TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

February 18, 2000

NETWORKING

The Never Ending Story!  By Kathy Suerken

 

I began the new year with a commitment to provide a forum for dialogue on the use of the cloud to resolve problems as they begin and before they involve the anger and hurt too frequently associated with our connotation of conflict.  Originally, I had intended, as this dialogue progressed, to share the story I have written to accompany our 'newest' session one.  Now, I have something to share which may be of more value. It is excerpts from the 'draft' of a workbook to teach the cloud to middle school children— the product of several months’ work by Cheryl Edwards and myself.  Our efforts have been inspired by the courageous work of Gila Glatter and Nava Weiss along with that of Denise Meyers, Kelly Remedas-Weekes and Judy Holder.

 

Like them, Cheryl and I tried to think of ourselves as teachers rather than authors. The result for us is a simple story with integrated workbook questions which (we hope) build comprehension— starting with the most difficult thing of all to comprehend: Whose problem is it?

 

As TOC teachers from around the world, you will see the need to make language usage culturally correct.  And, it is only through you and your reality with children can this work be checked and improved.  After all, you are also part of this never ending story.

 

Chapter One

      Jim walks into his Life Skills class on the first day of the semester and immediately zooms in on the empty seat next to his soccer friends.  He is just in time to hear Mike complaining about the stack of workbooks on the teacher's desk.  "I heard this was supposed to be a fun class.  Look at all those workbooks.  I HATE workbooks!"

 

"Why don't I ask Cindy?" Jim suggests as he notices her working behind the teacher's desk.  "Cindy had this class last semester and she's way cool.  She'll tell it to me straight.  Looks like she's a teacher's aide for Mrs. Kean."

 

"Oh, you're worried about the TACT— Thinking and Communication Tools workbooks?" Cindy smiles knowingly.  "They're not your typical boring workbooks.  They're more like reading an interesting story where you are the main character and the outcome of the story is determined by the way you solve real problems.  You know...like when your girlfriend wants to do things with her friends and you break up over it or when the guy sitting next to you in class is bugging you and you end up getting in trouble instead of him."           

 

"Yeah," Jim agrees, "people are always doing things to me that I don't like. Like blaming me for things that aren't my fault.  It's not fair.  That's especially true of girlfriends."

     

Tyler, who has been listening intently, chimes in, "Well, the problem with girlfriends is that they don't understand you.  They only see things from their point of view.  Come to think of it," he says reflectively, "so do friends, teachers, parents...make that everyone else?"

     

"And whenever I try to explain my point of view," Jim says, "the situation just seems to get worse.  All we do then is argue."

QUOTES

From JoAnn Johnson, Bloomfield, MI USA

 

“For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin— real life.  But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.  Then life would begin.  At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. —Alfred Souza

 

EDITORS’ NOTE

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