All's well that ends well

The end of the schoolyear comes with many challenges: mountains to climb and oceans to cross. It is also however, the moment we say goodbye to the students that have managed to pass their exams and graduate highschool. At our school, the actual graduation ceremony is a marathon more than a sprint. We have three nights, one night for each of our units, and each night brings its own unique moments. 

Tonight, I attended the graduation ceremony of our vocational education unit. I taught two of those classes in their first two years of school and although they probably don't remember me at this point, I definitely remember them. Ofcourse, whether you teach them for all of their high school career, or just one measly year, there's simply something special about watching students receive their diplomas. So, if I know the kids I always try to attend the ceremonies, to bask in the euphoria of their succes. 

And euphoria really is the right word for it, not only theirs, or their parents' but also ours. As teachers one of our main goals is to get these kids to a point where they walk out of the building with a diploma clutched in their hands. But that goal, though seemingly simple, is almost always accomplished through sheer force of will. Getting a bunch of teenagers through four or five or even six years of schooling is no easy task. It requires grit and determination, a spine of steel and a heart of gold. It requires not just one teacher, but a team of them. Not just teachers, but administrators, managers and support staff. It truly does require that village you always hear about. And when that finish line is finally reached, those kids up there with their diplomas in hand, all shiny and bright, your heart squeezes together. In one short moment, every agonizing second it took to get there instantly becomes worth it. 

A graduation ceremony should always be a celebration of the students, and therefore although we might sometimes make a joke or two at their expense, most of what we say or do is meant to underline the incredible things that they have achieved. Whether it's through moving speeches, a self written song, or a wall of cheering teachers clapping their hearts out to the rhythm of 'eye of the tiger'. This night is meant to show our kids how proud we are of them, and how happy we are for them. And tonight, I saw so much of that pride, so much of that love and dedication. A colleague whose voice breaks as he bids goodbye to his last ever class, a teacher who cries to see a student, 'the' student, receive her diploma as her teachers stand around her and applaud. Endless hugs and cheers and laughter as we say goodbye to the kids that we, despite our whining and nagging, have come to love so much. 

For me, tonight's ceremony reminded me of all the reasons why I teach. Not to educate children on history or English, but to support them, guide them and help them become the strong independent individuals I know they can be. And tonight I saw a team, a village really, who were all there for exactly the same reason. And I have never felt more honored to be a part of it.