Learning To Be Like "TIMS"

Understanding the International Baccalaureate Programme's Learner Profile traits prepares first and second-grade students for an investigation into important historical figures, while helping them see what it means to be an internationally minded student.

To introduce a new unit of inquiry on "Heroes," IDS-CC teachers prepared an "archeological dig" through mystery boxes to uncover clues leading to the meaning of the IB Learner Profile traits.

Feb. 9, 2012 (TAMPA, Fla.) -- Like archeologists on a dig, first and second graders at Independent Day School-Corbett Campus worked together in small groups to comb through mounds of shredded paper in search of clues. Then, as they excavated the items buried in their mystery boxes – a black and white spotted die, a plastic toy soldier, a calculator, and more – they examined it carefully and brainstormed ideas to decipher its meaning.

To launch a new unit of inquiry, called “Heroes,” investigating the contributions of historical figures, students in each first and second-grade class, the Brilliant Bugs, the Cool Cats, and the Mighty Monkeys, focused on a common mission. As they uncovered the clues in 10 different boxes, they had to use their prior knowledge to figure out which of the ten traits that comprise the International Baccalaureate Programme's (IB) Learner Profile the items represented.

The IB Programme, which IDS offers for PreK3 through eighth grade, encourages the development of attributes that promote academic rigor and establish a personal value system leading to international-mindedness. These attributes, which IDS-CC teachers at all grade levels integrate into classroom lessons, are: knowledgeable, risk-taker, reflective, well-balanced, open-minded, principled, caring, thinker, inquirer, and communicator.

"This must mean caring," said Amanda Lather holding up two sponge figures holding hands.

"A mirror. That must mean reflective because you can look again and again into it," said Cool Cat classmate Abigail Schenck.

Mighty Monkey Connor Relin thought that a magnifying glass symbolized thinker, "because as you're looking around at things with it, you're thinking."

According to teacher Jennifer Jones, during this collaborative activity, "It was the critical thinking process, being a risk-taker to make a guess, and then coming to consensus as a group on a single answer that was most important."

"If students changed their minds during the process of opening up a new box and discovering a new set of clues, that was okay," said teacher Kim Fowler, "because that's exactly what happens when we think as inquirers. We reconsider previous ideas in light of new information."

Teachers introduced students to "TIMS," a role model of "The Internationally Minded Student," who encompasses all Learner Profile attributes.

Following their individual classroom "archeological" explorations, students and teachers came together as an Upper Primary community to share the true meaning behind the mystery box clues. Meanwhile, discussing each of the items contained in the boxes and its corresponding IB Learner Profile trait, teachers employed the help of a fictional, super-hero friend called TIMS to help explain how all of the attributes contribute to the development of an internationally minded student.

"TIMS stands for 'The Internationally Minded Student," said Andria Petty, one of the Mighty Monkey teachers. "He's a guy who does all of these things well. He's knowledgeable and reflective. He's a thinker, he's caring, and so on. That's why he's our model – our 'super hero' – and we all want to be like him."

As they move forward with their unit of inquiry on Heroes, "the goal is to understand that heroes – people who make a positive contribution to the world – demonstrate many of the same traits that our internationally minded students aspire to have," said teacher Debi Brockmeyer. "We plan to delve into these heroes and their contributions throughout this unit."

According to second-grader William Shirley, "TIMS looks like he's proud of himself because he's good at being knowledgeable, caring, a risk-taker, and all the Learner Profile traits. And he should be proud because it's hard to be all of those things."

Yet, it's something all of the Cool Cats, Brilliant Bugs, and Mighty Monkeys say they will work towards becoming – just like TIMS, The Internationally Minded Student.