Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/a-graduation-story/5021657/
At our best, early childhood teachers create experiences that reflect our deepest values, speak to the aspirations of families, and communicate a clear-sighted respect for every child. Of course, in the moment-to-moment reality of our hectic and unpredictable lives with children, we don’t always realize our highest ideals; we have smooth days when the gap between intention and action narrows, and difficult days when the gap seems to swallow us whole. One lovely thing about important transitions is that they require planning ahead, and thus invite heightened attention to living our intentions.When we create ritual to mark transition, we ask ourselves: What story does this celebration tell about the children? About their families? About teachers and our work? Any celebration is a chance to communicate confidence and pleasure in a child; warm appreciation for a family; or joy and pride in your own work. But perhaps no celebration offers a richer opportunity to tell these stories than the end-of-year ritual many programs call ‘Graduation.’
There are probably as many wholehearted ways to celebrate Graduation as there are teachers saying goodbye to children they know and love. This is the story of one Graduation at Children First, a small school serving ...