I’m not sure what I was expecting for convocation. I had done this twice before - first for a B.Sc. (Specialization - Genetics) then again two years later for a B.Ed. (Secondary Biology). I’m at an age (that’ll wait until next post) at which one doesn’t expect to feel giddy at the prospect of participating in convocation exercises. I was feeling pretty happy about the M.Ed. being done, about the legitimacy of adding M.Ed. at the end of my name when appropriate, and very excited about the increase in pay once I had the degree. If I’d been asked to describe my feelings while on my way to the auditorium I would probably have said I was happy and pleased with my accomplishment.
Then I picked up the robe and hood. It started to feel a little bit like I had just left platform 9 and three quarters on the Hogwarts Express. As the graduands began to wander backstage in preparation for our procession, we donned our robes and were instructed in the proper way to hold the hoods when we walked onto the stage for the convocation. We looked rather scholastic and medieval in our costumes, which I suppose is the desired effect. We were marshalled into place for our procession and led into the front seats of the auditorium. The band was playing, the attendees were all on their feet and we found our way to our seats. Then we stood and waited while the rest of the procession made its way in. Then we stood and waited as the platform party (president, chancellor, college deans and so on) made their way in all wearing their brightly coloured robes. Finally, after singing Oh Canada, we sat.
So we sat, people talked, more people talked, etc. The honourary degree that day was being given to Roy Romanow, who is the former Premier of Saskatchewan (greatest place in the world, in case you didn’t know). Roy is an extremely good public speaker so his speech to the graduands was a welcome alternative to the dry, sleep-inducing speech that usually seems to be part of the required ritual for convocating.
Finally, it was time for the best part. Row by row, we were called up to line up then make our way across the stage to receive the parchment. I know that getting the parchment is purely ceremonial and the important piece of paper is the transcript, but when my row went to line up everyone, at least everyone around me, had silly grins on their faces including me. Most of us receiving M.Ed. degrees were into our teaching careers and you wouldn’t think we would be the types to be subject to giddiness, but there we were smiling, waving at family and waiting to proceed across the stage. More ceremony ensued, including the bestowing of the Ph.D. degrees. I’m not sure if I would ever want to get a Ph.D. because their robes bear more than a passing resemblance to a court jester. On the other hand, they did get to take a seat on the stage after receiving their degrees, which looked kind of cool. More ceremony ensued, then we were dismissed to go find our families and friends. My wife even gave me a frame for the parchment as a grad gift. My first two degrees are sitting somewhere in the boxes in our basement instead of being properly displayed somewhere so it is a much appreciated gift.
So - now I am done getting the degree and looking forward to putting it to good use. Since I didn’t write a thesis for my degree and since I didn’t have the chance to express my gratitude at the convocation for those who helped get me here, I didn’t have any forum for acknowledging those who got me here, so here it goes. I want to thank Len Proctor and Barry Brown for being excellent mentors and for sharing their experience and wisdom with us. I want to especially thank Rick Schwier for prompting me to do some of the best thinking and writing that I have done in my life (so far) and for being a great friend. I want to thank all the other students in my classes - I learned so much from all of you. If you have read this blog while I have been thinking out loud over the past few years, I’d like to thank you for your attention; and if you left comments I need to give you a big thank you for provoking me to think more deeply and critically about my ideas. Finally, and most important, I need to my children and my wife for supporting me while I was working on this - I couldn’t have done it without you.
That felt pretty good. And now, back to marking math exams. Getting the degree is great, but real life is calling!
Powered by ScribeFire.


Entries (RSS)