At the ARIS Primary School, every month we have a “Profile of the Month”. The 10 Learner Profiles, over 10 months, are spread across to be Profiles of the month. This means that over the course of the month, students get to know more about the specific Learner Profile, and read books and have activities along the Learner Profile themes and overall, be the Learner Profile, itself. We want students to be Balanced, Caring, Reflective, Inquirers, Open-minded, Thinkers, Risk-Takers, Communicators, Knowledgeable and Principled as these characteristics drive them to be Global Citizens of tomorrow!

That said, last week we had a Profile Assembly for the entire Primary School, where Year 6A and 6B presented to the students on the ‘Balanced’ and ‘Caring’ Learner Profiles. What is ‘Balanced’? How do we characterize ourselves as ‘Balanced’? What can we do to show that we are ‘Caring’?

Year 6A took on the Learner Profile – Balanced. It was a skit of different settings and a different student with their preconceived ideas of what ‘Balanced’ signifies, and what the IB intends a ‘Balanced’ Learner Profile to be. While some students acted out saying that Balanced could mean that you attend school 4 out of 5 days of the week, and spend the 5th day having fun; or Balanced could also mean sleeping in, one day to balance out the waking up early on all other days. Finally, the IB Student interrupted the clashing ideas, and demonstrated what the Balanced Learner Profile truly means!

Balanced, as an IB Learner Profile, is the understanding of the importance of academic, physical, emotional balance!

The next presentation by Year 6B was on the Learner Profile – Caring. They had a poem to recite on what ‘Caring’ is. It can be small actions and gestures of kindness or giving back to our community and the communities around us for our own and their well-being. As the students ended it by saying that Caring could also be that you stop to say Hi to a fellow peer.

Caring, as an IB Learner Profile, is showing empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. We have a personal commitment to service.

The Profile Assembly, is all the more important, as it serves as an example to all students from youngest to oldest, about the essence of the IB Learner Profiles and how to attribute to them in the smallest or the biggest ways. Stay tuned for more Learner Profiles of the month!