IB Learner Profile: Thinker

As IB learners, we strive to be thinkers. We exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

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 contribute to discussions in a meaningful way. They do not shy away from challenging questions and, once they know the answer, follow up by asking “why?”

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1. Encourage your child to engage in pretend play, children are naturally curious and imaginative.
2. Pause and wait...give your child time to think for him/herself, be patient.
3. Don't intervene immediately, it's okay to let your child explore on their own.
4. Ask open-ended questions.
5. Help children develop hypotheses.
6. Encourage critical thinking in new and different ways.
7. Encourage your child to retell stories, put on plays with story props.
8. Leave time for unstructured play.
9. Encourage your child to play and explore outside.
10. Encourage Creative Thinking.
11. Let your child experience failure, and then let him/her figure out how to turn their failure into a positive learning experience.
12. Provide opportunities to visit Children's Museums and Libraries.

'My Lucky Day' demonstrates how being a Thinker has many benefits!

When a delicious-looking piglet knocks on Mr. Fox's door "accidentally," the fox can hardly believe his good luck. It's not every day that dinner just shows up on your doorstep. It must be his lucky day! Or is it? Before Mr. Fox can say grace, the piglet has manipulated him into giving him a fabulously tasty meal, the full spa treatment (with bath and massage), and...freedom.

In a funny trickster tale of her own, Kasza keeps readers guessing until the surprise ending when they'll realize it was piglet's lucky day all along.

1) Before you even read this story, whose lucky day will it be....Mr. Fox? Or Mr. Pig? Why do you think this is so?

2) Why do you think the pig showed up at Mr. Fox's door?

3) What did Mr. Fox make of the situation with Mr. Pig at his door?

4) Which story character is more clever? And why?

5) Which story character did you feel more empathy for? And why?

6) Explain how you feel Mr. Pig viewed Mr. Fox?

7) Explain if the ending of the story took you by surprise? The pig has visited quite a few "wrong" houses.....whose house could you write a story about a pig visiting?

It’s time for this year’s Going Places contest! Finally. Time to build a go-cart, race it—and win. Each kid grabs an identical kit, and scrambles to build.

Everyone but Maya. She sure doesn’t seem to be in a hurry...and that sure doesn’t look like anybody else’s go-cart!

But who said it had to be a go-cart? And who said there’s only one way to cross the finish line?

This sublime celebration of creative spirit and thinking outside the box—both figuratively and literally—is ideal for early learners, recent grads, and everyone in between

• Character comparison: How are Maya and Rafael similar and different? How did Rafael change?
• Author's intent: What do you think Peter Reynolds wanted readers to learn from the book?
• Contest: What was the contest's goal? How did Maya and Rafael feel when they arrived?
• Feedback: How can we give constructive feedback to others, especially when they do something different or creative?
• Imagination: How can letting our imaginations run wild be a great experience?
• STEM activity: Can you make your own vehicle using recycled materials?

• Puzzles
• Where do the pieces go?
• What clues helped you decide where to put each piece?
• Riddles
• What was your thinking process?
• What wrong answers did you come up with first? How did you eliminate them?
• Building with Blocks
• Can you make your structure taller, shorter, wider, or thinner?

This visual thinking routine asks students to identify and represent the essence of ideas from something they have read, watched, or listened to by using a color, symbol, or image to represent the ideas. The possibilities are endless!

For example:

If a student was using the color, symbol, image thinking routine to represent the holiday earth day, they might:

• Use blue to represent clean water
• Use a sprout to show how living things develop in a healthy environment
• Use a picture of children planting trees to show collective action

Email: nmarciano@buffaloschools.org
Website: https://www.buffaloschools.org/PS99
Location: 1095 Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, NY, USA
Phone: 9716)-816-4180
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