Our IB learner profile value for the month of August is “Open-Minded.” This value is described by the International Baccalaureate organization in the following way:
We understand and appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, and are open to the perspectives, values, and traditions of other individuals and communities. We are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view, and are willing to grow from the experience (IB 2013)
Being open-minded is especially relevant in a diverse school and community such as ours. With at least 30 different countries represented and 10 languages spoken, there is a multitude of perspectives all around us. This implies a range of beliefs, ways of seeing the world, communicating, and solving problems. By practicing being open-minded ourselves, and teaching our students to do the same, we can enter every unique situation with empathy as we seek to understand others. By being “willing to grow from the experience” of “evaluating a range of points of view,” we can recognize that it’s not always important to be right. Recognizing others’ perspectives, whether we agree with them or not, liberates us to celebrate differences and come together as we coexist and co-create our community.