I remember my early days teaching grade 1 and my first Christmas concert. I wanted to show the parents how well their kids could sing. Having a little musical background, I thought I could elevate the traditional kids’ singing into something memorable. Of course, as you can imagine and have most likely witnessed, performing well was not at the top of their list. All of them were focused on finding mom and dad and waving to them.
The reactions of the kids and parents were the point. They were being celebrated just for being a kid and making it to that stage. It didn’t matter what happened after that. Mission accomplished.
Yesterday I sat in a graduation ceremony for grade 12s and kindergartners. Lots of emotions both as a parent and educator. The older you get, the more you appreciate these milestone moments. The excitement of 6-year-olds and 18-year-olds isn’t miles apart. The 18-year-olds didn’t wave to their families, but their smiles were loud and proud. I only knew a handful of the kids, but watching each one be celebrated was delightful.
The kindergarten wave holds a lot of significance.
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