IB THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE COORDINATOR - BD SOMANI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MUMBAI, My contact EMAIL (andrew.callahan@bdsint.org) (Please note this site uses Google cookies in compliance with EU Law. By using this site you accept that cookies are used here.)
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Sunday, January 26, 2014
How to: Windows 7 PC - Remove all Junk files, VIRUS & make FASTER!! (100...
Reminder to everyone to keep your computer virus free and to protect your data with constant back-up procedures. Please also ensure that the 'memory stick' or external hard drive you use needs to be scanned before you put plug in to someone else's computer. This is a good video and he also has a similar one on Windows 8 maintenance.
TEDxSanDiego 2011 - Kurt Gray - Mind Perception
Thanks to Adiva in Grade X1 for recommending this blog. Students are welcome and encouraged to post comments anywhere on on this blog.
Japan brutal killing of dolphins by fishermen - condemned overseas but defended in Japan
From 'THE GUARDIAN' youtube channel comes this disturbing video. Although no actual killing is shown please note that the interview here includes a graphic description of the killing of the dolphins.
JFK a great speech at the American University, so brilliant and still so relevant...
Language as a Way of Knowing. Note the use of humour at the start of the speech (referring to his honorary doctorate being 'earned' by 30 minutes speech making compared to real students who study), then there is the real substance of the speech which is still relevant today.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
How to write a great TOK ESSAY
What makes a great essay? What makes
a great TOK Essay?
Mr. C.
Key elements
include: STRUCTURE AND WRITING STYLE as in any essay but also Putting the TOK
ingredients in your essay as per the TOK ESSAY RUBRIC
You must
integrate your ideas and present them in a way that responds to the exact essay
title – do not change a word from the original.
You must
meet the 4 criteria
1. UNDERSTANDING KNOWLEDGE ISSUES – link
them to the title
2. KNOWER’S PERSPECTIVE- personal
reflective exploration/self-awareness
3. QUALITY OF ANALYSIS – knowledge
issues/claims and counterclaims
4. ORGANISATION (Structure)
Structure
includes: MICRO STRUCTURE
1. Sentence structure, are they
readable, meaningful, memorable?
Are they of
varied length? Are they linked to each other in a logical sequence of thought
just like series in mathematics? Well
crafted sentences are the building blocks of great paragraphs.
2. So how do I check if I have
constructed great paragraphs?
The first sentence of each paragraph
sends a message to the examiner. It introduces the topic of that paragraph or
it introduces a new aspect of an earlier topic (Claims and counter-claims for
example). So the first sentence of each paragraph is a clear meaningful TOPIC SENTENCE. It creates an
expectation that the subsequent sentences will explore it more deeply. There
will be evidence, perhaps a real life example, a suitable quotation from a
strong academic source or at least a recognised and respected source. The
paragraph will contain some of the following TOK TERMS:
Areas of
Knowledge, Ways of Knowing, Knowledge Issues, Knowledge Claims, Knowledge
Counterclaims
All of the
above must be linked to a real life situation
(e.g. Moon
Landing hoax or historical truth?)
Micro
structure means the construction of sentences and paragraphs.
Another look at paragraphs:
Good
sentences make great paragraphs and great paragraphs make great essays.
Do you know
how to write a good topic sentence? 8to 15 words – might be a question.... open
statement.....
8 to 15
sentences per paragraph
·
PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE or the SANDWICH
MODEL
LAYER 1 = TOP SLICE OF BREAD = TOPIC SENTENCE
MIDDLE LAYER – EXAMPLES – KNOWLEDGE ISSUE –
CLAIMS AND COUNTERCLAIMS
FINAL LAYER = BOTTOM SLICE OF BREAD=
LAST SENTENCE = PUNCH LINE OR
SUMMARY OF PARAGRAPH
PARAGRAPH 1
– STATE YOUR APPROACH AND THE AIMS OF
THE ESSAY
ABOUT 5
SENTENCES PAR 1 – THESIS STATEMENT – AOK + WOK
PAR 2 CONSOLIDATE
YOUR INTROD
REAL LIFE
EXAMPLE – KNOWLEDGE ISSUE – CLAIM COUNTERCLAIM
ALL MIDDLE
SECTINO PARAGRAPHS – FOLLOW THE SANDWICH MODEL
FINAL 2
PARAGRAPHS – Try to write with a sincere
personal voice and draw together some of the key ideas of your essay.
DO use clear elegant English (read “The
Guardian” culture section for a good example of style)
AVOID: ..... gushing prose and rhetorical flourishes....
·
OTHER
POINTS
·
MACRO STRUCTURE OF THE ESSAY is how the essays reads as a unified
work.
·
It
should contain 3 main sections
·
INTRODUCTION
– DEVELOPMENT – CONCLUSION
·
MAKE
REFERENCES TO VAN LAAGEMAT
·
MAKE
REFERENCES TO THE ACADEMIC DISCOURSE – STANFORD PAGE/THE NY TIMES/ THE
GUARDIAN/ TED TALKS/ BLOGS
·
PERSONAL
VOICE AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - MAKE REFERENCES TO THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN
SCHOOL OR CAS and IB Learner Profile
·
SIMPLE
ENGLISH – DESCRIBING SITUATIONS AND EVENTS – DO NOT PREACH – DO NOT GUSH PROSE
–
·
EXPLORE
KNOWLEDGE ISSUES...
·
Finally
TOK is about the exploration of how we know what we know.... it’s not about
persuading the examiner to support or oppose your pet campaign issue, you are
‘unpacking’ knowledge issues you are not selling or persuading or recruiting
followers to your cause.
GOOD LUCK
Monday, January 20, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Fanfare for the Common Man, New York Philharmonic, James Levine
I don't need a reason to post this here or on any blog. It's beautiful, noble and uplifting. Perhaps that is a combination of emotion and sense perception as a Way of Knowing?
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Nabucco - Hebrew Slaves Chorus
What is the Area of Knowledge? What is the Way of Knowing? What is the result? An example of timeless beauty.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
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A special welcome to our incoming IB Grade X1 class, who are already working with teachers on our Pre- IB Introductory Course. ALL STU...
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Each Grade 11 Student will post 100-150 words as Personal Reflection inspired by their visit to the Art Exhibition. Our Central Knowledge ...