This year school graduation¹ was held May 11th, 2012². The ceremony was held outside in front of the school in near freezing temperatures but everyone was strong. Two students from the 11th grade acted as emcees, Sandanjigmed and Barkhassuren.

The ceremony included a variety of musical and dance numbers performed by the graduating students.  Numbers included a traditional dance by Otgonbat (accompanied by Suvd-Erdene and Bat-Erdene)

An orchestra piece led by Shinkhuu in the middle,

Some lovely group songs

and a most memorable dance number to Billy Jean

In addition to music, several students read poems, and students were awarded with medals.

After the ceremony parents gave their children gifts of candy, stuffed animals, and cell phones and took lots and lots of pictures.  Here are a few that I don’t look totally short in

Finally, each class had a party in their classroom with teachers and parents invited. The 11th grade, being so large, held their reception in the gymnasium and the tables went all around the room.

Everyone ate, sang songs, and teachers that were especially influential in the lives of the students received awards.

It was a lovely day and I wish all the graduates luck in the future.

1. In Mongolia, students currently graduate after 5th, 9th, and 11th grades. In a few years the system will completely switch to a 12 year system at which time I assume graduations will be after 6th, 10th, and 12th grades.
2. Something which I will never understand since May 11th was a full 2.5 weeks before the end of school and 1.5 weeks before finals. What incentive is there to work hard in the end of the school year if you have already graduated and partied?

One of the many traditions the Mongolian school system has (or at least my school) is a day in the spring when the graduating class gets to be the teachers and the teachers are 11th grade students for a day. Students volunteer to teach all the classes or act as the school director or headmaster, and the teachers dress up in school uniforms-or to the American eye, French maid costumes. I thought we looked pretty cute honestly.

The day started off with the school being lead by the 11th graders in a rousing edition of the Mongolian national anthem.

The first class of the day for us teacher-students was English, which I can proudly, if not unfairly, say I was the best student in. We drew pictures of the fruit we most identify with and then learned fruit names in English. I was a strawberry since they are tasty, small, and not naturally found in the Gobi desert. My best 11th grade student Bolortsetseg was our teacher and she did a very good job.

After English we had gym where we played volleyball, and lastly we had Mongolian script. I definitely felt out of my element there!

In the evening the 11th graders put on a typical school party which alternates between group dances and games. The kids learn dances from a young age and seem to enjoy them a lot. Sometimes they even make the mistake of asking me to dance!

When they are not dancing, crazy games are played. The first game which I somehow got conned into with 3 other teachers was one where kleenex boxes were belted to our backs and then we had to dance around until the three ping pong balls in our box fell out. Needless to say, I didn’t win, but I did look very silly. The second game that was played was even crazier. One person from each class was volunteered and then had to race around to beg/borrow/steal a list of items from their classmates and then put them on. By the time the kids had each put on 2 jackets, 5 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, a skirt, 5 rings, 2 watches, 3 pairs of shoes, a hat and 4 belts they were the size of the Michelin man and their classmates were in various stages of undress.

I donated my watch to one class, but I have to give props to the 60 year old elementary school teacher who graciously loaned the 10th grade her skirt. Now that is dedication to teaching!

It was a very fun day and I think the 11th graders enjoyed being in charge for once. I wish them lots of luck as they head off into the world next year.