graduation time

Not that it particularly interests you but, this is my blog,so I'll publish and be damned.

Today is graduation day for the sixth grade. I will be giving a speech. This is a copy of the speech. Be glad that you are not sat, in the sun, listening to it.

Ask the question Olaya.

For those of you who didn’t hear the question, during most lessons, at some point, Olaya will raise her hand, and ask: Are you happy? Today my answer is YES. Obviously this should come as a bit of a shock – this is not supposed to be a happy occasion. In fact, according to the instructions I normally receive, this is supposed to be the moment I should cry – or at least I should make some of you cry.

However, and there is still a chance that one of us might cry, and it might still be me, I AM HAPPY. Let me explain. My job as a teacher, our jobs as educators, isn’t just to fill your heads with knowledge; it is to prepare you for the world outside. Moving on to Junior High isn’t all about being able to answer the question paper; it is also about being equipped to deal with life. It’s a bigger school. It’s a different school. In two months time you will be entering a brand new world. For some of you, who have been here at the British American Institute for over six years, it will be well removed from your comfort zone. For all of you it is going to be scary.

There are, probably, four questions you are asking yourselves:
Will the work be much harder?
Will the teachers be horrible and nasty?
Will I make new friends?
Will I survive?

Let me answer them.

Will the work be harder?
Yes – except you will find that B@I has prepared you well for the challenge. I know for a fact that most of you are going to find the maths easy and all of you are going to find the English lessons very, very easy. But, in other subjects, you will also find the going not as difficult as you imagine. In three months time you will want thank your teachers, here at B@I – by then it might be too late, today might be the day! Before you leave, for the final time, find a teacher and thank them.

Will the teachers be horrible and nasty?
Yes, of course. ALL teachers are horrible and nasty! Except they aren’t. Take it from me – and let’s face it, I have known teachers from all over the world. ALL teachers have the one same aim – to teach. If you are willing to learn, they are willing to teach. Try to go to war with a teacher and you will find that it isn’t a war you can win. Learn to respect every teacher, learn to work with a teacher, and learn to treat each teacher as an individual. We all have different rules – learn those rules and you’ll get on fine.

Will I make new friends?
Yes. True, some of your new friends won’t be from Rosorito. Some of your new friends won’t be irresistible. Some of your new friends won’t want to play Power Rangers with you at recess – in fact, as a tip, don’t ask anyone to play Power Rangers on your first day at junior high…at least wait until the second day. But you will make new friends. That said; don’t forget your old friends. Look around you now, at the people sat beside you, in front of you, behind you. The people sat with you will turn out to be amongst some of the best friends you ever make. Take the time, today, to thank them for their company, their support, for their friendship. In twenty years time, yes twenty years time – believe me - you will be telling your children about these people. It will be terrible if you don’t thank them now for the joy they have brought you.

Will you survive?
No. Oh, hang on, that was my answer if you had left in the fifth grade. The answer now, as you leave as sixth graders, is, emphatically YES! Yes you can! Think back to those early days in the fifth grade. Think about the children you were. And now, now think about the young adults you have become. You have all changed so much in the last year. You have become taller, you have become more beautiful (or handsome), and you have become more intelligent. However, and much more importantly, you have become better, much better people. True fact, when you were the fifth grade, you were hard work – every.single.lesson. Then, when Miss Lilian asked me to teach the English – waaay back in 2007 – my first reaction was NO! But now, now it is completely different. You are completely different. Now, you are a joy to teach. I enjoy teaching maths, the English – hey, even Values and “Soup for the Soul of a Teenage Chicken” is fun! Yes, you have changed. Yes you will survive Junior High.

And, because I can answer YES to those four questions, because you can answer YES to those four questions – I am happy. My job is done.

Now, before I start to cry, I leave you with one other thought, and forgive me if my pronunciation isn’t perfect, because I’ll leave you with one thought, in Spanish:

Si se puede. Chipotle!

Comments

[neil h]

Shouldn't there be something in there about always wearing sunscreen?

[Blue Witch]

What a great speech. They'll miss you.

[Vanessa]

That's a good speech. Well done.

And ... crikey, another thing to make me jealous: your students speak Proper English! Mine listened to one speech ever from me in English and it was more like: "This is Fidel. He STARTED this SCHOOL a LONG TIME ago, FOUR YEARS ago. It was LITTLE. Now it is BIG. Well done Fidel!" (start clapping and reflect that maybe the speeches in spanish aren't as hard as this)

[(S)wine]

damn, that was good.
where were you when I was going to school?