Jun 10

Written by:
6/10/2009 9:28 PM 

I had the immense pleasure of attending my district's high school's graduation this past weekend. This ceremony was special to me because the seniors graduating were once the Kindergartners that I started my teaching career with 13 years ago. 13 years... it seems like just yesterday. And yet, think of where we've come in those 13 years.

Technology, Global Opportunities, and Community were big themes in the commencement speech given to the class of '09. It was a great speech. I wish I had podcasted it so I could listen to it again.

While the seniors were called to the stage to accept their diplomas, I applauded, searched out the students whom I had the pleasure of having in my classes throughout the years, and made special note of those that I've known since Kindergarten, when I started as a teacher. I found my mind reflecting on the speech just given, but also wondering what I would have said if I had given the commencement speech... What words of wisdom would I have wanted to share with my past students? Maybe we all do this to some degree. I guess that's what graduation cards are for... They give us a place to pass along our own personal flavors of insight, or words of inspiration.

Imagine if all those words were compiled together... what a meme that would be! What a commencement speech that would be: built by the collective "Wisdom of Crowds".

I invite you this week, to create such a collection in the year 2009, which will surely be remembered (among numerous other significant events/happenings/discoveries), as the "Year of Twitter". Sure, Twitter's been with us since 2006, but I'm sure future historians will agree that it finally reached its tipping point in the year 2009 when the Queen of Tipping Points made history by tweeting live from her television show. (Wikipedia says: "In March 2009, a Nielsen.com blog ranked Twitter as the fastest-growing site in the Member Communities category for February 2009. Twitter had a growth of 1382%.")

So, step up to the collective podium, clear your throats and send forth our young graduates with well-wishes, congratulations, quotations, encouragement, prophecies, warnings... as they venture forth.

Twitter your wisdom by using the hashtag:

#class09

Please post them here as well in the comments section below.

Follow along by clicking this page which will keep track of the "tweetmencements".

Here's mine:

#class09 Class of '09: I've known you since kindergarten when you took great joy in building up and knocking down blocks. Don't ever stop.