IPS Membership Charter 2020-21

WISDOM

Improve and expand my ability to address challenges and issues in a manner that makes full use of my rational capacities. I pledge, that is, to:

• adopt a critical attitude to new knowledge & truth claims by questioning the reasons, evidence and justifications for those claims
• commit myself to learning the fundamentals of critical discourse
• be open-minded about listening to and critically assessing new ideas
• be prepared to give good reasons for my own beliefs and convictions
• be prepared to change my mind on the basis of better reasons

Act in a way so as to ensure that both I and my colleagues get the greatest possible benefit from the academic program offered at the school. I pledge, that is, to:

• come to class on time and fully prepared for the activities of the day
• attempt at all times to produce quality work to the best of my ability
• strive to assist, and never impede, the learning experiences of my colleagues
• take the initiative to ask questions of teachers or colleagues if I am unsure of anything covered in class
• take responsibility for, and be forthright about, incomplete, late or missed assignments
• be willing to take intellectual risks to extend the limits of my knowledge & understanding
• make a concerted effort to hand in all work on time

COURAGE

Make use of the various academic and extra-curricular challenges that the school offers as an opportunity to enhance the confidence and courage of myself and my colleagues. I pledge, that is, to:

• make an honest effort to attempt everything that the school offers up in terms of special challenges
accept new challenges with a spirit of anticipated success, rather than an expectation of defeat
• offer my best effort to persevere through challenges at precisely the moment when they seem most difficult
• encourage and support my colleagues to accept challenges in the right spirit, and to persevere to the end
• offer recognition of my colleagues both for attempting and for meeting personal challenges

INTEGRITY

Improve and expand my capacity to be a person of integrity. I pledge, that is, to:

• treat students, the faculty, and all visitors to the school with civility, honesty, and respect
• be sensitive to the emotional needs of students, the faculty, and visitors to the school
• offer and accept criticism only in reference to the problem or idea at hand, and never in reference to the individual
• respect the personal space and possessions of students, faculty and visitors
• respect a person’s right to their own views to the extent that such views are justified
• act as a positive agent (as opposed to a negative or neutral agent) to break apart cycles of disrespect
• refrain from using language which degrades individuals or humanity as a whole
• take responsibility for my mistakes and be prepared to make amends if I have caused others harm
• be steadfast in upholding principles of right action, particularly when it is difficult to do so