Graduation, Part 2: On the Road to Perfection

It’s the day before the graduation ceremony and I’m standing in the gymnasium watching my student rehearse for the big day.

I remember my graduation rehearsal: Is everyone here? Okay? Good. Line up in alphabetical order. Remember who you’re standing beside. Now we’ll walk in and sit down. Great. Now this is where you will walk when you get your diplomas. Got it? Great. Now get outta here.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that cut and dry, but it was probably that quick.

My students’ rehearsal isn’t as simple: Okay classes, line up in alphabetical order, boys first and then the girls. Now we’re going to march into the gym. Class two, don’t enter until class one is at their chairs! Keep standing until everyone is here. Bow! No, you’re not bowing together. Again! Okay, sit down! Stand up! You’re too slow! Again! Bow! You’re standing up too fast! Again! Bow! Too fast! Again! Bow! 1…2…3… okay, now sit. No! Again! Again! AGAIN!

I can understand why they dedicated a whole hour to this. If the students don’t stand, bow or sit with just the right timing, they have to try again. If the students don’t bow low enough, a teacher will come and push their head down until they have reached the desired 90 degree angle. And there’s a lot of bowing happening.

From what I can see, each student will not come up to the podium to receive their diploma from the principle. Instead, the class rep will be summoned and then he or she will make their way to the front of the stage, turn to the VIPs and bow, then turn to their homeroom teacher and bow, make their way up the stairs to the podium on the stage and then bow, in perfect sync with the rest of the class, to the principle, get the diplomas, make their way down the stairs, bow to everyone again, and then finally sit down. After the ceremony, the homeroom teachers will hand out the diplomas to the students in their classroom.

It’s not a lot of work, really, but the expectations are very demanding. The students seem to understand though. This is a very important day and they can’t embarrass themselves or their school. This is just what’s expected of them.