A Deep Dive into IB Learner Profile

Nurturing Curious, Globally Minded Learners

The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

March Focus – Inquirer: We nurture our curiosity, developing skills 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.

How parents can support IB learning outside the classroom

As a parent, it is important to serve as a role model in many ways. Children start observing from a very young age. You are their model for everything; from how to brush your teeth, how to speak with strangers, and how to tackle the unknown. Every child asks, “Why?” How can we turn those questions into real-world skills? Through action.

With the role of teacher evolving, the role of parent is changing, too. Instruction is moving away from director toward facilitator. Gone are the days where parents simply gave answers. Now they are co-learners. Parents can model this by ‘wondering…’ aloud and following through with using resources available to learn more. The opportunity to show how to move from question to answer should not be missed. Even if you have knowledge on a topic, take this opportunity to display curiosity. Your child would much rather hear, “I’m not sure, let’s find out together!” than the alternative.

Turning Questions into Learning Opportunities

Additionally, ask open-ended questions that engage higher order and critical thinking skills. This will look different depending on your child’s age. But, by leaning into your child’s natural sense of wonder and discovery, you are already nurturing their inquiry skills.

Children naturally start learning by doing. For example, playing in the sandbox is not a simple activity. It’s a complex exploration of how sand behaves in different situations. It may be wet or dry, in a shovel or pail, being dug down into or built up onto.

Starting inquiry from a young age helps students begin to make connections between what they see and what they know. When a child is building a tower that topples down, swooping in and fixing it may be instinctual, but not beneficial. Instead, ask or model what would happen if the base was wider?

Want to model determination and perseverance? Show there is more than one way to achieve a similar result. First tower fell down? Start again with a different base or material. This demonstrates that a dead end isn’t necessarily the end; it’s a pivot. As the saying goes, if at first
you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Growing Thinkers: From Questions to Real-World Connections

For students aged 8-11, they use observation to help generate ideas about the world around them. They are excellent at using observation to create hypotheses (I think…) and come up with feasible explanations. So, when making observations, ask open ended questions using the 5 W’s; who, what, when, where, and why? Additionally, the how is an important concept to explore, especially with scientific based topics.

In middle school, a good point of focus would be making connections between scientific concepts and the real world. It is important to maintain an interest in science as well as expand perspective beyond home and local community. Discussing the importance of a discovery, the skills or knowledge required in a certain discipline, or what other questions that come to mind can be beneficial.

In a tech-heavy world of instant answers, curiosity remains utterly human. It’s this curiosity that will help students excel in the future.

In the end, the best thing a parent can do is show they are interested. When you care, it sends the message that what your child is doing is important; that it matters. Asking questions is modeling an inquirer. Inquiring minds want to know!

Recognized for Excellence — Best Private School in Burlington 2024 & 2025

Ashwood Glen is honoured to be named Best Private School in Burlington for the second year in a row. This achievement reflects our dedication to future-focused, globally connected learning and our commitment to helping every student reach their full potential.

Ashwood Glen School
Inspire. Empower. Excel.
Proudly Burlington’s only accredited IB World School for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) — shaping future-ready, globally aware learners from Montessori to Grade 8.