This week has seen the start of the Foundation Phase mid-year assessments and the second week of Intermediate Phase exams. I am sure the learners are eagerly working towards good results that they can be proud of. With this in mind, I would like to share with you some wisdom from a letter written a few years ago – a letter written from a principal to the parents in their school.
They said: I know you are anxious for your child to do well, but please, do remember… Amongst the students is an artist who does not need to understand Math. There is an entrepreneur who doesn’t need History or English Literature. There is a musician whose Chemistry marks won’t matter. There’s an athlete whose physical fitness is more important than Physics. One exam or a low mark won’t take away their dreams or their talent. Please do not think that engineers and doctors are the only happy people in the world.”
Achievement is important. Setting our children up for a good future is important. It is, however, equally important to understand that mistakes are a great way to learn, and that grit can sometimes be a better indicator of success than intelligence [read more]