The art of
intellectual thought
At Santa Ynez Valley Union High
School, students are learning sophisticated philosophies and perspectives on
knowledge in order to truly understand the art of thinking. Every Monday night,
several SYVUHS upperclassmen meet to attend a highly advanced critical thinking
class, which involves a level of maturity and intellect that are admirable for
17- and 18-year-olds.
Theory of
Knowledge, or TOK, is a sophisticated class that moves beyond the study of
content to explore the art of knowledge: not what we know, but how we know it.
The instructor, Tory Babcock, explains that, “in an attempt to understand what
we know, students study subjects through the prism of perception, reason,
language and emotion.”
The
dedicated group of high-achieving students considers different philosophies and
perspectives in math, the natural sciences, human sciences, history, the arts,
and ethics using a methodology of primarily Socratic dialogue.
The night
class is the flagship course for the new International Baccalaureate Program,
and -- to hear them tell it -- is endlessly gratifying for both instructor and
student. One student, Audrey Roark, remarked that “we learn how to think in a
way that we are not accustomed to,” which makes for profound educational
enrichment and intellectual growth.
These
students attend a three-hour class every Monday. The class is unlike a typical
course, for it focuses on perceptions and understanding knowledge rather than
narrowing its angle to one particular subject. The students are encouraged to
ask questions and discuss definitions and philosophies, which promotes
participation that is invaluable to the learning process.
The
class’s most recent topic of discussion was “What is art?” Students debated the definitions or
characteristics of art, discussing factors that might determine if something is
art, including intent, a certain level of skill, an
audience, reactions, effects, common criteria and originality. Students brought
up the questions of whether the utilitarian can be art, or if a certain skill
level or intent must be evident to the viewer.
This process of thinking and reasoning in light of the complexity of the
topics is remarkable.
The classes continue for seniors until the
end of the semester, and it will be offered for juniors during second semester,
offering them the benefit of a class that spans the second semester of their
junior year and the first semester of their senior year. The TOK class is a valuable asset to any
prospective college student who harbors an appreciation for knowledge.