Preschool graduation...

[happymom]

I teach a 3-4 year old integrated class. Most of the kids continue on for another year in our school before leaving to go to kindergarten, so we don't have an actual *graduation* (although what preschool graduation is an actual graduation, right? ;)) but we do have a "Stepping Up" party. I am really able to run the party however I want to- the program is totally up to me. There is no parallel class to compare to either. My question is, as a parent, do you expect a performance from the kids?

I'm not sure what I would do instead (ideas, anyone?) but I really dislike making these kids practice every day in order to be ready to sing 4-5 songs. In the past, I've taught the kids ONE song- a cute song about preschool and making friends- but when it came time to get up and sing it, it just seems kind of silly because the performance is so short.

I was thinking to pick a few cute songs that they already know and add the one new song. Maybe do a theme of seasons, and just pick songs that we learned about the different seasons.

The last 2 years, the program was- kids march in to pomp and circumstance, they sing the one song (I think they sang it twice), each kid gets a diploma/certificate, I show a slideshow of pictures from the year, and there is light refreshments. Not sure what I would do if we skipped the performance, but I guess my question is- would you be expecting a performance and would you be disappointed if there wasn't one?

Sorry for rambling....long day!

[crl]

I don't expect a graduation at all. Ds' preschools did them and they were pretty much what you describe: performance, hand out diplomas/certificates, slide show, refreshments. At the school I liked best though they didn't really learn any new songs, they just performed the kids' favorites.

I would sort of expect a performance, just because that's what I have seen done. But I wouldn't be disappointed if there weren't one. And I would honestly be really happy if any performance was very short (two songs?) because they kind of drag on IMO.

Catherine

[happymom]

I don't expect a graduation at all. Ds' preschools did them and they were pretty much what you describe: performance, hand out diplomas/certificates, slide show, refreshments. At the school I liked best though they didn't really learn any new songs, they just performed the kids' favorites.

I would sort of expect a performance, just because that's what I have seen done. But I wouldn't be disappointed if there weren't one. And I would honestly be really happy if any performance was very short (two songs?) because they kind of drag on IMO.

Catherine

I agree that a party isn't even necessary. But since there IS a party (the school kind of decides that), a performance is kind of expected right?

I also thought that a short performace would be fine and maybe even appreciated like you said, but I think its such a procedure to get all the kids set up and ready to sing, that when they only sing one song (how long does that take- 1 to 2 minutes?) it just seems kind of like- Huh? That's it?

I'm glad you liked the performance that picked the kids favorites. I'm leaning to that because it will be so much more enjoyable for the kids.

[crl]

Yeah, I definitely liked them doing the kids' favorites. The kids were way more into it and happy that way, I thought. And I liked knowing that the teachers cared what what the kids thought. :).

Catherine

[ellies mom]

The preschool my girls go to has a short performance. Each class comes up one at a time, sings two songs and as the class goes back to their seats each kid says their name. Then we watch a slide show and the all the kids get up and sing another song. Everyone goes back to the class room where we get their scrapbook for the year and then we go to the community room for refreshments and to pick up their self portraits. It is pretty quick and very sweet.

[happymom]

. Everyone goes back to the class room where we get their scrapbook for the year

Can you tell me about this scrapbook?

[ahisma]

DS's Young Five's class (basically Pre-K) will have their graduation this week. They are presenting nursery rhymes. They learned them through the year and will act them out. They're a bit older (5), but my point was that yes, I think it is 100% okay to use material that they've learned through the year. IN fact, I like it better that way, because then they're really showcasing what they've learned.

Truly, I think all parents want is a photo op and a cookie.:hysterical:

[ellies mom]

Can you tell me about this scrapbook?

It is a combination of artwork that the kids did and pictures from a lot of their activities, such as the first day, hat day, teddy bear day, etc. Pictures of them playing. Pictures from their birthday. Pictures from Donuts with Dad and Muffins with Mom, etc. There seems to be a lot of artwork involving hand and footprints. Toward the end, there is a picture comparing them on the first day of school and the end of school that shows how much they've grown (weight and height) and how they improved on simple things such as cutting out a square and writing their name. It looks like the kids make some of the pages and the teacher made the others. My youngest daughter's teacher gets really into it and I swear it is twice as thick as the one my oldest daughter had. It is very sweet and I absolutely love them.

