Graduating

Today I went to my daughter, Lauren's, graduation ceremony at Sydney University. It was a very proud day for me. I don't think she realises how important it was to me, (or to herself even). I didn't actually get to attend my graduation so this is another reason why it was so important to me.

As young adults who spend the first 4 years after leaving school, back in school (at university) I guess you take it for granted somewhat. Although I know that Lauren took Uni very seriously. She was asked to do an Honours year in her last year but she chose not to. She had to work part-time and enjoys a very full social life. She is her mother's child. It is a choice I would probably have made also, if I had been asked. Life is for living. But life is also for learning. And I hope she has many more opportunities in life to learn. In the profession of teaching, there are so many chances but they are not always taken.

Professional learning is one of the most important things you can do as a teacher. it is just as important for teachers as for doctors, I believe. It makes you a better teacher if you put yourself in the position of a learner regularly.

But back to her graduation. I was enthralled by the excitement on the faces of these graduates. All of them were graduate teachers. The interesting things I noticed:

1.    There were very few males in the Primary teacher category. A sad thing for Primary Education. How can we attract men to primary teaching? My husband counted them on one hand!
2.   There were many more males in the PE teachers group (the group my daughter graduated with). Thank goodness, but this is predictable.
3.   There were some very proud graduates in the Aboriginal Studies  teachers group, and some of these were clearly indigenous (although I appreciate it is not always obvious), but sadly again, no males.

The most inspiring part of the ceremony was when Professor Robyn Ewing delivered the address to these graduates. How brilliant! She spoke of her high expectations of these teachers who may very well be teaching her grandchildren. I loved the passion she exuded about creativity. Her message was clear that life-long learning should be one of the main goals of these graduates, in the pursuit of excellence as practitioners. Also, she encouraged these graduates to continue to develop their own professional learning network.

But it was the responsibility that teachers have to ensure that ALL students in their care are given the best opportunity to walk down as lovely an aisle as the one here in the Great Hall at Sydney University that I took home with me. If only every parent was lucky enough to have the privilege of watching their child receive acknowledgement for their hard work in studying for this Bachelor degree, as I did today, we would have a very proud society.

It is the job of these graduates to help provide these opportunities for the next generation. Good luck and well done, Lauren. I love you.