As each ode was recited, it was met with applause in recognition of the student’s efforts and hard work. However, I couldn’t help but notice that many parents left as soon as their own child had completed their part of the program rather than waiting until the entire program had finished. This is not the first time I have observed this behavior during ceremonies at the school.
There are occasions that our time is limited, as we take leave from work in order to attend school functions. Perhaps some of the parents had to return to their offices quickly and they did not have the chance to stay until the entire show was over, even if they would have liked to. I found it to be an interruption, though, to have parents getting up and leaving while the ceremony was still in progress. Moreover, I suspect that if I found it distracting, that the students on stage probably felt the same way. This was their moment to shine, and it must be disconcerting to have adults exiting the room while they were on stage giving their presentations.
Many years ago, when I lived in Washington, D.C., I took a film appreciation class. In addition to learning to watch films more closely in order to find hidden meanings, I also learned an important lesson in waiting until all the credits had rolled before leaving the theater. The teacher pointed out that all the people listed on the credits had worked hard to bring the movies they worked on to the public, and she felt that they deserved respect for all their efforts. The entire class would wait until all the names of the actors, no matter how minor, and production staff had finished rolling by on the screen before rising to exit the theater. This was the teacher’s way of giving these people behind the scenes credit and respect for their work. I had not given any thought to the names that scrolled past on the screen before, but this important lesson has stayed with me. When I attend a meeting or ceremony, I make a point to stay until the very end if possible, out of respect for all those involved with the planning and production.
This lesson carries over to my attendance at school functions, too. Even if Ali Adem has only a small role, I stay seated until the closing out of respect for the other student’s and their efforts. There have been times that Ali Adem and I have sat together at ceremonies that he had no part in except as a spectator. Sometimes he has been bored with the proceedings, or wanted to go outside and play rather than sitting still and watching. He has learned over time, however, that it is important to give others attention in recognition of their accomplishments or work. I remind him of how proud he has been when he has had a role to play in school productions, and how he might feel if people were getting up and leaving the auditorium while he was on the stage. By presenting the situation in this personal way, he understands that staying seated and quiet until the end of a program is a way to show respect toward others.
There are times, of course, when an exit is necessary during a performance. When this has happened, I try to wait until a lull in the program before rising and leaving the auditorium. I would not want the students to feel that they were being slighted in any way. It can be hard enough to be on stage and hold your concentration before an audience, but if people are coming and going it just adds unnecessary distractions that must be dealt with. Most of the students are nervous enough just being on stage in front of their peers and families and they do not need the added stress of the audience moving in and out of the auditorium.
Even though Ali Adem may sometimes find performances boring, he is learning that it is important to pay attention and sit quietly. He knows how easy it is to lose his concentration when it is his turn to be on stage. He also knows how much he likes to entertain others and how good it feels to him when he hears applause for his part in a performance. He has learned that he should give the same respect to others that he would like from them. He also knows that even if his part of a ceremony is finished, I will be in the audience until the entire event has ended. All the students deserve the chance to be recognized for their accomplishments.
Benzer Haberler 
