As an IB World School, we are all familiar with the difference between formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments tell us what we still need to learn, summative tells us what we have learned. Summative assessments define the end of a learning experience.

Dear 2020 graduates, throughout your life, you will learn best if you are continually conducting formative self-assessments. It is only when you reflect back upon your whole life, and you conduct your summative self-assessments measuring what you have achieved for your communities (local and global), and what you have achieved for your family, and what you have accomplished as an individual; this is the only real summative assessment.  With luck and hard work your self-summative assessment will be meaningful and will come from a place of love, care, and support.

Through the IB education you should know that knowledge and understanding alone means very little without action and service. It is your actions that makes the difference to the world we live in; your circumstances and your actions influence the people around you. Never underestimate the ability you must influence ~ small actions make a difference. You do not have to change the whole world but be determined to make a difference to your world.

Nelson Mandela once said: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

我的老师杨共乐教授求学阶段曾受教于著名历史学家刘家和先生。一次，刘家和先生向他的学生讲述，做学问要“顶天立地”。何谓“顶天立地”？“顶天”，即头顶有理论的指导。立地，即脚踏实地的工作。我认为，这段话对于我们其他方面的学习、工作、乃至为人处世都有借鉴意义。

以人生为维度来考量，一方面，我们要在脑袋上方有理论、观念的指引，对未来的工作、道路有一定的选择和规划。其实，我们绝大多数的人，现阶段都不清楚自己到底想要什么，自己降生于世的使命到底是什么，不清楚不要紧，我们都不清楚，正因如此，大学时代的我们要在参与和实践中思考自己的人生选择、自己的使命，并努力为此作准备。想不明白也无妨，重点是通过不断的反思和总结，构建自己头顶关于“人生”这个问题的个人的理论框架，以此指导自己今后的行为和选择。

另一方面，我们还需要脚踏实地地实践。仅仅是哲理上的思辨，并不能带领我们做好具体的事情。没有踏实努力的具体的付出，上述关于人生的思考也不过是无聊的幻想。从每一件小事做起，踏实做好工作，去掉浮躁，明确幻想与目标的差别。

在此，祝愿在座的每一位青苗学弟学妹们，都能成为一名“顶天立地”的人。在踏实的实践中完善和明确自己的人生目标，在理想和信念的支持下一步一个脚印，走出属于自己更广阔的的人生！