QUOTE
(1) Seneca
POOGI
POOL
(2) Learning from Teaching, Kathy Suerken
NETWORKING
(3) The Never Ending Story… Chapter 5, Kathy Suerken and Cheryl Edwards
CONNECTIONS
(4) TOC for Education in Russia, Galina Doyla and David Higgins
(5) TOC for Education in South Africa, Francois Moll
(6) Don’t Miss the Action
(7) SE Michigan TOC for Education Regional Upgrade Conference,
Cheryl Edwards
(8) Editors’ Note, Kay Buckner-Seal and Cheryl Edwards
From Kathy Suerken
“My joy in learning is partly that it enables me to teach.” —Seneca
POOGI POOL
(2) Learning from Teaching
By Kathy Suerken
Storyline:
In
teaching the PrT recently to a large class, I was in a dilemma on the selection
of an effective target to use as a collaborative exercise. Because the participants worked in so many
different schools, the only target I could think of that everyone would find
relevant/interesting was very general— not very tangible. I was concerned that if I didn't use
something that could generate very concrete obstacles/IOs they would not see
the end product as feasible or practical.
My
cloud:
A:
An effective group exercise on the PrT
B:
The end product looks feasible and
practical
D:
Select a concrete, tangible ambitious
target for practice
C:
Target appeals to the entire class
D’: Select an
intangible, general target (not sele!!ct a tangible target)
Some
assumptions (there are many more):
B-D:
1. Tangible-specific targets are too localized to be relevant to every school.
2. Working on a plan to create a
tangible-specific target, only, is of sufficient interest/value if you are
actively involved in such a project.
C-D’:
1. Intangible, general targets generate IOs that
look almost as impossible as the target itself
My injection:
The class understands how to breakdown “impossible
looking IOs" into feasible steps.
What I usually do in those cases is to
remind everyone they can write obstacles to these types of IOs (like the
recommendation in session 4 manual: Detail a general IO to smaller, specific
IOs by writing obstacles.
And then a “learnable” moment came
along! Our target, which generated
great interest, enthusiasm and very insightful obstacles, was "All our
students are empowered to learn."
We had 40 obstacles and only a short time to complete our group
exercise— this was a first time, hands-on, experience in writing a PrT.
One of the obstacles was: Class sizes are too large (50 students per primary school class!). T!!heir IO read: Smaller class sizes exist.
And
then the inevitable and thankfully shared question: “What do you do, Kathy,
when the IO is not possible to achieve?”
Looking
at that IO, I knew I did not want them to write another PrT on that
obstacle! Why not? Because they saw that IO as a solution to a
policy constraint— seemingly an IO outside of their sphere of influence. (Don't
get me wrong! Remember I am a person
who thinks YOU and I can and will change the system! I just think people need to start on something a little simpler!
)
So,
I decided to 'simplify' the obstacle/IO by suggesting we needed first to
clarify the obstacle. I asked,
"Why specifically does the obstacle prevent the target? In other words, why do large classes inhibit
students learning?" I asked each teacher to write their reasons (silent
generation) and then they shared:
Because:
1. It is difficult to cater to so many
students.
2. There are so many diverse learning modalities
to accommodate.
3. The rate of learning varies more in a large
class.
4. I can't provide as much individual attention.
Instantly, my brilliant group of teachers
began to suggest ways to overcome this list of obstacles— which we noted were
in some cases already verbalized as other IOs on their list.
What
do YOU think is different about the way these obstacles are
conceptualized? How do they differ from
the first verbalization: "Class sizes are too large." Please share your thoughts with me:
(suerken@nwfl.net) and/or TACTics.
NETWORKING
(3) The
Never Ending Story… Chapter 5
From
Kathy Suerken and Cheryl Edwards
Editors
note: Last week our story left off with Chapter
4. Questioning the effectiveness of
solving problems using compromise, Jim asks, “Maybe that’s why the same
problems keep coming back?”
Our story continues with a page in the student workbook, which reads: In order to feel good about the way you solve your own problems, do you need a method that:
• takes the blame away?
