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‘’Beware the Ides of March…”
Yesterday was 15th March. I am sure you were all finding your own special ways to commemorate the 2065th anniversary of the murder of Julius Caesar but just in case you forgot to send each other a card on this important day, I thought I would use this week’s newsletter to remind you of the importance of decision making.
In January, 49BC, Julius Caesar stood on the banks of the Rubicon river with a single legion of soldiers behind him. To cross the river and head towards Rome would mean breaking an ancient law forbidding Roman Generals to cross the Rubicon with their troops. Caesar took the momentous and illegal step of crossing the Rubicon, he headed for Rome and briefly, became the most powerful man in the known world.
Today, ‘crossing the Rubicon’ is a way of expressing the point at which there is no return. As Caesar himself reputedly said on that fateful riverbank, ‘the die is cast’. You have made your decision, you must live with the consequences…
Rarely is it true that the decisions we make cannot be reversed, in our lives it is rare for us to ‘cross the Rubicon’. Even our biggest decisions can usually be revoked in part, if they lead us onto a difficult path but even though that is true, teaching young people about decision making is a responsibility we all bear. Decisions always have consequences, good ones, bad ones, indifferent ones perhaps but thanks to the interconnectedness of all things, our decisions almost always impact upon others and form part of the web of events that joins us all together. Every action has a reaction.
Let us take the time to talk to our children about decision-making and about the process we should all go through before making one. Think, listen, reflect, consider the consequences of our decisions and actions on ourselves and on others. A moments’ pause might halt a negative chain of consequences stemming from a rash decision. When you stand on the banks of your Rubicon, take a moment and slow down – sadly for Caesar, no one gave him that advice and we know what happened to him don’t we…?
Chris Lowe
A few weeks ago, as part of our IB DP Language programme, Year 12 students in the French Ab Initio and French B classes united to celebrate Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday). Originally a catholic event welcoming the ritual fasting of Lent, Mardi Gras is celebrated in France with festive parades and sumptuous public celebrations.
At BIS Abu Dhabi, students came together to not only recognize the festivity but rejoice at the opportunity to share and learn about the international traditions fostered within our community. With the help of Monsieur Depose and Mademoiselle Merchadier, the French DP classes baked tasty treats, including crepes, waffles, brownies, and traditional beignets!
As a teacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, I have the privilege of watching students grow — not just academically, but as young people finding their path in a complex world. One thing I’ve learned time and again is this: success doesn’t come from rare moments of brilliance — it comes from the quiet power of habits.
Research tells us that up to 40% of what we do each day is driven by habit, not active decision-making. That means the routines our students form — the way they begin their morning, how they handle a setback, whether they choose to read or scroll — are shaping who they become.
I was really touched by Áine’s newsletter piece last week, posing the question: ‘What would I tell my younger self?’
I spent some time afterwards thinking about my own parenting journey, and what it’s all been about, now that my two are adults and have ‘flown the nest’. Parenting isn’t easy for any of us, and that’s true even if you’re an experienced school leader – at home, I’m just Dad.
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