TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

February 25, 2000

CONTENTS:

                NETWORKING

                  (1)            The Never Ending Story… Part 2, by Kathy Suerken

                  (2)            An Answer to Kathy’s Question: Does Anyone Have Background on Robert Swartz’s Model of Thinking?, from Gila Glatter

                  (3)            Take the Challenge: Discovering Diamonds!, from Warren R. Foster

            QUOTE

                  (4)            Albert Einstein

            CONNECTIONS

                  (5)            TOC for Education International Conference

                  (6)            Send Contributions

NETWORKING

(1)        The Never Ending Story… Part 2

By Kathy Suerken

 

The Never Ending Story, Part 1 is available in TACTics Journal, February 19, 2000 or at: www.nwfl.net/suerken/toc/.  Summary of Part 1:  Up to now, two students, Jim and Cindy, who are classmates in a TOC Thinking and Communication Skills class, have been discussing typical student problems.  Chapter one continues:

 

      "Do these problems ever bother you?” Cindy asks Jim, pointing to a list in the TACT student workbook:

      1)   People don't listen to me.

      2)   People don't understand me.

      3)   I get blamed for things that aren't my fault.

      4)   People don't treat me fairly.

      5)   People don't let me solve my own problems.

      "Yes,” Jim replies, "but I don't think this class can fix problems like those."

      "Why not?" Cindy asks.

      "Because the people that are causing those problems are the ones who need these workbooks, not me."

            "You mean people like parents, teachers and ex-girlfriends?" Cindy asks with just a trace of anger.

      "Well, yes."

      "Oh, it's their problem, not yours?"  Cindy doesn't wait for him to reply before continuing.  "That makes it easy for you— you don't have to do anything about it except complain.  Does letting someone else take control of the situation make you feel good about the way you solve your problems?"

      "No, I hate feeling powerless," Jim says.

      "So why do you feel so powerless?" Cindy continues to question Jim.

      "Because people don't listen to me.  I don't seem to have a choice.  If they don't get what they want, they just get mad and then things get worse."

      "Well, let me see if I understand you.  To start with, you want to feel good about the way you solve your problems, right?  Is that the goal here?”  Cindy asks, writing in a box: Feel good about the way I solve my problems.

      "I guess so," Jim says, wondering when Cindy became such a good listener.

      "And you're telling me that in order for you to feel good about the way your problems are solved, you must not make the situation worse?  And in order not to make the situation worse," she continues, “you must let others take control of the situation?  You must give in to what the other side wants?”

      "But that just isn't fair," Jim says frowning.

      "So, on the other hand, in order for you to feel good about the way your problems are solved, they need to be solved in a fair way?  And in order for them to be solved in a fair way, you must take control of the problem?  In other words, you must insist on what you want?"  Cindy restates, connecting some more boxes:

      A:         Feel good about the way I solve problems

      B:         Not make the situation worse

      D:         Give in to what the other side wants

      C:         Problem solved in a fair way

      D':        Insist on what I want

"No wonder you feel frustrated!" Cindy acknowledges. "You are caught in a never-ending conflict between insisting on what you want or giving the other side what they want.  Does it feel like this?” she asks Jim, pointing to a page in the workbook that illustrates a tug of war— people pulling so hard on opposite ends of a rope that it splits in two.

      To be continued...    

(Comments welcomed!)

(2)        An Answer to Kathy’s Question: Does Anyone Have Background on Robert Swartz's Model of Thinking?

From Gila Glatter, Director, Israel

 

Dr Robert Swartz was in Israel last month. I participated in a two-day session with him, in Branko Wiess Institute for Development of Thinking, in Jerusalem.  He is the head of The National Center for Teaching Thinking.  He works with teachers on infusing critical and creative thinking into content instruction.  He created some model skills through problem based learning, engaging in complex thinking tasks, decision making and problem solving.  You can reach his books and some more knowledge about the NCTT activities by

Phone:             617-965-4604, Fax 617-965-4674

Email:             rjscct@prodigy.net

Web page:             http/www.javanet.com/~natlctt

Books:              featuring lesson designs for teaching thinking skills, and books of infusion lessons for use in classrooms.

 

When I was sitting there I was happy and proud about TOC tools.  They are much more powerful and intelligent.  See it for yourself.

 

Last Thursday we had our 4th club meeting.  Oded Cohen gave a special performance about TOC in business.  I'll write more about the goodies we had there during this week.  I hope I gave you a tiny help with your event.

 

(3)        Take the Challenge: Discovering Diamonds!

From Warren R. Foster

 

In our problem-solving efforts, what we are really doing is "Discovering

Diamonds".  I say this for at least two reasons:

1.  When we draw a cloud to state a problem, graphically it sort of

looks like the aerial view of a rowboat with the prow holding the "objective" and the conflicting "wants" in the corners of the stern.  However, when we solve the problem, one of the "wants" goes away and the stern of the rowboat now looks like a prow.  Graphically, this shape with two prows looks like a diamond!

2.  When we state that our problem-solving efforts are really efforts

to "Discover Diamonds,” we achieve a focus on the positive results of our problem-solving efforts.  I've now stated two reasons why what we really do is "Discover Diamonds."  How many reasons can you add?

(4)      QUOTE

This quote seems appropriate for the “Discovering Diamonds Challenge.”

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” —Albert Einstein

CONNECTIONS

(5)        TOC for Education International Conference

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 4th Annual TOC for Education International Conference, which will be held in Monterrey, Mexico at the Sheraton Ambassador Hotel on August 9-12, 2000!

 

(6)        Send contributions to your journal via hyperlink mail to: Kay Buckner-Seal at: bucknek@resa.net or Cheryl Edwards at: redwards@sault.com.   Thanks to all who contribute!