If the students are about to leave school, for example, if they are in their final year at school and are about to break up for summer, your speech does not have to contain advice. In fact, giving advice in a speech can be quite risky, and should be avoided, as students may react badly to the advice you give them. Instead, here are few features you could include in your speech.
Every grade of students that passes through your school will have a different personality, and will have had different experiences. As a result, you should tailor your speech to fit the particular group's personality. Drawing on the group's experiences, especially experiences that are common to every member of the group, is a great way to encourage laughter, warmth and a feeling of informality in your speech.
It's also a way to encourage unity between members of the group, as it will cause them to acknowledge that they have had similar experiences, and so share some common ground.
Try not to use jokes, one-liners or any other kind of device that may cause offense or upset to your students. For example, a joke about one boy's unfortunate experience in gym class may be hilarious to you, but to him, it could be his most painful childhood memory. Therefore, you should avoid putting anything in your speech that runs the slightest risk of offending, upsetting or cutting "too close to the bone". If in doubt, leave it out - or, ask the permission of the student in question before writing them into your speech.
In addition, your speech should not give any negative messages. Your students have gathered to listen to your speech in order to be inspired about their future and to be reminded about the wonderful times in their past. Including criticisms or any other negative messages will therefore be badly received.
- Recollections of the students' time at school
Every grade of students that passes through your school will have a different personality, and will have had different experiences. As a result, you should tailor your speech to fit the particular group's personality. Drawing on the group's experiences, especially experiences that are common to every member of the group, is a great way to encourage laughter, warmth and a feeling of informality in your speech.
It's also a way to encourage unity between members of the group, as it will cause them to acknowledge that they have had similar experiences, and so share some common ground.
- Don't be offensive
Try not to use jokes, one-liners or any other kind of device that may cause offense or upset to your students. For example, a joke about one boy's unfortunate experience in gym class may be hilarious to you, but to him, it could be his most painful childhood memory. Therefore, you should avoid putting anything in your speech that runs the slightest risk of offending, upsetting or cutting "too close to the bone". If in doubt, leave it out - or, ask the permission of the student in question before writing them into your speech.
In addition, your speech should not give any negative messages. Your students have gathered to listen to your speech in order to be inspired about their future and to be reminded about the wonderful times in their past. Including criticisms or any other negative messages will therefore be badly received.
