Awakening our Graduates to their Life’s Dreams and Hopes

On Friday, September 6, at our Grade 12 Grad Retreat in Vancouver, we were fortunate to have an opportunity to hear a presentation from Dr Peter Glassman. Dr. Glassman shared his perspective on what the Grade 12 year means to a young person about to become an adult. An author of four books and an educator who has worked extensively in early, elementary and post-secondary education in North America, Europe, and Asia, he offered an insightful message to our grads and their teachers. 

He talked to our grads about the uniqueness and individuality of each of them who are now on a quest to discover their own Genius—the specific gifts of mind, spirit and character into which they were birthed, and from which they can determine their own selfhood and their own pathways in life: their Destiny. 

He referred to the fulcrum of the year; a point in their lives where they are transitioning from being dependent to being independent, in terms of making decisions and taking action in determining their own path in life. That from June 2025 onward, they will experience a mighty Juncture in their life. A juncture in law and in custom, but most important: a juncture in spiritual Power. That for the first time, they can live from their own selfhood, their own soul, by their own decisions, in their own ways; or not. It is up to them—they will have the Power to do this. 

He spoke about the grads having a Mission. He suggested that they use their Grade 12 year to: 

• Vision their future and what they wanted and where they wanted to go.
• To prepare themselves in all ways. 
• To train themselves to be ready for the transition. 
• To help one another every day in every way. To be there for each other. To be a team working together; a cohesive team. 

Dr. Glassman ended by offering advice/ideas and asking questions for the grads to prepare and train themselves for their life as an adult:

• Listen to who you are.
• Do one kind thing every day.
• Help someone each day.
• Give a little, give a lot, just do as much as you can.
• Get a notebook or journal and write in it every day and show it to no one.
• Be alone for 10-15 minutes a day and take a walk.
• Know how to be, know how to think.
• “Be the artist of yourself.”
• Ask yourself, “who am I?” not “what do you want to be?”
• You are the co-creators of your own learning this year, don’t waste it.
• What can you do with these 9 months?

A gentle and kind intellectual, Dr. Glassman encouraged deep reflection in our grads and posed life-important questions. 

Parents, there is a challenge in this for you; to support your student as they explore their own Genius and Destiny. To empower them to have their own Power as they make decisions for their post-secondary education and their life. 

To ask them questions about their Mission for this year and discuss your role in it:

• How can you prepare yourself for the transition from grade school to post-secondary education and how can we support you in this? 
• What is your vision for the future – who do you want to be, what do you want, and where do you want your life to go?

And, to have them buy a journal!

Last, but not least, the Senior School will be hosting a book club in the winter term – “How to Raise an Adult” authored by Julie Lythcott-Haims. More information will follow, but if you want to join us in having some topical discussions, now might be a good time to get reading!