Learning from our “personal history”

Today marks the 74th anniversary of the attack at Pearl Harbor. It was a day that shaped a generation and the future of our nation. After the war in 1948, Winston Churchill is quoted as having said: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” While Churchill was referring to history on the macro-level, there is certainly a lot we can learn from our “personal history”. The key is in our willingness to take the time to understand it and apply its lessons thoughtfully. As we head toward the middle of the school year, now is a wonderful opportunity to help your child take a “historical” view: What can he learn from the first several months of the school year to help him become a more efficient and effective student in the months ahead? What kinds of academic goals can he set? What kinds of behavioral goals can he set? By identifying and addressing those few areas where your child feels he can do better, you’re teaching him how to be self-reflective and how to use his personal history to redirect his mindset and actions for the future.