Graduation Ideas

In Graduation 2020 - Ideas When #RemoteLearning from Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator, Lisa Nielsen shares,

“ Graduation in 2020 will be unlike any graduation before it. While the thought of losing the traditional pomp and circumstance is difficult, there are some innovative options available.”

She also gives some suggestions and I thought about some other ideas that are possibilities.

Zoom:

Depending on the number of students have a Zoom graduation where the principal gives an opening speech. The valedictorian and salutatorian can give a speech. Then the principal calls the name and the graduate in cap and gown states they are there. The principal virtually hands the student diploma. After all names are called, the principal can give a closing speech.

Second Life:

Years ago I used Second Life a lot for professional development. Students and parents could attend a graduation ceremony in Second Life. The same ceremony that takes place in real life can happen in Second Life.

Video:

Our church records the Sunday Service and incorporates videos in the service. The same could happen with graduation. Have each graduate take a picture of themselves in cap and gown. The school can make a video of the ceremony with recorded videos of speeches. Then the principal call all each graduate’s name with the picture of the graduate inserted.

What other possibilities can you think would be possible for graduation? Please share.

Photo by MD Duran on Unsplash

What I Want My Students to Know

In What you need to know when you’re done with high school from Do I Dare Disturb the Universe? by Scott, he states he was challenged,

“to identify the Top Ten Things Every Graduating High School Student Know or Understand.”

I thought this would be a great exercise in thinking about what I would want my special education students to know when they graduated. Here is my list.

1. Know where to go for information or help.

2. Know that it is okay to say “I don’t know” without feeling stupid or inadequate.

3. Find something you love to do and fit it into your career. It helps if you love what you are doing.

4. If you never try, you will never succeed at anything. You might stumble along the way but that is normal.

5. Your interests may change over the years and that is okay. You can enjoy doing different things and at times, you might like one activity more than another.

6. Develop a support system.

7. Learning is a life time activity and that when you graduate, the learning doesn’t end.

8. You will make mistakes but do not let them take over your life. Mistakes are not what make you the person you are but it is how you deal with these mistakes that make you stronger. Your actions show others what kind of person you are.

9. Be honest. Integrity is important. Once you lose it, it is almost impossible to ever get back. People trust those with integrity. Once you lose that trust, it is like a glass that is broken and never can be put back the way it was.

10. Most of all, believe in yourself

What would you want your students to know?

Original image: 'LuMaxArt Graduation Concept'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22177648@N06/2137729748 by: Scott Maxwell

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).