Our students will be engaged in whole class and small group discussions, debates, student-led seminars, reviewing various stimulus materials, essay and paragraph writing, and oral presentations. Although ToK is not a course in critical thinking or philosophy per se, students will become familiar with critical approaches and be exposed to many philosophical concepts. The emphasis is on active learning as it is certainly not the thrust of ToK for students to learn specific content to reproduce in assessment instruments.

ToK is assessed by an Exhibition of three artefacts chosen by the student, accompanied by a written account of how each artefact exemplifies some aspect of the role of knowledge in the real world. This is completed by the end of Grade 11. In Grade 12, students must write an essay on one of six titles prescribed by the IB. These require some comparison and contrast in issues of knowledge generation in various Areas of Knowledge.

• To think critically and approach religious and ethical issues in an academically robust manner.
• To foster open-mindedness
• Appreciate their own and others’ religion, beliefs and culture
• Effectively observe, reflect and commit to serving their community
• Embrace human dignity

The whole curriculum is designed to ensure that students understand the fundamental beliefs of each of the major world religions and can articulate an ethical position regarding ethical issues relevant to society today. A variety of activities has been compiled to cater to a wide range of individuals. Still, there is an emphasis on individual reflection, interactive and independent learning, group discussion and academic rigour. Popular culture, current events and technology are essential components constantly referred to in the curriculum.

The RE programme of study at SJI International is structured into two main units of study for all Grades.

Grade 7

• Unit 1: Grade 7 students study the main beliefs and practices of Islam.
• Unit 2: Students study ethical issues which are contained within the topics of “Crime and Punishment” and “Prejudice and Discrimination

Grade 8

• Unit 1: Grade 8 students study the main beliefs and practices of Hinduism.
• Unit 2: Students study ethical issues which are contained within the topics of “Abortion” and “Euthanasia”.

Grade 9

• Unit 1: Grade 9 students study the main beliefs and practices of Judaism and Christianity.
• Unit 2: Students study ethical issues contained within the topics of “Wealth and Poverty” and “War and Peace”.

Grade 10

• Unit 1: Students study Philosophy of Religion which includes “Arguments for the Existence of God”, “The Problem of Evil”, “Religious Experience” and “Attributes of God”.
• Unit 2: Students study ethical systems which include Natural Law, Situation Ethics and Utilitarianism.

Students are assessed through SJI International’s own continuous monitoring of student performance which aligns itself with the aims of the course and the standards students are expected to meet. A written assessment takes place at the end of each unit and tests students on three key skills; Knowledge, Understanding and Evaluation.

Transferable Skills:

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Analysis
• Reasoning (structure arguments)
• Independent learning
• Ethical thinking
• Communication
• Interpersonal Skills 
• Intellectual interest and curiosity

The topics in the course will be studied from a religious (mainly Christian) perspective. The key concepts within the other major world religions will also be studied. Each topic is also explored from the position of a non-religious person. There is no requirement to be Christian or indeed come from any faith background as the topics are studied from an academic viewpoint and not from a faith perspective. 
 

Activities are varied to cater for a wide range of learning styles but there is an emphasis on group discussion, group projects, presentations and rigorous debate. We encourage students to be active learners by participating in discussions and offering their views on personal and social and cultural issues. 

Newspaper articles, web materials, video clips etc. are constantly sourced and modified by teachers to provide our students with up to date resources from the world around them.

In the Snack Attack Challenge, students compete in groups to create a healthy snack and market their product in a pitch to the rest of their class. The winning groups from each class then compete against the rest of the Grade to find the winning snack.