ETA- The teacher also paper clips the academic evaluation to the final page (mostly fine and large motor skills and what letters/numbers they know, nothing too in depth) and a written comment about the child (all good stuff that she enjoyed about the the child).

[maestramommy]

I've had two kids go through this, and each one was a little different. Last year Dora's class did maybe 4-5 "songs." They do them to a CD. They did:

Hello Everybody Nice to see you (sounded like Raffi)
Going on a Bear hunt (this one was hilarious. apparently Arwyn's class had been learning it too. She was sitting with me in the audience and started doing all the motions too. I have it on video:tongue5:)

Darn, I can't remember the others right now, but all the songs used motions, were repetitive in that you always have a tag line(s) at the end of each verse. They also performed a story about a King who wanted to eat a cake or something. Some of the kids performed roles, the rest (like Dora) were in the Chorus and did other lines that repeated. It was the class's favorite story, and apparently they picked this one to do for the parents. The whole thing was really quite impressive.

Arwyn's class was different. They did only 3 songs, and they were really short. No CD, they followed the teacher, who was sitting off to the side. they did:

If you're happy and you know it
Some song about the sea, to the tune of Wheels on the bus
Friendship song to the tune of Zip a dee doo da.

Since these classes are the same level, I have no idea why there was such a huge difference. Dh thinks every teacher has their own idea of what they want to do. It probably also depended on what the kids were able to do. Every integrated class is different, every year.

The whole thing took place in the classroom. After the performance, they had a snack which was made up of a friendship salad: fruit salad that had a small contribution from each kid. And some parents brought cookies. Last year Dora's room mom brought a cake. Very simple. The whole celebration was less than an hour.

Oh last year, one of the parents in Dora's class put together a slide show using pics of all the kids throughout the year, and they played it during the celebration. It was sent to 2 songs, one which was "let them be little." I got misty :). All the families got a copy of the slideshow (minus the music) We haven't gotten anything like that from Arwyn's class but the teacher just sent home and email asking for permission for her to take a full class pictures to give out. They are very big on that. Before the celebration she said you could take pics of your kid but not of other kids unless you asked their permission first. But during the performance EVERYONE had their cameras and iphones out, lol.

[wellyes]

Our class had a few very short songs, but it was mostly the stuff they did every day in the classroom. Which I loved to see. A song about what day it is, 'weather watcher', the Pledge of Allegiance, God Bless America, Jesus Loves Me (I'm an atheist, whatever, it was cute!!) and the daily "It's time to say goodbye to all our friends" song. For the songs, all the kids sang, but they had groups of 4-5 kids come up front to be "featured". Each song was maybe 2 minutes long, tops. Stuff like "I'm bringing home my baby bumblebee".

We got a 'yearbook' too, it was incredible to see. I loved it. We were requested to pay an extra $10 for it, which was more than fair. Obviously the teacher who put it together took a lot of non-classroom time to make one personalized for each child.

[acmom]

My DD just had her preschool end of the year party and their "theme" for the party was "Come see what a year we had!". All the activities and songs focused on the different themes they did throughout the year (minus the holiday ones). They had a little scavenger hunt where they got clues and collected items from each unit (a mini dino, a mini vehicle, a little plastic musical instrument, an mini plastic insect, etc). and there were a few different simple games from some of the theme/unit. Then they sang some favorite songs from different themes throughout the year. They sang:
1) Friends all around (beginning of year/friends unit)
2) Ten Fingers (all about me unit)
3) Row Your Boat (transportation unit)
4) ABCs
5) Mr. Sun/Mr. Moon (earth and space unit)
6) Dino Diddy (dinosaur unit)
7) Sally the Camel (animal unit)
8) Itsy Bitsy Spider (insect unit)
9) Goodbye song
I think the only new one they learned was the "Goodbye" song, which was just a modified version of their daily goodbye song to make it for the end of the year, rather than the end of the day.

Then they each got an individual collage of work and pictures that they had done throughout the year, presented by their teacher. And finally we had a cookout lunch (parents brought different foods).

The whole thing was very nice and fun for both parents and kids. I would not have expected the performance and overall theme, but it was really nice that it was all about looking at what they had done all year.

