The Intellectual Virtues Model

Intellectual virtues are traits that help students excel as learners, in both school and the school of life. Unlike IQ or rote knowledge, these are cultivated strengths that empower students to:

• Think Critically: Question, analyze, and connect ideas.
• Deepen Understanding: Explore subjects with depth and care.
• Solve Problems: Tackle challenges with resilience and creativity.

The goal of an intellectual virtues educational model is to foster meaningful growth in the personal qualities or character attributes of a good thinker or learner: curiosity, wonder, attentiveness, open-mindedness, creativity, intellectual tenacity, and related traits. Intellectual virtues are sometimes referred to as “habits of mind,” “thinking dispositions,” or “non-cognitive skills,” and include grit and persistence.

IVA Schools focus on nine core virtues, woven into every class, interaction, community gathering and lesson, big or small:

1. Curiosity: A thirst for “why” and a love of discovery.
2. Intellectual Humility: Owning mistakes and staying open to growth.
3. Intellectual Autonomy: Thinking independently with confidence.
4. Attentiveness: Noticing details and staying engaged.
5. Intellectual Carefulness: Reasoning with precision and clarity.
6. Intellectual Thoroughness: Digging deep into ideas.
7. Open-Mindedness: Welcoming diverse perspectives.
8. Intellectual Courage: Facing tough questions without fear.
9. Intellectual Tenacity: Persisting through challenges.

These nine virtues don’t replace academics, rather they enhance a student’s ability to engage thoughtfully and actively with any lesson. Teachers at IVA Schools model and teach these traits across disciplines as students explore content and skills that prepare them for college and career.

When presented with new information like a mathematical theorem or a literature perspective, we encourage students to approach the unknown with a sense of wonder and curiosity. When working through a difficult problem, students practice the virtue of tenacity, and even humility, if the task is beyond their current scope of ability. And when engaged in a debate with conflicting arguments, IVA students are asked to show up courageously and listen with care and attention.

The great challenge of education is our collective inability to predict the future. Skills and jobs change rapidly, rendering it nearly impossible to fully prepare for a career that may not exist yet.

But an education that focuses on capacity for learning and thinking well lasts a lifetime. Here’s how intellectual virtues benefit your child:

• Adaptability: IVA Schools students learn to thrive in an unpredictable future by mastering how to learn, not just what to learn.
• Real-World Skills: Employers and universities value traits, like curiosity and tenacity, that prove students have what it takes to engage in challenging work.
• Personal Growth: IVA Schools students are more self-aware than peers in a traditional school system. They gain confidence, resilience, and a passion for knowledge.
• Stronger Community: Virtues like humility and open-mindedness build wiser, more connected citizens of the world.

The result? Graduates leave IVA Schools with tools for life—ready for college, careers, and beyond. They’re thinkers who ask big questions, embrace challenges, and make a difference. To learn more about the benefits and guiding principles of Intellectual Virtue development, visit: https://intellectualvirtues.org.

IVA Schools are closely connected to cutting-edge educational research on intellectual character education. Co-founder Dr. Jason Baehr is director of the Intellectual Virtues and Education Project at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. Our curriculum and teaching model make significant use of Harvard’s Project Zero research, especially the work of Ron Ritchhart and his colleagues.

Since opening, IVA Schools have received much attention both nationally and internationally as a school implementing an intellectual character program with fidelity and shared vision. See below for some of our current research partners.