Every student attending Jefferson-Houston School participates in the International Baccalaureate® (IB) programme. We are an authorized IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), which includes grades PreK through 5th grade. We are a recognized IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), which includes grades 6th-8th. The IB programmes focus on developing the whole child so that they gain the intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills needed to live, learn, and work in a rapidly globalizing world. The IB Learner Profile includes the elements that we seek to develop in all of our students.

IB Learner Profile

The aim of all IB programmes 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.

As IB learners, we strive to be:

Inquirers - 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.

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

Thinkers - We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators - We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Principled - We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

Open-Minded - We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

Caring - We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Risk-Takers - We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

Balanced - We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

Reflective - We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.

IB learner profile (PDF)

IB Attitudes

Appreciation - Appreciating the wonder and beauty of the world and its people.

Commitment - Being committed to their own learning, persevering, and showing self-discipline and responsibility.

Confidence - Feeling confident in their ability as learners, having the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned, and making appropriate decisions and choices.

Cooperation - Cooperating, collaborating, and leading or following as the situation demands.

Creativity - Being creative and imaginative in their thinking and in their approach to problems and dilemmas.

Curiosity - Being curious about the nature of learning, about the world, its people, and cultures.

Empathy - Imagining themselves in another’s situation in order to understand his or her reasoning and emotions, so as to be open-minded and reflective about the perspectives of others.

Enthusiasm - Enjoying learning and willingly putting the effort into the process

Independence - Thinking and acting independently, making their own judgments based on reasoned argument, and being able to defend their judgments

Integrity - Being honest and demonstrating a considered sense of fairness. 

Respect - Respecting themselves, others, and the world around them.

Tolerance - Being sensitive about differences and diversity in the world and being responsive to the needs of others.