“Graduation ceremony for kindergartners . . . for kindergartners?” This was the question asked by Zoe MacPherson’s dad last spring in the comic strip, “Baby Blues.” The occasion that marked Zoe’s completion of her first year of school included a speech by a member of the school board, each student walking across stage to receive a diploma, and Zoe attempting to toss her cap into the air, midshipman style. Comic strips frequently mirror events in society and this one is no exception. As the end of each school year approaches, many early childhood educators are faced with the question: To graduate or not to graduate?
The word “graduation” denotes the idea of completion, a task accomplished, or an academic degree earned. Graduates are thought to be individuals who are prepared to move into the larger world, leaving the security of educational institutions. When applied to children who are 4, 5, or 6 years old, this term seems oddly out of place. We think of young children as just beginning their quest, ready to take their first steps in the arena of formal education. Why, then, every spring, do preschool and kindergarten graduation ceremonies abound?
Reasons for Holding Graduation
One reason that has been given for holding these ceremonies is that it offers an “opportunity for families to spend time together” (Beccue, 1990). It is true that today’s families are busy. Many children not only are enrolled in some type of out-of-the-home care, but also are involved in after-school activities ranging from soccer to Suzuki violin lessons. While it may be true that a graduation ceremony could be a way for families to spend time together, parents often have more than one child and must make choices as to which child’s activities to attend. They may, in fact, end up splitting the responsibility, with one parent attending the graduation and the other going to a sibling’s ball game or ballet recital.
A second reason offered for holding a graduation is that it meets “the expectations and desires of many parents” (Beccue, 1990). In “Baby Blues,” Zoe’s mother, unlike the father, is enthusiastic about their daughter’s upcoming graduation, excitedly telling her husband, “It’s a really big deal.” Just a brief Internet search confirms what a “big deal” graduation can be. One can find a plethora of poems, certificates, and school newsletters related to kindergarten and preschool graduations. But the question must be asked: Is graduation an appropriate activity in which to involve young children?
For early childhood programs in the habit of holding graduation ceremonies, it may be a difficult decision to rethink the idea of holding a graduation ceremony. Nevertheless, researchers and educators have offered many reasons why it may not be in the best interests of young children to require their participation in activities that put them on display before an audience of adults.
Reasons To Reconsider Graduation
One reason for reconsidering the decision to hold graduation is the amount of time spent practicing for such an event (Beccue, 1990; Miles, 1991; Woods, 1989). Often, children are required to spend hours rehearsing a program that is expected to come off “picture perfect” (Schmidt, 1995). During rehearsals, children are asked to sit quietly for long periods of time and attend to teachers’ directions or the actions of other children as they perform their parts. Having little or nothing to do, these normally active young children may become frustrated and engage in mild to severe anti-social behavior. This, in turn, may make teachers frustrated and result in a situation that is difficult and inappropriate for all involved.
Activities where children are expected to perform before audiences also may create tense situations for children. Young children are often shy in new situations and may be frightened when confronted with a bank of cameras and camcorders held by people they do not know. This tension, combined with the stress engendered by numerous rehearsals, may result in children experiencing headaches, stomachaches, or simply refusing to participate in the actual ceremony (Miles, 1991).
As can be expected in dealing with young children, performances do not always come off perfectly and what actually occurs may be seen as comical or “cute” by the adults in the audience. Although not intending to be unkind, adults may laugh at the children’s actions and thereby confuse the participants (“Why are they laughing?”). Sometimes, the children feel humiliated. Woods (1989) described adults in these situations as failing “to treat children with courtesy and respect . . . (and) rob[bing] children of their dignity as people” (p. 20).
Schmidt (1995) found that school ceremonies, including graduation, were particularly difficult for language minority children and their families. Preparing for and participating in such activities, the purpose of which they did not understand, confused the children and resulted in classroom tensions. The children joined in the experiences only reluctantly, and the situation actually exacerbated already existing socialization problems. The children’s families also had difficulty because they did not fully comprehend the significance of the activity and “could not relate (it) to their own culture’s . . . celebrations” (p. 26).
Another factor that should be evaluated is the cost involved with the ceremony. Internet sites abound with sales pitches for items such as “KinderHoods” and show pictures of young children perfectly attired in graduation gowns and caps, complete with tassel. The Web site for one kindergarten program advised parents that the cost of the complete graduation outfit would be $17.50 per child. This, of course, does not include the costs for printing the invitations and programs, buying the diplomas, decorating the area where the ceremony is held, video-recording the event, or holding a reception.
Finally, there is the suggestion that graduation ceremonies will become meaningless to children if they participate in too many (Miles, 1991). One Internet site related a conversation between a mother and grandmother regarding an upcoming kindergarten graduation. The child’s mother explained the event as “closure.” The grandmother replied, “Closure from what? She’s got 12 to 16 more years or school ahead.” During those 12 to 16 more years, how many more such ceremonies will this child attend? Perhaps as many as five.
Making the Decision
Erikson (1950) described the period of early childhood as one in which children develop either a sense of initiative or a sense of guilt. Guiding children to a sense of initiative is not difficult, but it does require that adults accept the children’s strengths as well as their limitations (Elkind, 1989). When children are placed in situations where they are expected to conform to adult expectations and then find they cannot, the development of initiative may be retarded. In his book, Miseducation, Elkind (1989) suggested that adults examine their motives when making decisions about children’s activities. A determination must be made as to whether the child’s welfare is the motivating factor for participation, or if another goal is driving the decision. In commenting on a graduation ceremony that his school was about to hold, one principal, quoted in an Internet article, stated, “It’s really a passing for my teachers. It’s a nice way for my teachers to end their time with their kids.”
Making a decision to re-evaluate a tradition is never easy. Yes, there may be valid reasons for doing things as they have always been done; however, even wise decisions can withstand timely reviews. But if the decision is made to begin a new tradition in place of graduation, what can be done instead?
What To Do Instead
If, in fact, the rationale for holding a graduation ceremony was to provide families with the opportunity to be together, there are many other ways an early childhood program can promote family closeness. Why not invite families to participate in school activities all year long? Hold a family picnic, a carnival, a parent-child activity night, an art exhibit, or an end-of-the-year party. Invite parents to come to school and read to children or ask them to share a family tradition or recipe. For parents who cannot visit, ask them to record a book on tape to be played during large-group time,or send home a literacy bag with activities that the family can do together.
If the reason graduation was done was to fulfill the expectations of parents, then it becomes the obligation of advocates for young children to help administrators, parents, and community members understand what types of activities are appropriate for preschool and kindergarten age children and what activities are not.
Conclusion
The end of the school year is always a good time to reflect on and celebrate what has been accomplished. In preschool or kindergarten it marks the beginning of what we all hope will culminate in a 17- or 18-year-old young adult donning a cap and gown, equipped with the knowledge and skill that will allow him or her to move on to the next stage in life. It is our job as teachers of young children to see that this start is the best one we can provide.
References
Beccue, M. (1990, April). Graduation: Is it for young children? Insights, issues and ideas for early years. St. Louis, MO: Lutheran Education Association.
Elkind, D. (1989). Miseducation. New York: Knopf.
Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: W. W. Norton.
Miles, S. L. (1991, February). Who said so? Defining developmentally appropriate practice activities for preschool children. Paper presented at the meeting of the Chicago Association for the Education of Young Children. Chicago, IL. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 336 196)
Schmidt, P. R. (1995). Tensions for language minority children: Celebrations in a kindergarten classroom. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association. San Francisco, CA. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 383 453)
Woods, I. C. (1989). Kindergarten graduations: A backward step. Texas Child Care Quarterly, 12(4), 19-21.
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