyone takes PE anymore! So, it falls upon the math teacher...they are an objective sort, answers are short and to the point. Very left-brained...
I forgot to say...I sure do wish YOU were teaching math (algebra, geometry, cal-KU-lus, advanced algebra) when I was in high school...but you weren't born yet...and wouldn't be for 3 years after I graduated! Interestingly enough, my algebra teacher also taught my MOTHER math in high school. Sort of puts things in perspective. (But he was OK...I LOVED doing the "graphs".) There were about 20 of us in our class of 180 who really had to be "good"...each of us had a parent who worked for the high school!! We only had one valedictorian...the speech was so trite, even I cringed at the time. And she was the one who depended on ME to share my notes, etc. from the classes while she ran for all these beauty contests. At that time, graduation "status" was very political - it was a small town. It wasn't until I was well into adulthood that my mom happened to tell me where I "stood" in the class (she had access to confidential records) - I was shocked when she said I was #5!! Amazingly 3 out of that top 5 didn't graduate from college! Hopefully, things have changed...and your story about that KCee's speech warmed my heart greatly. Maybe there is hope after all. If you teach the same way you preach, today's students are SO amazingly fortunate. My class of '62 didn't acquire a passion for life in general until our college years ... then, everyone was very politically aware and active...they were "yeasty times" as a noted futurist wrote...times of "transition" and change...some good, some not-so-good, but we participated. Hopefully, this ethic will be revived in our young adults...and they will stand up and be counted with their votes! Hopefully they will learn that in order to affect change and to be heard, they need to "show up". From what you described of KCee, she is "showing up"!! I would give my left arm to be a teacher right now...but I'm too right-brained to teach math! Maybe history, or government...do they still teach "government" with social science? (My body doesn't like my career anymore) It's thrilling to see someone like you who recognizes students for what they will become...Kudos to you!!! You teach with passion.
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