The Learner Profile (8) – Risk Takers

Risk Takers.

This is my least favourite term in the learner profile list. Why?

Do we want our Chemists to take risks? The images that this term brings up are of students mixing together random chemicals, explosions, poison gas and so on! Do you want this in our lessons?

Of course not, but we do want our students to take risks. But what sort of risks?

This term is hard to make specific to Chemistry (I would be interested in your thoughts – please, put me right). If our students are to be risk takers we want them to try to answer questions that they are not 100% sure of. We want them to ask questions and to challenge us. We want them to push the boundaries a little and find out a bit about themselves.

‘Risk takers’ could be worded better – something like ‘Bold’ or ‘Uninhibited’ may work!?