Commencement Reflections: Citizenship and the Influence of Educators

By. Craig Perrier

It is graduation season across the K-16 landscape!  Whether you have already attended or will be at an upcoming ceremony, I wish you and your graduate a huge congratulations and tons of success in the future.

I have attended two graduations so far, both at the college level.  The speeches of the distinguished speakers at each had some striking and valuable similarities. Two themes, specifically citizenship and teachers’ influence on the graduate, provided moments of reflections for me on education in general.  I am happy to share some of the thoughts I had on both topics.

The ceremonies included student and adult speakers.  That these themes were expressed by both groups is even more compelling.   Regarding citizenship,  graduates were charged with being active and informed participants in international, national, state, and local affairs.  Making society a better place requires action. Moreover, acting with a moral compass they have developed through their education is imperative.  The path to graduation has been paved by the expertise of the teachers we have had.  Recognizing and nurturing that influence should be a constant practice.

To these ends, I suggest turning to the Educator Marketplace  to support the development of active informed citizens and your teaching practices. The list below is just a few of many deals you can find to celebrate another successful school year.

• Staying Informed: Developing your information network is important.  Start with these deals from the Washington Post, Better World Books, Highlights, and more!

• Active Citizens: Being active means that you engage with people, groups, government, and organizations.  Connecting with each is made easier with deals from Verizon, Microsoft, and HP!
  
• Teaching Practices:  Meaningful teaching is developed not innate.  Innovate your practices with the Mailbox, Kiwi Co, and Nasco Education to name a few.

I am happy to end this blog with a quote from one of the speeches that captures the spirit of the highlighted themes.  The message is valuable, “keep asking questions, keep solving problems, keep creating, keep transforming, and be active citizens of the world.”

Enjoy the summer!