OK, I have to admit I'm feeling like an old fart, "In my day there was no 6th grade graduation, you only graduated once and that was high school and then you went off to college, joined the military or got a job, anyhow you got your shit together and you moved out of the house..."

So tonight our daughter had her 6th grade graduation. Originally she didn't want to go, her attitude was it was more of a participation trophy than anything else. Wonder where she got that attitude... One of her teachers convinced her that it actually was important and asked that she reconsider. So she did, and she did have fun with her close friends. One of the cool things her school did was put together a slide show for the graduating 6th graders. It included their yearbook photo, photos provided by the parents and a quote provided by the student. Why was I not surprised that our daughter was the only one to quote Doc Holiday.

Our daughter's slide;


Our daughter with her grandparents.


Now for the social commentary. It's elementary school graduation people, your little snowflake didn't just win a Nobel prize! Ok poor example, with their recent decline in standards 6th grade graduation may amount to more. But still it's 6th grade graduation, I didn't even know such things existed until a couple of weeks ago! And when did it become socially acceptable to fully extend an arm like a drowning man with iPhone in hand to video record the whole damn ceremony blocking the view of everyone sitting behind them! It's suburban white bread utopia out here, if your kid has an IQ higher than room temperature chances are they'll do this again when it actually means something! Yes, this is coming from the proud dad with the big ass DSLR slung over his shoulder, at least I can be discreet and work from the back or crouch in the aisle. The school director made two separate speeches; one about chickens with their pecking order in the farmyard and the other about Ernest Shackleton's first expedition to Antarctica. Some parents were going off about how inappropriate he was in scaring the children. NO! In the name of Zuess's butthole were you even listening? Get a grip, they're anecdotes to prepare the students for leaving their charter school and entering the neighborhood middle schools as well as how to face difficulties in life. At times I rally feel for my daughter's generation.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 2000Z-71,

Congrats! There was a thread about these thing last week, not a lot people in favor of these kind of ceremonies


It sounds like your daughter has the right idea. It's a time to encapsulate the memories of what has just happened, and provide a moment for the families to recognize milestones that go by way too fast. It shouldn't be "hey! You finished 6th grade! Here's your trophy!" It's mom, dad, friends, I'm growing up all too fast, and someday you and I, and my friends, will want to remember this time

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
Congrats! There was a thread about these thing last week, not a lot people in favor of these kind of ceremonies

Because they're absolutely retarded.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
Congrats! There was a thread about these thing last week, not a lot people in favor of these kind of ceremonies

Because they're absolutely retarded.

Sounds like Maya already knew that, really, but why am I not surprised?

She had a good time with her friends, though, and we know she knows it's just on to more primary education now, so it's all good.

-Rob

Hey, you know, I'm all about throwing parties for any or no reason at all. Any excuse to be with family and friends for a fun time is a good one as far as I'm concerned. These type of ceremonies though just seem to take itself too seriously and by extension get it all wrong.

But whatever, let's all have a Billy Madison style party after every stepping stone in life. I'm game. Just as long as there's a clown in stilts present who might possibly trip and fall on his face so that we can all point and laugh at him together.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Hey, you know, I'm all about throwing parties for any or no reason at all. Any excuse to be with family and friends for a fun time is a good one as far as I'm concerned. These type of ceremonies though just seem to take itself too seriously and by extension get it all wrong.

But whatever, let's all have a Billy Madison style party after every stepping stone in life. I'm game. Just as long as there's a clown in stilts present who might possibly trip and fall on his face so that we can all point and laugh at him together.

Lord knows I agree with you, and I'm on the record with my disgust in the other thread.

Frank obviously missed that one. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been caught off guard by the lunacy.

Regardless, Maya apparently enjoyed herself without being deluded into thinking that she has "graduated" from anything per se, so she's still one of us.

-Rob

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:

Regardless, Maya apparently enjoyed herself without being deluded into thinking that she has "graduated" from anything per se, so she's still one of us.

-Rob

Sounds like she had the exactly right attitude.

Sounds like this school only goes to 6th grade and I see nothing wrong with a celebration when students finish. Calling it a graduation is a stretch since no degree or real diploma is earned.

I went to a Catholic grade school for grades 1-8. There was only one graduation and that was for 8th grade. It made sense because after 8th grade, the class broke up and went their separate ways onto various area high schools. I do distinctly remember seeing some of my classmates beaming with pride and others getting all sentimental. All I was thinking was WTH, it's GRADE school. All you had to do was show up. It meant nothing to me. High school graduation was the same. I was proud to walk for my college degree, but some of that excitement was tempered by several people that I personally knew that should not have gotten a degree (in my opinion).

In my case, I had a 6th grade graduation (1962), a junior high graduation after 9th grade (1965), and high school graduation in 1968. I guess I am different from most members here because I enjoyed them all immensely, meaningless or not, they meant a great deal to me. College graduation in 1972 was not so enjoyable because most of my friends either went to different schools or skipped college all together. Seemed like I was graduating college with a bunch of strangers.

I had a 6th grade graduation in 1970, and I ain't no damned snowflake.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
Congrats! There was a thread about these thing last week, not a lot people in favor of these kind of ceremonies

Because they're absolutely retarded.

shouldn't really bother celebrating every birthday either, only the "big" ones.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
Congrats! There was a thread about these thing last week, not a lot people in favor of these kind of ceremonies

Because they're absolutely retarded.

shouldn't really bother celebrating every birthday either, only the "big" ones.

CONGRATS, YellowJacket!

That was post 7,593 for you! What an achievement!

Look, everybody! YellowJacket has accomplished something worthy of recognition - his 7,593rd post!

(See the dumb here?)

-Rob

I did not attend my son's kindergarten or grade school (5th grade) graduations because I felt that they were really non-achievements, just a reason for parents to act stupid. I mean, the kids are supposed to move on from 5th to 6th grade, they are supposed to transition from kindergarten to 1st grade, right? High school graduation is a right of passage from childhood to adulthood, IMO. And graduation from college is an achievement in itself, not everyone can. From my son's POV, he does not remember his kindergarten "ceremony" and thought his 5th grade one was a drag.

Kinda like Chris Rock's observations here:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaPHPQt91w8

I've really got no issue with the school or the ceremony itself. Our daughter's school is a K-6 charter school. After this year all of the 6th graders will be going somewhere else; various public middle schools, other charter schools or private schools. The school kept things in perspective, the tone really was a way of saying goodbye, thank you and good luck in the future. The kids kept things in perspective as well.

But last night was like the reason I don't do pediatric nursing; it's not the kids it's the parents. The kids just finished 6th grade and are moving onto to middle school next year. This is not a major life achievement, it's what's expected. I was just dumfounded by some of the over the top carrying on of parents.

My son has his 6th grade awards ceremony and graduation on Friday. I agree, it's more a participation trophy than anything else. I think the party aspect is probabaly what the kids are most excited about. When I graduated from high school, my girlfriend's mother asked me why I looked so down/bored. I told her that high school really was only a start as a I still had an LDS mission, college and law school. Therefore, high school graduation really wasn't that big a deal to me. I finally celebrated when I passed the bar and got a job.