News - Estrella Mountain Elementary School

The IB Attitudes of the Week

The IB Attitudes are a vital focus in the development of positive attitudes towards people, the environment, and learning. These are the day-to-day attitudes we use: appreciation, commitment, confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect, and tolerance. These IB Attitudes are meant to be an explicit part of daily learning, modeled by both students and staff. These are woven into daily school life -- the classroom, the cafeteria, at recess, etc. Students also reflect on the attitudes during learning experiences and assessments. When reinforced at home (or when reinforcing the positive attitudes that students learn at home and other places), these attitudes become second nature for children.

Students feel sensitivity toward differences and diversity in the world and are respectful to the needs of others. They accept others.

Students respect themselves, others and the world around them. They are polite and kind to themselves and others.

Students have integrity and a firm sense of fairness and honesty. It is about being honest to yourself and others.

Students are thinking and acting independently, making their own judgments based on reasonable principles and being able to defend their judgments. They are thinking and doing things for themselves.

Students enjoy learning. They go above and beyond in the classroom by having inquiring minds and want to learn more.

Students imaginatively project themselves into another’s situation, in order to understand thoughts, reasoning and emotions. Students are putting themselves in someone else’s shoes.

Students are curious about the nature of learning and of the world, its people and cultures. They want to do and learn more.

Students are being creative and imaginative in their thinking and in their approach to problems and dilemmas. They come up with their own ideas.

Students cooperate, collaborate, and lead or follow as the situation demands. Students are working together.

Students feel confident in their ability as learners, having the courage to take risks, apply what they have learned and making appropriate decisions and choices. They think they can try or do most things.

Students are committed to their learning, preserving and showing self-discipline and responsibility. It is finishing what you start and not giving up.

Students appreciate the wonder and beauty of the world and its people. It is also being grateful for something.

The IB Learner Profile Words of the Week

A reflective person thoughtfully considers the world and their own ideas and experience. They work to understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to support their learning and personal development.

The important thing about being reflective is that you can ask yourself difficult questions and receive honest answers. Being reflective needs learners to look both backwards and forwards in time. It can be done alone, in pairs or in groups. But the most important thing about being reflective is that you can ask yourself difficult questions and receive honest answers.

A balanced person understands the importance of balancing different aspects of their lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. They recognize their interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

A risk-taker approaches uncertainty with forethought and determination; they work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. They are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

The important thing about a risk-taker is they’re not scared to make mistakes. They have outgoing personalities. They are courageous and driven. They are not hindered by failure. But the most important thing about a risk-taker is they’re not scared to make mistakes.

A caring person shows empathy, compassion, and respect. They have a commitment to service, and they act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Caring is bright and warm. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Caring is kind and respectful, caring is helpful. But the most important thing about caring is it makes a difference.

An open-minded person critically appreciates their own culture and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. They seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experiences.

The importance of being open-minded is that you listen. You are willing to accept others’ point of view. You are willing to learn from others and accept we are all different. Part of being open is a willingness to change your mind, but the importance of being open-minded is that you listen.

A principled person acts with integrity and honesty, with a fair sense of justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. They take responsibility for their actions and their consequences.

The most important thing about being principled is maintaining your true integrity, honesty, fairness, respectfulness. Drop your integrity - lose all. Remember; Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and couldn’t be put together at all. So the most important thing about being principled is to hold on to your honesty, fairness, respectfulness - don’t let it fall.

A communicator expresses themselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. They collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

The most important thing about a communicator is that they understand and express ideas confidently. They are creative people and have an appreciation for other languages. They also work well with others. But the most important thing about communicators is that they understand and express ideas confidently.

Thinkers: A Thinker uses critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex problems. They exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

The most important thing about thinkers is that they think. They think about the good, the bad, the positive and negatives, what’s possible. They love problems and finding solutions. They search, seek and reflect. But the most important thing about thinkers is that they think.

Knowledgeable people develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. They engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

The important thing about being knowledgeable is that you know more. You explore ideas and gather information. You look for things that are important to you and the world. You learn lots. You have a wide bank of knowledge. But the most important thing is that you know more.

INQUIRERS nurture curiosity, developing skill for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

The important thing to know about being an inquirer is that you are curious. You need to know what you know and what you want to find out. And you need to b able to ask searching questions in order to find your answers. But the most important thing about being an inquirer is that you are curious.