In May 2008, Margaret Edson delivered a brilliant commencement at Smith College  dedicated to the glory of classroom teaching.

She is a teacher herself, for many years teaching kindergarten (prep grade) in Washington DC and Atlanta, and now teaching sixth grade social studies at Inman Middle School.

She's also a Pulitzer Prize winner. Her play, 'Wit', written in 1991, debuted in theatres in 1995, had a run in Connecticut and then off-Broadway in 1997-8, and then ran for 545 performances at the Union Square Theatre between December 1998 and April 2000. Wit won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1999, and the New York Critics' Circle Prize for Best New Play the same year. In 2001, it was made into an Emmy award winning HBO telemovie starring Emma Thompson, and when it re-ran on Broadway in 2012 it won two Tony Awards.  

Throughout it all Margaret Edson remained Maggie Edson, classroom teacher. She still is, although she plans to retire in two years.

I discovered this speech on a site called The Eloquent Woman, and I think of it as one of the truly great commencement speeches. Structure, delivery, emotion, love, and originality.  The most beautiful tribute to the classroom teacher ever delivered.

"This day is a day of love. It’s not a day of achievement, really.  It’s a day of your family’s love for you, your love for each other and your teachers, and your teachers’ love for you."

Send it on to a teacher you love.

Episode supported by GreenSkin™ and PurpleSkin™ avocados at http://lovemyavocados.com.au. 

If you'd like to donate to support Speakola in both its website and podcast form, Tony would appreciate any help in these covid times! 

Please subscribe to the podcast, visit Speakola,  and share any great speeches that are special to you, famous or otherwise. I just need transcript & photo /video embed. Speakola also has Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Tony Wilson's author website is here.

 

In May 2008, Margaret Edson <a href="https://speakola.com/grad/margaret-edson-smith-college-2008">delivered a brilliant commencement at Smith College</a>&nbsp; dedicated to the glory of classroom teaching.
She is a teacher herself, for many years teaching kindergarten (prep grade) in Washington DC and Atlanta, and now teaching sixth grade social studies at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inman_Middle_School">Inman Middle School</a>.
She's also a Pulitzer Prize winner. Her play, '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wit_(play)">Wit</a>', written in 1991, debuted in theatres in 1995, had a run in Connecticut and then off-Broadway in 1997-8, and then ran for 545 performances at the Union Square Theatre between December 1998 and April 2000. Wit won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1999, and the New York Critics' Circle Prize for Best New Play the same year. In 2001, it was made into an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxrzWhPzhfc">Emmy award winning HBO telemovie</a> starring Emma Thompson, and when it re-ran on Broadway in 2012 it won two Tony Awards.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxrzWhPzhfc"></a>
Throughout it all Margaret Edson remained Maggie Edson, classroom teacher. She still is, although she plans to retire in two years.
I discovered this speech on a site called <a href="http://eloquentwoman.blogspot.com/">The Eloquent Woman</a>, and I think of it as one of the truly great commencement speeches. Structure, delivery, emotion, love, and originality.&nbsp; The most beautiful tribute to the classroom teacher ever delivered.
"This day is a day of love. It&rsquo;s not a day of achievement, really. &nbsp;It&rsquo;s a day of your family&rsquo;s love for you, your love for each other and your teachers, and your teachers&rsquo; love for you."
Send it on to a teacher you love.
Episode supported by GreenSkin&trade; and PurpleSkin&trade; avocados at <a href="http://lovemy">http://lovemyavocados.com.au.&nbsp;</a>
If you'd like to <a href="https://speakola.com/donate">donate to support Speakola</a> in both its website and podcast form, Tony would appreciate any help in these covid times!&nbsp;
Please <a href="https://podfollow.com/1510533157">subscribe</a> to the podcast, visit <a href="https://speakola.com/">Speakola</a>,&nbsp; and <a href="https://speakola.com/submit">share</a> any great speeches that are special to you, famous or otherwise. I just need transcript &amp; photo /video embed. Speakola also has Twitter and Facebook feeds.
Tony Wilson's author website is <a href="http://tonywilson.com.au/1989-the-great-grand-final-signed-copies">here</a>.
&nbsp;

Speakola is the home for great speeches on the web. 

Tony Wilson is the founder and curator of Speakola, which now hosts more than 2000 speeches, some famous – think Churchill, Obama, Gandhi - some not so well known. 

In each episode, Tony interviews someone who has written, delivered or studied a great speech to reveal the stories behind the scenes, to provide context to the historical moment, or in the case of eulogies, birthdays and other common events, to inspire people to hit new creative highs.

Tony will also play a ‘speech of the week’ to honour great words by great orators. Released fortnightly.

Speakola, for all speeches great and small.

Speakola is the home for great speeches on the web. 
Tony Wilson is the founder and curator of Speakola, which now hosts more than 2000 speeches, some famous &ndash; think Churchill, Obama, Gandhi - some not so well known.&nbsp;
In each episode, Tony interviews someone who has written, delivered or studied a great speech to reveal the stories behind the scenes, to provide context to the historical moment, or in the case of eulogies, birthdays and other common events, to inspire people to hit new creative highs.
Tony will also play a &lsquo;speech of the week&rsquo; to honour great words by great orators. Released fortnightly.
<a href="http://www.speakola.com">Speakola</a>, for all speeches great and small.

Speakola, for all speeches great and small.

Speakola

<a href="http://www.speakola.com">Speakola</a> is the home for great speeches on the web. 
Tony Wilson is the founder and curator of Speakola, which now hosts more than 2000 speeches, some famous &ndash; think Churchill, Obama, Gandhi - some not so well known.&nbsp;
In each episode, Tony interviews someone who has written, delivered or studied a great speech to reveal the stories behind the scenes, to provide context to the historical moment, or in the case of eulogies, birthdays and other common events, to inspire people to hit new creative highs.
Tony will also play a &lsquo;speech of the week&rsquo; to honour great words by great orators. Released fortnightly.
<a href="http://www.speakola.com">Speakola</a>, for all speeches great and small.

Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and school teacher Margaret Edson talks about her Smith College Commencement Speech which was dedicated to her love of teaching.

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