Saying Goodbye From a Distance - Remote Farewell Ceremonies
What is at the core of end-of-year farewell ceremonies?
Individual reflection
Group reflection
The emotional disbanding of the tribe
The hopeful beginning of something new
These are a few of the many pearls of wisdom shared in the “Saying Goodbye from a Distance” online discussion today hosted by Project Erdkinder. Thank you to everyone who participated! Most of us are in the wild days of the end of a school year, and we really appreciate the time you took to come together.
Special thanks to the facilitators:
Emily Dowell
Erin Foley-Wirts
Susan Holmes-Glazier
Pat Ludick
Colin Palombi
Robb Wirts
Why do we have farewell ceremonies?
To honor our togetherness as a community.
To reflect on who these young people are becoming.
To honor that human connection and civility are at the core of Montessori teaching.
To give a sense of closure for individuals, families, and the school community.
What are the important elements of farewell ceremonies?
Personal self-reflection of students.
A private, emotional ceremony that recognizes the disbanding of the tribe.
A public recognition of the gifts of the individuals who are completing this phase of their adolescence.
To have adults, including guides who were with these children as very young children, say to the students, “I see you, I know who you are, I trust you to take your gifts forward into a new community.”
To say goodbye, or at least, it will be a while before we see one another again.
Practical ideas
Give graduates a blank journal. Ask each of their previous guides (Toddler, Children’s House, Elementary, Adolescent) to write a personal note to the student in the front of the journal.
Incorporate symbolism, such as a lantern or other representation of light, into the ceremony.
Hold a drive-in graduation where families can social-distance in their cars and broadcast the speeches on a short wave FM radio station.
For some, finding a way to be physically together (please check your local guidelines for what is safe at the moment).
A slide show of the Adolescent Program’s year.
A slide show of graduates from their earliest years in Montessori to the present.
Involve the students in the planning of farewell rituals, even at a distance. Ask them what is essential, and in turn, what rituals to let go of in this time of distancing.
Donate money from the microeconomy to a local charity as an act of service.
Include a new tradition that represents these months of remote learning. Could be a time capsule, a piece of artwork, or collection of writing.
Record student speeches live, at school, in small socially-distanced groups. Put them together and stream them later online for the whole school community.
We can do this. Together, we can translate existing rituals into ceremonies that make sense for the present moment and still honor the human beings who are completing a cycle in their lives. Thank you to all Montessori Guides for your creativity and flexibility.
“Adaptability, …this is the most essential quality”
-Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence