In Pursuit of Learning - Revised

Written: March 2015
Prompt: Please select 2-3 International Baccalaureate Learning Profile Traits that you think are the most important for students to exhibit. Discuss why you believe those traits are most important and create a plan for how we can better foster the development of those particular traits as a school.

Too many people go through life day after day, their only concern making it to the next day. They survive; they do not live. It is the pride of International Baccalaureate schools that they aim to produce students who do not merely survive, but truly live. They do this through the IB learner profile, a series of characteristics that represent the ideal life-long learner. By cultivating these traits, one moves beyond the daily grind of survival into real meaning. One need only list those attributes to be convinced: inquirer, knowledgeable, communicator, open-minded, caring, and so forth. While the above is not a controversial thesis, it is a matter of debate which of these traits are most valuable or important. Be that as it may, a convincing case can be made that the attributes of inquirer, communicator, and caring are the most fundamental and meaningful.

Life begins with curiosity, so it is fitting to begin with the trait of inquirer. Two arguments suggest that it should be prized above the rest. First, inquirer entails many other traits of the learner profile. Knowledgeable, for example, is a consequence of sustained inquiry. Moreover, genuine inquiry is only possibly when one is open-minded. If someone closes one’s mind to alternative ways of looking at the world, can they truly be called an inquirer? It seems not. Further, the trait of thinker undergirds inquiry. The best inquirers are those who “use critical and creative thinking to analyze”[1] every vista of knowledge and learning. Finally, life-long inquiry results in a balanced mind and heart. If the argument here is correct, then over half of the IB learner profile traits branch out from consistent inquiry. Second, inquiry is one of the most fundamental tasks of the human person. Arguably, humanity’s sole guide in life is inquiry. Life begins with the inquiry of the child into the world around them, continues with the inquiry of the adolescent into themselves and what they want in life, progresses with the inquiry of the adult into whatever field they find themselves in, and ends with the old inquiring into the deepest questions of life. More fundamentally, though, the “effort to understand the universe is one of the very few things which lifts human life a little above the level of farce and gives it…the grace of tragedy.”[2] In some sense, then, it is inquiry that separates mankind from the mindlessness of the universe, and gives life meaning as a consequence.

But perhaps this conclusion comes too soon. Inquiry may give one a deep storehouse of knowledge, but if that knowledge cannot express itself to others, it is meaningless. Communicator is, alongside inquirer, one of the most important IB learner profile traits, and for two reasons. First, without communication, one is devastatingly alone in the world. It is through communicating that one is able to connect with others, and without human connection, chilling isolation takes hold in the heart. Moreover, people desperately wants to share their intellectual discoveries with the people that mean something to them. Communication, then, is key. Second, refined communication skills are necessary for effective persuasion. If someone wants their voice to rise above the billions of others and be heard, persuasion and effective argumentation are indispensable. But these two realities are only possible when someone has learned the art of explanation, the art of making one’s argument clear and giving clear evidence for every step of that argument. The point is, the art of explanation is just another name for good communication.

But the ideal person is not simply an inquirer who shares his knowledge with others. Something more is needed; namely, a deep seated care for other people. Caring, then, is the final trait that stands beside communicator and inquirer as most significant and important. Again, two considerations are relevant here. First, one could possess every other trait of the IB learner profile, but if he lacks care for those around him, he has failed at life and failed to understand the true message of that profile. The learner profile is not merely about fashioning intelligent individuals who can hold their own in the world. It is focused, rather, on creating genuine, understanding students of the world. This means taking one’s place in the global community, and taking in the perspectives of all peoples, places, nationalities, creeds, and colors. This demands care and love. Second, when the end of the road is reached, it is only the love of others, and one’s own love for them, that matters. Everything else fades away.

In summary, it seems that caring, communicator, and inquirer are the three most important traits of the IB learner profile. The question now is, what can the school do to help students cultivate those traits in their own characters? First, our school needs to stress even more than it currently does the importance and need for Socratic Seminars. As one progresses into higher grades, Socratic discussions become fewer and far between. This is extremely unfortunate, because those discussions provide a venue to sharpen and improve upon communication skills. Second, the curriculum should give students more opportunities to engage in independent research projects. Of course, the Extended Essay is a prime focus of the curriculum for Juniors and Seniors, but nothing similar is offered to lower grades. This needs to change. Third, school might consider offering charity work and projects on a regular basis, with the goal of producing more caring students. On a closing note, let me say that when we cultivate a caring, communicating, and inquiring character, people being to take notice. They see that the things that matter to us are not what matter to most people. But instead of drawing the conclusion that we are wrong, they will see that most people are wrong. Perhaps this will inspire them to start on the path we have been walking all along. That, I think, is the true goal of the IB learner profile.

[1] http://www.crecschools.org/our-schools/international-magnet-school-for-global-citizenship/programs-areas-of-study/ib-learner-profile/, (see definition of “Thinker”).

[2] Weinberg, Steven. The First Three Minutes (1993).