What is TOK?

Theory of knowledge (TOK) plays a special role in the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP), by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know.

It is one of the components of the DP core and is mandatory for all students. The TOK requirement is central to the educational philosophy of the DP.

How is TOK structured?

As a thoughtful and purposeful inquiry into different ways of knowing, and into different kinds of knowledge, TOK is composed almost entirely of questions.

The most central of these is "How do we know?", while other questions include:

• What counts as evidence for X?
• How do we judge which is the best model of Y?
• What does theory Z mean in the real world?

Through discussions of these and other questions, students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions, as well as develop an appreciation of the diversity and richness of cultural perspectives.

Assessment of TOK

The TOK course is assessed through a student created exhibition and a 1,600 word essay.

The exhibition assesses the ability of the student to connect and apply TOK thinking to real world applications, while the essay takes a more conceptual starting point.

For example, the essay may ask students to discuss the claim that the methodologies used to produce knowledge depend on the use to which that knowledge will be used.

What is the significance of TOK?

TOK aims to make students aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases – whether these biases are retained, revised or rejected.

It offers students and their teachers the opportunity to:

• reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge
• consider the role and nature of knowledge in their own culture, in the cultures of others and in the wider world.

In addition, TOK prompts students to: 

• be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge
• recognize the need to act responsibly in an increasingly interconnected but uncertain world. 

TOK also provides coherence for the student, by linking academic subject areas as well as transcending them.

It therefore demonstrates the ways in which the student can apply their knowledge with greater awareness and credibility.

As part of Barry Goldwater's reading intervention program, your child will be using the Read 180 reading program for English language development. The Read 180 program is a digital program that helps students improve in all aspects of reading comprehension and English language acquisition. The goal is to help students reach the English language proficiency level for their grade. I have seen as many as two or more grade level improvements for students in this program. I teach the program because I believe in it!

Welcome to READ 180!

Dear families and friends of striving readers,

Many students in our schools struggle with reading. According to The Nation’s Report Card, only a third of students are proficient readers. Learning to read is a complex and difficult challenge, and the literacy demands on children and young people in the twenty-first century are higher than ever.

Your student is using READ 180, a blended learning solution that pairs powerful adaptive technology with teacher-led instruction. READ 180 is designed to provide personalized, purposeful instruction to accelerate reading success. It provides individualized digital experiences that engage students and ensure the mastery of critical reading skills.

I know from personal experience as a parent and teacher that it's hard to see your child struggle with anything. Please know that all of us involved in the development of READ 180 used the best knowledge from research and classroom practice to create a program in service of your child's unique needs. We have tried to help students move from being struggling readers to becoming striving ones. We have used research in growth mindset to help students in READ 180 better understand how their brains work and to teach them that their reading can improve with effort.

We take our responsibility to students, their teachers, and you—their families and friends—very seriously. Let us partner with you to support your student. On this website you can find out more about READ 180, get ideas for how to help your student. Learning to read is essential to success in school and in life, and READ 180 will help your child grow as a student and person.

Happy reading.