Theory of Knowledge
Mr. Woodside
Nogales High School
(626) 965-3437 x3725
[email protected]
Course Description:

TOK is a course about critical thinking and inquiring into the process of knowing, rather than about learning a specific body of knowledge. It is a core element which all Diploma Programme students undertake and to which all schools are required to devote at least 100 hours of class time. TOK and the Diploma Programme subjects should support each other in the sense that they reference each other and share some common goals. The TOK course examines how we know what we claim to know. It does this by encouraging students to analyze knowledge claims and explore knowledge questions.

Objectives:

-Students will analyze specific ways of knowing (WOKs). (Language, sense perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory).
-Students will analyze specific areas of knowledge (AOKs). (Mathematics, natural sciences, human sciences, arts, history, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems.)
-Preparing for the TOK Assessments (TOK essay and presentation)

Student Expectations:

-Students will be expected to be on time to class and ready to work.
-Students are expected to be in class on a regular basis in order to keep up with assignments and important information.
-Students will be expected to complete all assignments and homework on time and to the best of their ability.
-Students are expected to participate in class discussions, role-playing, and group activities and other in-class assignments.
-Students are expected to follow the simple class rules at all times.

What will you do in TOK?

This is a class that will challenge you to think and to express yourself both verbally and in writing. These are critical skills for college! We will engage in different activities that will help you to think about various subjects. There will also be written assignments which will challenge you in your thinking as well. The purpose of TOK is not necessarily a heavy work load, but rather, a heavy think load. IMPORTANT: TOK is a real class!!! You are expected to take the course seriously and you will earn a grade based on your performance in the class which will appear on your transcript!!! Students sometimes get the idea that since this is a different type of class, they don’t have to take it seriously. Do not make this mistake!!!

Journals:

Students need to get a single subject spiral notebook that will serve as their journal/diary of TOK. This journal will be used for class notes, written responses, weekly reflections and other assignments. They will be graded based on completion of required assignments, how well you express your thoughts, and the insight you provide to the activities that we do. Advice: You will do better on these journal assignments if you do not procrastinate. The tendency is for students to neglect their journal work until the day before journals are to be collected. Doing this WILL result in lower scores and can hurt your grade in TOK. Journals will be collected each month for assessment.

Grades:

As mentioned, there will be various activities and assignments that will challenge you in your thinking. Full participation will be essential in securing an “A” in this class.

Grade weights are as follows:

Journals/Assignments: 40%
Participation/Attendance: 40%
Extended Essay Checkpoints: 20%