Drafting Non-TOK Teachers

We discuss how non-TOK teachers can be used as a key resource in the delivery of TOK in our Getting Started section. Here we think about how this also promotes the integration of TOK with other DP courses.

As guest speakers

Asking teachers to step into your TOK classroom to provide a lecture or workshop-style lesson on a specific theme, topic, or question is great way to integrate TOK with other DP subjects, and encourage non-TOK teachers to bring in content from their specialist areas. The more controversial the topic, the more engaging this can be, for students and for the teachers! For example:

• Ask the Mathematics department to discuss the extent to which knowledge in their field can be considered subjective

• Science teachers can help you assess whether, ultimately, the sciences are about having faith in experts whose ideas we can never fully understand

• The Economics department could help you explore the extent to which human science predictions are always doomed to failure

• History could help you consider whether historical knowledge is always a matter of perspectives, and we will never be able to access the ‘truth’ about the past

To convey TOK ideas and concepts

If teachers are reluctant (or simply too busy) to run a session in your classroom, try to get them delivering TOK ideas in more depth and detail in their own classroom. The more specific the topic you ask them to deal with the more successful this is likely to be, and if you can provide them with resources, such as a link to a great article or video, even better. This is often a very successful way of getting across a tricky concept or topic, which you can follow up later.

Support the writing of essays and presentations

With a little bit of care, non-TOK teachers can play a useful role in helping students to create effective essays or presentations. Whilst they can’t provide any written or editorial advice, and shouldn’t venture too far out of their own subject, they can, for example:

• Advise on suitability of claims and counterclaims

• Evaluate whether selected RLSs are well regarded

• Provide quotes and opinions that students can use