When I taught preschool, we did a simple end of the year picnic and sang a few songs (Mr. Sun, The More We Get Together, Skidamarink-a-dink, ABC Rock, # Rock and our Goodbye song). We also gave each child a CD we had burned of favorite classroom songs, along with a DVD slideshow of classroom pictures throughout the year set to music and their ABC books that we had made throughout the year.

I agree with PP that favorite songs (vs. new songs) are nice bc the kids enjoy singing them and you don't have to stress about teaching them new ones. I would do at least 2-3 songs since the songs are so short. Bottom line though,
I think parents will love whatever you do because it celebrates their children!

[karstmama]

i just went to one last night! it was bigger, though, with 4 pre-k classes of 12-18 kids & one with 5. they were asked to dress in sunday-school type clothes, and all were on a stage with half sitting cross legged and the other half behind them. as they were getting arranged behind the curtain, we had a very brief speech from someone from the school board and a slideshow of baby pics (we had been asked to send them in a week or so ago) and pics from the last school year. then the curtain opened and we had a few minutes of photo op. they had on very cute 'mortarboards' with color coded tassels. they sang 5 or 6 songs they already knew, about the color red and some numbers and some letters. the sitting ones stood, and there was a hilarious song with actions - my baby nailed that one, he shook his tiny booty, it was so funny. anyway, they all went offstage and the diplomas were given by class with the teachers reading the names and the asst principal giving them out and the teacher's assistant doing crowd control on stage. some teachers gave a very brief 'we really enjoyed this year' sort of speech. we didn't have refreshments. it lasted a bit over an hour.

[happymom]

Thanks all. I went through all the songs from the year and decided to go with a theme of seasons- I picked the 2 most favorite songs (with great motions) from each season and we already started "practicing" today. The kids had a great time remembering and singing old songs they hadn't sung in a while. I think its going to be great! Anyone have a good idea for a title for the theme- Seasons of Learning? Seasons of Fun? Those don't sound right, but I can't think of anything.

And can I just say how impressed I am by all those teachers who make individual scrapbooks/yearbooks? Wow. I make a slideshow of pictures from the year, and that takes hours of work at home. No way I would have time for a yearbook too, although it sounds so nice!

[happymom]

It was sent to 2 songs, one which was "let them be little." I got misty :).

I use that song and it makes ME misty every time I hear it too. When I was originally choosing songs to use for the slideshow, I sat at night listening to dozens of songs online- mostly country songs about kids/childhood/raising kids. DH would come home and find me crying and crying in front of the computer. He would laugh at me until I played the songs for him and he started crying too!


"It's time to say goodbye to all our friends" song.

You don't happen to know the words/tune to this song? The last few years I taught the kids a really nice (somewhat long) goodbye song, but since we are doing so many other songs this year, I would love something simple.




I think parents will love whatever you do because it celebrates their children!

True, true! Thanks for the reminder :)


and there was a hilarious song with actions - my baby nailed that one, he shook his tiny booty, it was so funny.

Ha, that's the cutest isn't it? We have a booty-shaking song on the program too!

[ourbabygirl]

No experience with preschool graduation yet, but the goodbye song that we sing at the end of our ECFE classes is
(to the tune of "She'll be comin' 'round the mountain")

"Oh, it's time to say goodbye to all our friends,
Oh it's time to say goodbye to all our friends,
Oh it's time to say goodbye;
wave your hand and wink an eye,
oh and it's time to say goodbye to all our friends!"

[belovedgandp]

I wouldn't expect anything. Just watching the kids is fun. The circle times I've enjoyed observing the most are when the kids are singing along either to CDs or with the teacher to story/action songs with lots of motions they know.

I've seen pictures from my neighbor's "programs" where the kids just look terrified and that's not any fun for anyone.

Our preschool teacher does an 11x17 piece of construction paper with photos from the year cut out on it. Each of the teachers signs it and there was a little poem in the middle. Super adorable. I'd love the slide show too, almost more if you burned CDs with copies of the pictures. I don't want to create more work for my teacher, but when she sends home super cute ones in hard copies that have been laminated I just really want the digital one, but usually refrain from asking unless it is spectacular.