NKCHS IB Happenings
September 2022
Welcome!
What is IB?
Today, the International Baccalaureate is known across the world for its inquiry-based curriculum and instruction that prepares global learners for the demands of an ever-changing society. We are so fortunate that our district, the only one "north of the river" in the Kansas City, supports these programs and fully funds the assessment fees and transportation needs of students. The 2-3 minute videos below outline a bit more about each program.
TOK and PPS
The TOK course centers around the question, "How do we know what we know?" Thus, the class focuses not on students acquiring new knowledge, but on helping students reflect on and put into perspective the knowledge they've learned from school and their lives outside of the academic context. TOK, a course based heavily in discussion, is a student favorite! Students will also spend time in TOK working on an exhibition (grade 11), the TOK essay (grade 12), and the Extended Essay (grades 11 and 12).
Currently, grade 11 TOK students are starting the semester with the Core theme, “Knowledge and the Knower.” This theme will allow them to explore what knowledge is. Students will reflect on themselves as knowers and how their knowledge is shaped by the communities of knowers to which they belong. At the same time, in addition to spending some time working on their Extended Essays, grade 12 ToK students are exploring how humans map and verify knowledge based on their perspectives. They are also reflecting on their own intellectual development by writing intellectual autobiographies
In PPS, students study skills and strategies that can be applied in their professional lives, knowing well that these skills will also transfer to their personal lives. They do this through five themes that provide the foundation of the course: personal development, intercultural understanding, effective communication, thinking processes, and applied ethics. PPS also provides students an opportunity to complete the Reflective Project, which involves the study of an ethical dilemma in the workplace. Students often find their voice in PPS, as well as many ways to tie their career-related study to their other coursework.
PPS juniors are starting the semester with the theme of “Personal Development," which allows them to dig into identity, the teen brain, growth mindset, and reframing thoughts.
PPS seniors are getting ready to read excerpts from Brainstorm: the Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain as a personal development unit to set them up for healthy mental habits this year. Next, they’ll move into a unit on thinking processes where they will explore critical, creative, and ethical thinking.
Ask your student about their TOK or PPS class - it's sure to inspire some great conversation!
Meet the TOK and PPS Teachers!
Tuan Nguyen
Kerry Durrill
Amy McKinnis
Lauren Rand
The IB Retreat is Back!
We can't wait to have some fun and help students better understand the IB journey they are on!
The Group 4 Project is Also Back!
Students will work with peers in other science courses to come up with a research question that will guide their Group 4 Project. Students will meet with the Group 4 teachers to learn more about this project on Wednesday, September 7, during MTSS. From there, they will determine a research question that will guide the studies they will perform at Line Creek on Friday, September 16. The final presentation is due on Friday, October 14.