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Look as a kindergarten teacher this is THE NUMBER ONE thing that makes me want to change grade every MAY!!!

Look can we stop this nonsense already.

Dear Parents,

You are doing the most for the least.

Sincerely,

I need more support from you than a graduation program.

I will not see a parent ALL SCHOOL YEAR LONG!!!! but they will show up and show out at kindergarten graduation. I can’t retain your kindergarten child so there is a chance that your child will not be fully prepared for grade 1. Not because I didn’t do my job as their teacher but you didn’t help support me as their parent or because there is a delay in your child that you refuse to get checked/assessed and diagnosed. There will be about 5% of kids “graduating” from kindergarten that need to stay in kindergarten another year. Did that 5% grow this school year, yes but not enough that the summer slide will not hurt them. Their foundation is weak and shaky. I’m being nice by saying 5%.

I worked at a school this year that WENT. OVER. THE. TOP. There were graduation fees, yep you heard me. There were legit caps and gowns. There was graduation practice. There were performances, performanceS more than one. I lost so much last minute instructional practicing. Everyday for at least 1 hour we had to practice. Then the kids lost more time because they had to practice during their specials because they had performances for specials as well. So for about 4 weeks, yep 4 weeks we practiced. 3 classes with 24 kids each. Thank God we each had a teacher assistant but I’m telling you it’s too much.

I will make it my duty to get rid of kindergarten graduation FOREVER!!! Let’s just have cake and ice cream. We don’t need all the pomps and circumstances. It’s for the parents anyways. The kids don’t care. They are over it by the third practice. The teachers dread it because it’s a new song every year. It’s a new theme every year. It’s only so much creativity we have each year to do the same thing.

So admin, parents, students, educators,

Can we please nix these over the top graduation ceremonies and programs. Cake and ice cream will do just fine. We can even make cute certificates for your child. Decorate the classroom make it fun still but less stressful. Don’t take away my instructional time and then ask me questions, you won’t like the answer.