What have we learned this year?

Today (June 12) is the last day of school in my district. As students get ready to leave our schools later this morning for summer vacation it is an appropriate time to ask:

What have we learned this year?

I hope we have learned how to be better readers, writers, and thinkers.

I hope we have learned more about math and science.

I hope we have learned to play the trumpet or the sax or the violin or cello better.

I hope that we have learned more about how to sing and dance.

I hope we have learned to build things and fix things and create things.

But, more importantly . . .

I hope we have learned how to listen better.

I hope we have learned to build friendships.

I hope we have learned that while people are different that is OK.

I hope that we have learned that our similarities are much more important than our differences.

I hope that we have learned to be passionate about things that matter.

I hope that we have learned that words and actions can hurt others.

I hope that we have learned that lifting people up is so much better than pushing people down.

I hope that we have learned that problems can be solved, even really big and difficult problems.

I hope that we have learned that even though people disappoint us we should still believe in the goodness of others.

I hope that we have learned to assume the best about people.

I hope that we have learned that we should lead lives full of trust, hope, and love.

I hope that as we have become better students . . .

we have also become better people.