IB Learner Profile: Principled
Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone.- J.Q.A.
IB Learner Profile: Principled
This IB learner profile is one of 10 attributes recognized and valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.
IB students are infused with the academic integrity that is a fundamental value of universities and colleges.
Fairness
Integrity
Honesty
How can parents help to develop students who are principled at home?
What you do as a parent matters. How you treat and respond to your child should come from a knowledgeable, deliberate sense of what you want to accomplish.
- You cannot be too loving. It is simply not possible to spoil a child with love. What we often think of as the product of spoiling a child is never the result of showing a child too much love. It is usually the consequence of giving a child things in place of love.
- Connect behavior to character.
- Provide opportunities for your child to make their own decisions, discuss the consequences of their decisions.
- Read and tell stories in which the story characters demonstrate making principled decisions
- Discuss how being principled is life long commitment and well sought after as a characteristic to have.
Suggested Books, Activities, and Games
Suggested Activity: Kindness Chain
This kindness chain activity can be done at home or at school. Students write down kind things they have observed and link them together to help notice that kindness happens all around us. Being kind to others helps create community.
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Suggested Game: World Rescue
Players help the Kratt Brothers stop Zach Varmitech's plan to destroy the natural balance of the world's habitats.
Click the image to play.
Learning Strategy: 3 Whys
Why might this matter to me?
Why might this matter to the people around me?
Why might this matter to the world?
Part of being principled is taking the time to understand someone else's perspective. Asking and answering these questions in different situations help students develop an understanding of the significance of a situation. This helps know when to keep personal, local, or global connections in mind.
Story Time
Hey Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hossee
'Hey, Little Ant' can help students see the world through the eyes of an ant. Learning to understand others’ perspectives supports the development of empathy in children. This story is a dialogue between a boy and an ant. The boy tries to decide if he should squish the ant, and the ant makes a compelling case for his survival. The ending asks the reader to decide the outcome: "What do you think the kid should do? This makes for a perfect opportunity to discuss the ethical treatment of living creatures and opens discussions for being principled.
Discussion Questions For Hey Little Ant
2) Explain how the boy feels about the Ant.
3) Explain why the Ant feels that his own life does matter.
4) Which point of view do you agree with and why?
5) Explain your thinking on what the boy should do at the end of the story.
6) If you were the boy, what would you do at the end? Would you squish the ant? Or would you let the ant go free? And why?
Suggested Activity: Dramatic Play
Dramatic play, also known as pretend play, is important for children's development because it helps them learn and practice a variety of skills.
Take turns acting out the roles of the ant and the boy. Swapping roles allows students to experience both perspectives.
What If Everybody Thought That? By Ellen Javernick
If you see someone in a wheelchair, you might think he or she couldn't compete in a race. But...you might be wrong. What if you see a child with no hair? Do you think she is embarrassed all the time? How about a kid who has a really hard time reading? Do you think that means he's not smart? You might think so. But...you might be wrong.
With clear prose and lighthearted artwork, this companion book to the bestseller What If Everybody Did That? explores the preconceived notions we have about the world and encourages kids to be more thoughtful.
Discussion Questions for What If Everybody Thought That
- Have you ever had a thought like someone in this book?
- Remind your child or student that they are in a safe place to be honest.
- Do you think you might miss out on something because of a thought-friendship, experience, etc?
- Think back to one example in the story. How did the example turn out differently than the thought? Where you surprised?
Suggested Activities for What If Everybody Thought That
-Self-Reflection: This would be a good time to discuss self-reflection. This is how we are aware of our actions and thoughts. At the end of the day, I have some students check-out with me and we self-reflect on our day. We ask various questions but some may be: How would you rate your day? Would you change (insert situation) differently? How can we approach (insert scenario) differently? What will we do to be ready for tomorrow? It gets the students thinking about their day and gets them thinking about the future school days.
–Writing Prompt: You are at dinner and are presented with something you’ve never had before. It doesn’t look very good either. What do you do?
Trailblazers
Stanley M. Makowski ECC #99- An IB World School
Email: nmarciano@buffaloschools.org
Website: https://www.buffaloschools.org/PS99
Location: 1095 Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, NY, USA
Phone: (716)-816-4180
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakowskiIBWorldschool/