Today marks the beginning of the second semester at Amicus. Although the autumn break was short, I hope it provided all students with an opportunity to reflect on their studies and activities from the first semester, particularly on what didn’t go well and why. I believe that reflection is even more important than simply setting goals.
Our school’s educational philosophy is “Think, Learn, Act.” “Think” means to think for oneself, “Learn” means to actively engage in learning, and “Act” means to take action based on what you have thought and learned. In other words, it is crucial to think, learn, and put those lessons into practice on your own.
Personally, I love baseball and often watch Major League games. Currently, the team with Shohei Ohtani is performing well in the postseason. His embodiment of “Think, Learn, Act” was previously featured in the PTA newsletter ACT. Baseball is a sport that requires quick decision-making and immediate action. Depending on the game situation, players must act on their own judgment without waiting for the coach’s signal. For example, when deciding to steal a base, they must quickly assess the score, the inning, the number of outs, the batter at the plate, and the pitcher’s movements.
Recently, I read a book called 『Thinking Baseball』 by Takahiko Moribayashi, the coach of the Keio Gijuku High School baseball team. In the book, he explains his coaching philosophy, where he entrusts nearly all decisions to the players. If they don’t develop the ability to think and make decisions on their own, they won’t be able to take appropriate actions during games. Even when mistakes are made, he doesn’t scold them but instead asks, “Why do you think you failed?” If a player doesn’t understand the reason, he provides strict guidance, but if they do understand, they are unlikely to make the same mistake again. This is how he fosters players who can think, learn, and act on their own.
I found that this approach closely aligns with Amicus’ educational philosophy. It is not enough to merely receive instructions from others; one must be able to think, learn, and take action independently. In these uncertain times, the ability to navigate the future by relying on one’s own strengths is more important than ever.
In this regard, as we begin the second semester, I believe it is essential for students to reflect deeply on the first semester and develop the habit of “Think, Learn, Act,” as it will be the key to unlocking their future.
By the way, after the Dodgers defeated pitcher Yu Darvish in the playoffs, do you think his manager reprimanded him? Most likely not. Darvish himself knew best why he was hit, as evidenced by his post-game interview.
As the school principal, I will work closely with the teachers to fully support Amicus students as they grow into individuals who can think, learn, and take action on their own during this second semester.
