Flourish! At this time of year, we will be meeting with several parents whose children have been identified as struggling or excelling academically. For the Std 7 parents they will be pondering over the years of secondary education ahead. Is their child on track, have they and the school done enough to allow the child to flourish? Inevitably, these families want to understand what is the ultimate aim of education at Baobab? We should be all able to answer, our goal is to ensure that each student can ‘flourish’. Flourish, even in these strange covid-19 times. Aristotle explores the question posed by Socrates and Plato before him about how we should live our lives. He uses the word ‘Eudaimonia’, perhaps best translated as ‘human flourishing’ to describe the highest human good – or what we might term the ‘purpose’ of life. Academic achievement, personal development, co-curricular opportunities, are only part of any school vision. And no individuals vision of life is the same, so too with teachers, but if we can say the following statements with confidence: • I know who I am • I like who I am • I’m good at being me Then all should be good! In order for our students and we ourselves to achieve this in life we need to find teaching stimulating, we need to develop intellectual curiosity for knowledge, explore how best to teach, how to encourage our students to be independent thinkers, and develop a love for learning. To me, flourishing is academic achievement, self-confidence and good judgement. Through all the challenges we have faced this year, never lose faith, hope or direction. Know that your life and goals can only be obtained if you flourish!