In-school TOK & critical thinking workshops
If you want to set up an extended training session, or want multiple sessions with different teachers or students, then our in-school workshops are the perfect option.
Being in the same room as workshop attendees allows more flexibility in terms of what we can cover, supports a more interactive learning environment, and enables us to work longer with those looking to hone their TOK and critical thinking skills.
How do we set up a workshop?
Easy: just contact us, and we’ll get back to you very quickly with more details about availability and prices. Either use the form at the bottom of the page, or drop us an email at support@theoryofknowledge.net.
Michael Dunn, founder of theoryofknowledge.net, and who delivers most of our workshops, is based in Cambridge, and regularly visits schools both in the UK and Europe. He is available for schools based further afield, but we also work with other experienced workshop facilitators around the world who follow our approach to TOK.
What can we help you with?
We believe that TOK offers a wonderful opportunity to turn students into life-long learners, and help them develop a curious, compassionate, and objective approach to the world. Students regularly tell us that the experience they’ve had in TOK classes has been genuinely life-changing, and the most rewarding of all their DP subjects.
Our in-school workshops are all about embracing this opportunity, and developing lesson and course strategies – as well as an overall mindset – that will ensure students feel empowered by TOK, and see it as a way to support and enhance their learning. In order to achieve this, our workshops can be designed for any and all members of your learning community, bringing everyone onboard.
Whole faculty workshops
Our whole faculty workshops demonstrate how any teacher – whatever their programme (GCSE, MYP, A-Level, AP, etc.) – can channel the principles of TOK to turn their students into authentic critical thinkers. See sample sessions and book here.
DP teacher workshops
Our DP teacher workshops offer specific strategies to help those directly involved with the Diploma draw on TOK within their lessons, and help deliver a fully integrated learning experience for learners. See sample sessions and book here.
TOK teacher workshops
Our TOK teachers workshops deal with a range of TOK topic, including how to design and deliver a brilliant TOK course, how to market the TOK course, and how to oversee the TOK assessments. See sample sessions and book here.
TOK student workshops
Our TOK student workshops demonstrates the cognitive benefits of the TOK course, how it can enhance their academic resumes, and practical tips for planning, creating, and showcasing their TOK essays and exhibitions. See sample sessions and book here.
TOK parent workshops
Our TOK parent workshops explain the basics of the TOK course, why it is such an important part of a child’s education, and how it will improve students’ chances of entering the university of their choice.
To get a clear idea about our approach to TOK, our passion for the subject, and our ability to engage both teachers and students, you can check out our webinars on our YouTube channel here. We also created this short video introducing our workshops here.
Which schools have you worked with?
May 2023 ST JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, BELGIUM. In-school workshop for DP teachers, and a session for the TOK team.
Feb 2023 RUGBY SCHOOL, UK. In-school workshop for the whole teaching faculty.
Nov 2022 DARTFORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL, LONDON. In-school workshop for the whole DP team, and a separate session for the TOK team.
Sep 2022 NEWINGTON COLLEGE, SYDNEY. Online essay-writing workshop for DP students.
Sep 2022 ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SCHOOL, OAKVILLE, ONTARIO. Online workshop for DP staff.
Sep 2022 STONYHURST COLLEGE, LANCASHIRE, UK. In-school workshop for DP, A-Level, and GCSE teachers.
Sep 2022 GRESHAM’S SCHOOL, NORFOLK, UK. In-school workshop for DP, A-Level, and GCSE teachers.
Sep 2022 KOÇ SCHOOL, ISTANBUL. Online workshop for 150 DP teachers, and a second workshop for the TOK team.
Aug 2022 WINDHOEK INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, NAMIBIA. Online workshop for DP teachers.
Jun 2022 IŞIK HIGH SCHOOL, ISTANBUL. Online workshop for DP teachers.
Jun 2022 WESTMINSTER ACADEMY, LONDON. A follow-up, in-school workshop, for DP, GCSE, and KS3 teachers.
Apr 2022 SHANGHAI SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL. Online workshop for DP teachers.
May 2022 ANGLO-EUROPEAN SCHOOL, INGATESTONE. In-school workshop for DP, A-Level, GCSE, and KS3 teachers.
Oct 2021 HOCKERILL ANGLO-EUROPEAN COLLEGE, BISHOP’S STORTFORD. In-school workshop for DP1 & DP2 students.
Feb 2021 DPS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, GURGAON. ‘Chief guest’ at the online TOK exhibition day.
Apr 2021 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LUXEMBOURG. A follow-up online workshop, for the TOK team.
Jan 2020 GULF ENGLISH SCHOOL, DOHA. 2-day in-school workshops for staff and students from 11 different schools in Qatar.
Jan 2019 ST EDWARD’S SCHOOL, OXFORD. In-school workshop for the TOK team.
Jan 2019, UNITED WORLD COLLEGE, MAASTRICHT. In-school workshops for staff and students.
April 2018 BRITISH SCHOOL OF MANILA. An online workshop for the TOK team.