• explains the problem in a way that's fair to both sides?
• allows you and the other side to see a
problem from both points of
view?
• doesn't make anyone give up something
that they really need?
• leaves both sides happy with the way
the problem was solved?
• lets you and the other side solve your own
problems?
Cindy
points out, "In TACT, there is a problem solving tool that meets all
of these NEEDS. The name of this tool is: The Evaporating Cloud."
Jim asks, "Does this tool, the “cloud” work with old problems— even with ex-girlfriends?"
Cindy smiles, "Sure but first we have to start practicing on simple problems when they first begin. Do you have any of those?"
"Not right now,” Jim says as he starts back toward his seat, just in time to see Joey slip into the very desk that he wanted."
Chapter 5
So what’s the problem? Can you identify Jim and Joey's conflict?
"Get out my seat. I was here
first," Jim insists.
"Why should I?" Joey asks.
"The desk was empty when I came in and, after all, it IS a free
country."
Neither
Jim nor Joey is willing to give up what they want and now they are stuck.
Editor's
note: What is the exact conflict between Jim and
Joey? How would you write D and D' of the cloud? Next week, Kathy will discuss the implications of various
answers.
CONNECTIONS
(4) TOC for Education in Russia
From
Galina Doyla and David Higgins
TOC
FOR EDUCATION is coming to Russia! Galina Doyla and David Higgins are doing a
4-hour workshop at the Avante Garde Conference in Moscow on April 18th.
(5) TOC for Education in South Africa
From
Francois Moll
Announcing
two new TACT seminars in two new locations in South Africa!
12 teachers began a TACT seminar this week in Pacaltsdorp. Another TACT seminar will be taught March 18-22 in Sedgefield, in the Southern Cape to 36 teachers (all primary) including the Headmaster. Instructors for both seminars are: Pat Huddy, Louise Huddy and Francois Moll.
(6) Don’t Miss the Action!
4th
Annual TOC for Education International Conference
Sheraton
Ambassador Hotel
Monterrey,
Mexico
August
9-12, 2000
Republic of South Africa Regional Upgrade Mini-Conference
Tuesday,
March 21, 2000
George,
RSA
Michigan Reading Association Annual Conference, Detroit MI USA
March
25-28, 2000
TOC
for Education Presentations by:
Mary
Ellen Bourbeau and Doug Roby
Larry
Till, Tricia Till and team
Cheryl
Edwards
(7) SE Michigan Upgrade Conference
By
Cheryl A. Edwards, Director, USA
TOC for Ed practitioners from Michigan, USA brought new meaning to the word “synergy.” As they entered the conference room at Wayne State University in Detroit, they immediately began to network. What fun it was to see friends who have so many of the same goals for children!
First
on the agenda was educators sharing their experiences and incredible
successes. Larry Till shared how his
school used the PrT as a catalyst to initiate change and significantly improve
his student’s reading test scores. They
have the honor of having raised their test scores more than any other school in
the Detroit Metropolitan area. Mary
Ellen Bourbeau and Doug Roby shared how they are using the tools to help their
students solve real conflicts in their lives.
Denise Meyer and Remedeas Kelly-Weekes gave us some insight on ways they
have created to teach students how to better use the cloud to define the
problem in a conflict and raise assumptions so that they can discover an
injection that keeps both parties NEEDS in tact. TACTics will be sharing some
of the scenarios.
Finally,
Jane Hudak gave everyone some of her insights on the new materials as she
shared the overall objectives and the individual session objectives of the TACT
Workshop. EVERYONE had an awesome
morning and agreed it was time well spent!
A
special “Thanks” goes to Audrey Taylor who was responsible for getting
us the excellent room at Wayne State University.
(8) EDITORS’ NOTE
As
always, your contributions are what make this TACTics Journal. Please continue to share so that we all may
maintain our POOGI. Thanks!
Send
HYPERLINK to:
bucknek@resa.net
redwards@sault.com NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS!!!
Send
mail to:
Cheryl A. Edwards
2253 S. Hill Island Road
Cedarville, MI 49719 USA