adult led and ceremony

[blw2]

Just had an interesting time last night, and scout son's 5th grade "graduation"

planned for 1-1/2 hours it lasted a good 2 hours.

 

I'm not sure, because I spaced out there a bit.... but I think he might have graduated high school

 

They had awards and recognition going for what seemed like forever..... at least they did most as group mentions..... as in " stand after I call your name, save applause till the end..."

They did that for things like AB honor role

and who participated in the extra curricular band

 

but they had plenty come up front stuff too....

for the kids that made a record for track or for pull ups, or participated on the school's Olympic team, and some kids that excelled playing the recorder in music class.

(how is it that these gets you 'up front mention', but coming in 45 minutes before school to play in band, or early and late to serve on safety patrol, or getting all A's and B's get's herd treatment?.... but that's just my pet peeve)

 

Anyway, Son was saying he was "soooo bored".  He had to sit still in such an uncomfortable position and not talk for "sooo long"....

 

So, I just thought I'd share.... since it kinda does have connection to what we are doing in scouts.

and tying into the other thread discussing patrol dynamics and doing what a kid wants vs needs vs expects vs...?

 

   I was thinking.  It would be interesting to do a statistical survey/study...

1) first group - finding out somehow coverttly from kids before they had any ideas or preconceived notions about such a thing (no leading questions, no mention of it, no suggestions, no options, nothing...)

• if such an event should happen
• how such an event should go or what sorts of things should be done
• how long should it last
• etc....

2) second group - Then another data set of kids that have sat through it, and have some experienced notions about what it should be

3) third groups-  perhaps another data set of kids that have been presented ideas from an adult...suggestions, options, etc...

 

& ALL OF THESE with sub-set data looking at what the various groups would prefer.... based on

personalities (as per I think it was qwazse's recent post)

those that earned lots of awards

those that didn't

the sporty kids

studious ones

introverted kids

the extroverted ones

etc....

because I'll bet there would be a differing focus or interest level between these groups...

 

I just think it would be interesting to learn.... I guess a bit more specifically what the kid wants or needs vs what us adults think they want or need.

 

Yeah, i know the purpose of the school thing was clearly for the adults and the photo-op.... I'm just thinking more philosophically and how it applies to scouting....

[Stosh]

Unless one is sitting on a stump next to the fire, it doesn't belong in scouting. 

[Krampus]

ROFL...I would be "sooooo bored" at those too.

 

We used to have have COH's that were like watching paint dry. They would go for 2 hours or more, until one day. One Scout was doing the COH for his Comms MB and asked if he could redo the script. He was told to "go for it". He looked at the process of MB, rank and award distribution and streamlined it; even added in some pomp and circumstance. The result? He was able to reduce the COH by 1 hour!!! This was the end of summer COH which had all the MBs, ranks and other stuff from summer camp. Oddly enough, no one felt rushed or short-changed. There were photo ops, etc. When the COH was done everyone looked at their watch in amazement....literally one hour!!

 

It has now become the template for all of our COHs. No more bored Scouts. No more lost Sunday afternoons. Once we got rid of all the adult BS we found we had so much more free time.

[RememberSchiff]

5th grade graduation? Gawd, my generation was spared this. I had no public school graduation ceremony, well, until it was over in high school.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7c1HDUHlJo

[Krampus]

5th grade graduation? Gawd, my generation was spared this. I had no public school graduation ceremony, well, until it was over in high school.

 

We opted out of the Kindergarten, 5th grade and 8th grade graduations. Went to Disney on vacation instead. Other parents thought we were silly for "denying" our kids the ceremony.

 

Every summer their kids are at our house complaining on how utter stupid those ceremonies were.

[Hedgehog]

Compare all that to the look on a scout's face when the SM or ASM quietly says, "Bob, I saw you really stepping it up and helping out your patrol this weekend... keep it up."  

[blw2]

5th grade graduation? Gawd, my generation was spared this. I had no public school graduation ceremony, well, until it was over in high school.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7c1HDUHlJo

exactly!

[desertrat77]

This is a hobby horse of mine.

 

Kindergarten graduation ceremony, fifth grade, etc...what are they graduating from?   What have the really accomplished?  They've completed a grade.   Congratulations, enjoy your summer.

 

The ceremonies and superlative awards?    Teacher ego building.   And reassurance for mummy/daddy, their offspring are indeed the special snowflakes that they are raising them to be.

 

Same in scouting.   The kids know baloney when they see it.    And they will applaud true accomplishment when they see it.

 

Our kids are so much smarter than we give them credit for.

 

At my daughter's high school, the principal cut the graduation ceremony from 3+ hours down to 1.5.   And it's just as dignified.

 

Favorite memory:  on the last day of school in the 6th grade, Mrs. Larson brought in a huge batch of delicious homemade tacos, and we all ate six or seven each while watching a Western movie.   Then she said something like "I've enjoyed being your teacher, good luck in junior high."   School's out for summer!

 

I've been a participant in some academic ceremonies since then, but I'd trade them all for some tacos and an old cowboy movie.

Edited May 25, 2016 by desertrat77

[Stosh]

My first graduation was high school, then college, then seminary.  I went back for further education later on in life and my mother was upset when I didn't go to my second college graduation... Duh!  She said it was important in that I was summa cum laude.  So?  I wasn't impressed with the first three, the fourth wasn't going to be an option. 

[Prepared]

The idea of ceremonies seems like a good idea...until people just talk and talk and talk. I am not one for talking (unless I am talking about football) I have shortened all of my Pack's ceremonies and made them more meaningful. From what I could tell the kids seemed to enjoy them a lot more. The graduation ceremonies I believe are meant to be a way to acknowledge accomplishments of the kids who do them, but turns into a talking fest in a cramped/hot place and the kids just want to go home for the summer and be done with elementary school.

[SSScout]

Class, can we say "Back to Gilwell, happy land?"

[blw2]

This is a hobby horse of mine.

 

Kindergarten graduation ceremony, fifth grade, etc...what are they graduating from?   What have the really accomplished?  They've completed a grade.   Congratulations, enjoy your summer.

 

yep, although I do see as in the case of my story, the kids are leaving the building.  Next year will be a different school.  That's a big deal, not like passing from 1st grade to 2nd.  It's something to take pause at, just a bit.

but the 1-1/2 to 2 hours or even more is just ridiculous.  Should have been 15-20 minutes at the very most, IMHO.  My son agrees.

 

Just the other day, I was watching a TV program, and the story line was a girl graduating high school.  There was a scene where the mother and kid were alone in the school's lobby while the big reception was happening elsewhere.... they pause, it's quiet.... and the mom looks around and asks "did you notice?"....

"notice what?"

"It's not so scary now, is it?"

I think that's kind of a cool thought process to trigger in a young mind.