February 2018 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LUXEMBOURG. A follow-up workshop, for the ISL TOK team and DP2 students.
Jan 2018 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF PARIS. In-school workshop for DP staff and DP2 students.
Nov 2017 NEWTON COLLEGE, LIMA. In-school workshop for TOK teachers from 7 different schools in Lima.
Jan 2016 YAMANASHI GAKUIN HIGH SCHOOL, KOFU. Online consultations for the TOK team.
Nov 2015 EYÜBOGLU EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, ISTANBUL. In-school key note speech, in Association with Cambridge University Press.
Aug 2015 NESIBE AYDIN COLLEGE, ANKARA In-school workshop, in association with Cambridge University Press.
Jan 2017 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LUXEMBOURG. In-school workshop for ISL TOK team and DP2 students.
Jan 2016 STEPHEN PERSE FOUNDATION, CAMBRIDGE In-school workshop, in association with Cambridge University Press.
Nov 2015 ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS ACADEMY, BIRMINGHAM. In-school workshop for DP2 students.
Jun 2015 ST JULIAN’S SCHOOL, LISBON. In-school workshop for DP1 students from 5 different schools in Lisbon.
What do people say about your workshops?
Having a TOK integration workshop with Michael Dunn was the best thing I’ve done as the TOK Coordinator. Michael’s knowledge, enthusiasm and practical tips for the subject were a great inspiration for the whole faculty.
Jana Jackson, TOK Coordinator, Shanghai Singapore International School
We really enjoyed Michael’s workshop, it was great to see the staff so enthused and inspired!
Susannah Porsz, DP Coordinator, Anglo-European School
The Gulf English School was delighted to have Michael present over two full days in January. Michael delivered a teachers workshop to a variety of teachers repressing 11 local schools. The workshop allowed fantastic opportunities for teachers to gain insight into the new TOK course. In addition, the student workshop provided fantastic high quality student engagement through a range of activities. Thank you Michael, for delivering two very successful workshops.
Hannah Cashell, TOK Coordinator, Gulf English School, Doha
Thank you again for spending the days with us; students were buzzing for a while after, and the ToK team appreciated the opportunity to connect, think, and talk ToK. Hope we have a chance to work again in the future.
Dasha Lis, Head of TOK, UWC Maastricht
Thank you very much for the ToK workshop… as a ToK novice, I found it incredibly interesting and reassuring.
Alex Waring, CAS Coordinator, St Edward’s School, Oxford
The feedback I have had from the teacher workshops has been really positive. My colleagues really approached your personable style and found the content engaging. Everyone felt they had an immediate takeaway and a better understanding of TOK generally. We’d love you to come back and do more.
Joanne Perkins, Head of TOK, International School of Paris
I can’t say how thankful we are for your visit. Chatting to the students yesterday showed that they really felt the day helped them to grasp the essential concepts of TOK in a way that had thus far evaded them. Feedback was all positive and many have gone on to plan their final presentations on the back of ideas that came to them during the day.
Kieran Hennigan, Head of TOK at St Julian’s School, Lisbon
Thank you so much for your amazing workshop. To be honest, no-one was looking forward to it after another dispiriting day of online teaching in lock-down… This made it all the more surprising to find it so lively, entertaining and immediately relevant and useful to our teaching. Everyone I’ve spoken to agreed that it is the best PD workshop they remember at our school.
Simon Jackson, DP film teacher, Shanghai Singapore International School
Thank you so much for the sessions you led with us, the TOK team is certainly feeling more confident in their teaching of the two assessments of the course and you have given me lots to think about in terms of the way we currently approach TOK.
Charlotte Nicholas, TOK Coordinator, Westminster Academy
Yesterday we had a ToK collaboration meeting, and the feedback from the workshop was fantastic! Everybody was happy… we need people like you!
Dorothee Prendergast, Head of Languages, and TOK, International School of Luxembourg
[The workshop has given] a broader, more complete/intuitive understanding of the course, will certainly improve critical thinking and subject connections. Great ideas for new and innovative practices and approaches to teaching the course. Good preparation with tools, tactics and new ideas. Very helpful. Very practical, and offered concrete ideas on how to approach the course. Terrific opportunity to collaborate and share ideas with the speaker and my colleagues. [This will] Help students how to understand ToK better by improved teaching schedule and lesson structure. The structure of the 8 questions programme makes so much more sense.
Feedback from the ISL teachers, following Michael’s visit to Luxembourg in January 2017
As an IBDP coordinator who has attended your workshop at Nesibe Aydin Schools in Ankara, I would like to thank you for the great ideas you have shared with us.
Müge Özgönül, IBDP & CAS Coordinator, Eyüboglu High School
Thank you so much for delivering your ToK session. Staff were really energised by it!
Tricia Kelleher, Head of School, Stephen Perse Foundation
Set up an in-school workshop
We’ll be happy to answer any question you might have about our TOK training, and set up a workshop for your school .
These might include locations we’re able to travel to, how to decide on a topic for training, details of workshop fees, which members of your learning community we can help, and the pros and cons of in-school vs. online workshops.