The Learner Profile: Embedding it within children's learning community

When I first viewed the IB Learner Profile, it seemed to mould to my educational philosophy as clay responds to the ideas of a child through the encounter with their hands, forming a personal dialogue. Yet, when I started taking a closer look into the notions of this framework, my own personal thinking was confronted with the opposing theoretical literature, that is eminent.

I began to question my own belief in the virtuous dispositions embedded throughout it. And when considering each of these virtues, together with scholarly opinions, are presenting it to young children too ambitious? Is it setting them up for failure? Is it too values laden? Placing a judgement over the way children choose to act. Are these attributes, in practical terms, restrictive of a child’s engagement with life outside of the classroom? Imposing pre-established virtues upon a child’s pursuit of altruistic engagement within their community (Lovat, 2011; Oord, 2012).

I had copious questions, which opposed a framework that had made explicit sense, prior to considering it from another perspective. Yet the main aspect, which I was confounded by, was the practicality of embedding these values within a child’s learning community. Through speaking with Katie, her real-world expertise was able to enlighten my theoretically constricted deliberation. In particular the following segment of the interview:

Do you find that children try to action the qualities of the learner profile because they are able to see the benefits of them, for themselves? Or, do you find them doing it, for positive adult appraisal?  “They may do it for both reasons – when they are young, they often follow the behaviour modelled or requested by teachers but as they grow up, they are able to understand the inherent value of behaving in accordance with the Learner Profile…. They are not imposed as the children learn about the attributes and the benefits are explained to them – they understand by doing.”

In pondering over her response, she had unknowingly provided a thorough insight and understanding into the pragmatism, which the Learner Profile plays within the learning framework of the IB. It assists children in developing a global sensitivity and understanding of the wider community (Abdullahi, 2010). In enabling children to understand their potential, which is what the Learner Profile affords, and creating a context through which they are invited to make learning their own, it is empowering them and affording them the agency and self-direction to pursue richer learning and constructive action  (Ball, 2010; IBO, 2009).