One Boston Teacher's Blunt Commencement Speech

[Saved7]

I love this, he speaks the hard truth that these kids ARE NOT SPECIAL, while encouraging these students to TRY to be their best.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...145709954.html

[Slug1]

Hooah... that conclusion that everyone is special, clinched it!!

[Liquid Tension]

Cool speech and article. Reminds me of a quote I read:

You're unique, just like everyone else.

[the sound]

wow just goes to show how meaningless life really is.

"Even if you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you."

love that part, makes me feel inspired to go out and do nothing because what ever i do will never mean anything

[jayne]

Oh, I loved it. It was truthful. And from the comments that I read from his students, they love him for his bluntness. I heard laughter from the crowd in the clip I listened to, so it wasn't a cruel speech, but a truth-in-love speech. He did have a few corny jokes that he could have left out.

But constantly telling kids that they are all special to the whole world without them having to earn the respect of others is like Christians who go around quiping, "Oh, God has a wonderful plan for your life!" as if by getting saved everything in your life will be rainbows and candyland.

It just ain't true. But we can be at peace even in the pain and our students who graduate need to know that their being special beyond their immediate family and high school glory days will come from what they leave behind as a legacy to others.

They should be special to their parents and close friends and church family.

But as a friend of mine said.....

I've heard fifty too many football players at school say they don't need to make above a C in English because they're going to be THE ONE that gets picked for fame and fortune. They're special, so they'll beat the odds, and they will be careful so it won't be THAT ONE that gets an injury.

So and so is special enough to make is as a singer.

So and so is special enough to make is as an actor.

So and so has a MAN that will take care of her and never leave because she's...special ya know.

Too many think they're one in a million and the normal rules and problems in life aren't going to apply to them.

I've half-joking, half-seriously said stuff to students in an attempt to motivate them.

Even if you have a classroom full of people with high grades, the majority won't push themselves. "I've got an A in this class already so BOOM! Why should I try to improve that essay?"

Ummm, maybe because in this advanced class, you're the same as everyone else. That's the POINT, we know you stand out above the average, now try to stand out around those who aren't. This is your future competition and it's not limited to this school, you've got many thousands more doing the same. In this school you stood out in regular class, but if you can't stand out in this school in an advanced class, and every school has an advance class and you do the same and others push harder, who will an employer pick? Will he/she even take a first glance at you, let alone a second if you're the same as everyone?"

Special to family and a few select others, but not to 99.999% of the rest of the world! However, always, Always, ALWAYS special in the eyes of our G-d and our Savior. That's the amazing part of life, getting to understand that concept and the depth of how much we mean in that sense. However, what teen needs that when they've been given the false impression that the entire world revolves around them? When that is taken away once they're in the real world, reality hits and then they have nothing. When they have nothing, they turn to other things to fill that void. If they don't turn to G-d, then you've built up the perfect scenario for people to turn to drugs, alcohol, crime, and other means to fill that void.

[claybevan]

I love this, he speaks the hard truth that these kids ARE NOT SPECIAL, while encouraging these students to TRY to be their best.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...145709954.html

Reminds me of something my old headmaster used to say as he looked over the top of his bi-focals, " You've all done well, except one."

[Godslittleangel]

He needs to speak at every graduation. We need reality more often. lol

[Youssarian]

This strikes somewhat personally in a couple ways.

First of all, in the past few years I've basically realized what this guy has said. Growing up I was always generally one of the smartest kids in school. I graduated valedictorian of my elementary school (wahoo!). I graduated 3rd in a class of 249 in high school. Got a nice GPA in community college. The works. So you'd think I'd have reason to find myself special and gifted. But as it turns out, I'm not all that important. I'm just 1 in 7 billion faces. There are people who are better than me in every aspect.

Which brings me to my other point, which hit me during a depressed spell a couple weeks ago. I've always held that naive belief that "I'm gonna accomplish all my life's dreams, no sweat!" But hold on soldier. Half of college graduates can't get jobs. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. You might not actually accomplish your dreams. That's one of my biggest fears - that I will live a bog standard, mediocre life. I've seen so much of it, and I don't want it.

My high school and college credits and accomplishments have no meaning outside of academia. It's only been in the past couple of years I realized that. I didn't attend the graduation ceremony for my community college. I already had my degree, why bother? Well that and I had work that day, probably. Yet academia has always been my strength. I'm good at learning and thinking. That's where I was special. But this world is cold and ruthless and I'm not anything unless I have a big paycheck.

The speaker kinda flips on us at the end. Says they're nothing special but they should pursue their dreams and live good lives. Does that somehow make them special?

[Athanasius]

This strikes somewhat personally in a couple ways.

First of all, in the past few years I've basically realized what this guy has said. Growing up I was always generally one of the smartest kids in school. I graduated valedictorian of my elementary school (wahoo!). I graduated 3rd in a class of 249 in high school. Got a nice GPA in community college. The works. So you'd think I'd have reason to find myself special and gifted. But as it turns out, I'm not all that important. I'm just 1 in 7 billion faces. There are people who are better than me in every aspect.

Which brings me to my other point, which hit me during a depressed spell a couple weeks ago. I've always held that naive belief that "I'm gonna accomplish all my life's dreams, no sweat!" But hold on soldier. Half of college graduates can't get jobs. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. You might not actually accomplish your dreams. That's one of my biggest fears - that I will live a bog standard, mediocre life. I've seen so much of it, and I don't want it.

My high school and college credits and accomplishments have no meaning outside of academia. It's only been in the past couple of years I realized that. I didn't attend the graduation ceremony for my community college. I already had my degree, why bother? Well that and I had work that day, probably. Yet academia has always been my strength. I'm good at learning and thinking. That's where I was special. But this world is cold and ruthless and I'm not anything unless I have a big paycheck.

The speaker kinda flips on us at the end. Says they're nothing special but they should pursue their dreams and live good lives. Does that somehow make them special?

Don't let your position in life determine the person you are, which is the real problem with a 'bog standard, mediocre life'. Which is to also say that the real problem with most peoples dreams is that some tend to be mutually exclusive, short of being a self-made billionaire, or are otherwise unrealistic. It's all you.

[TomH]

I simply ask myself, "Am I wiser today than I was yesterday?"

If the answer is yes, then yesterday was a good day, and I can look forward to today.

BTW, I can't remember a day when I was less knowledgable than the day before. Can you?

[Athanasius]

I simply ask myself, "Am I wiser today than I was yesterday?"

If the answer is yes, then yesterday was a good day, and I can look forward to today.

BTW, I can't remember a day when I was less knowledgable than the day before. Can you?

There was that one time I watched Jersey Shore...

[Liquid Tension]

There was that one time I watched Jersey Shore...

How long did it take you to recover from that??

[Liquid Tension]

wow just goes to show how meaningless life really is. love that part, makes me feel inspired to go out and do nothing because what ever i do will never mean anything

I think you're missing the point. Unless you were just being sarcastic/funny, then carry on.

[Slug1]

wow just goes to show how meaningless life really is. love that part, makes me feel inspired to go out and do nothing because what ever i do will never mean anything

The context of this speech was that if you go out and do something and no one benefits from your "something"... then YES, that means you DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!

This speech is brilliant and will HELP many who honor the Challenge that this speech offers to ALL those graduating students and actually, to ANYONE who listens to that speech

[Slug1]

There was that one time I watched Jersey Shore...

I watched just a commercial of this show and that was all it took...