TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

June 30, 2000

CONTENTS

QUOTE

(1)        Ralph Waldo Emerson

EDITOR’S NOTE

(2)        Kay Buckner-Seal

ELEMENTARY TACTICS

(3)            Elementary School Scenarios, Denise Meyer

(4)        A Game of Needs and Wants, Judy Holder

CONNECTIONS

(5)        4th International TOC for Education Upgrade Conference

QUOTE

(1)     "Guard well your spare moments.  They are like uncut diamonds." —Ralph Waldo Emerson

EDITOR’S NOTE

From Kay Buckner-Seal

 

(2)     The summer season is a time that many of us are either teaching summer classes, designing materials for use during the next school year and getting much needed rest and relaxation with family and friends.  This week’s TACTics offers materials that you can use this summer.  The scenarios from Denise Meyer can be used immediately in summer classes.  They are relevant contexts that students can use to practice identifying conflicts, surfacing needs, raising assumptions and creating injections.  Scenarios are useful resources for setting the climate for reflective discussions, which make learning meaningful in the classroom.

 

The “Game of Wants and Needs” by Judy Holder is an engaging activity for early elementary students.  The summer is an opportune time to begin collecting the images needed for this activity.  You can do it while sitting on the patio and perusing your favorite magazine.  It may be a good idea to make a copy of this week’s TACTics to use at your convenience. 

 

If you have an activity that we would like to share, send it hyperlink to <bucknek@resa.net> or <redwards@sault.com>.  Or you may send it by mail to:  Cheryl A. Edwards, 2253 S. Hill Island Road, Cedarville, MI 49719 USA

 

Enjoy the summer!

ELEMENTARY TACTICS

(3)            Elementary School Scenarios

By Denise Meyer, Los Angeles, CA, USA

 

Denise shared several middle school student scenarios with TACTics readers in the April 14 and 21, 2000 issues of the TACTics Journal.  This week Denise shares some scenarios from elementary school.  How would you define the problem in each of these scenarios? 

 

Scenario 1:            Jaime was playing soccer with his buddies.  Emily came by and wanted to play.  Jaime would not let her play.  In his family, girls don’t play soccer.  Emily is mad because she wants to play and feels she has as much right to play as he does.

 

Scenario 2:            A fight breaks out when Juanita calls Mary a “loudmouth.”  Juanita is angry because Mary told the others that she liked Bill.  Juanita told Mary in confidence, which meant she didn’t want anyone else to know.  Mary didn’t realize that it was a secret.  Now, Mary is talking about getting her after school.

 

Scenario 3:            Anita let her friend, Suzanne, in line in front of her.  That means others have to wait longer for their turn.  It’s not fair!

 

(4)      A Game of Needs and Wants

By Judy Holder , United Kingdom

 

Grade Level:  Early Elementary
Materials Needed:

-     Images that depict needs:  hungry, bored, cold, thirsty, sleepy, sick, lonely, sad, etc.

-     Images that depict things or situations that satisfy the needs (wants).  These images will be used to complete the following sentence forms: I am cold, so I want (x).  I am hungry so I want (x).  I am bored so I want (x).  I need (x) because I am hungry (cold, bored, etc.).

-     A place for two piles of pictures.  One place should be labeled:  “I Need.”  The other should be labeled: “I Don’t Need.”

 

Procedure:

-     Begin with a need by showing, for example, the “hungry” image.

      -        Hold up images of things that depict wants.  Ask the students, “Do I need this if I am hungry?”

-     According to the students’ response, each image would be placed in either the “I Need” pile or “I don’t need” pile.

 

Reinforcement:

-     Repeat for other images of sources of need.

 

Extension:

-     Ask the children to complete the sentence: “I feel cold, so I need (x) because (x).”

-     Use several sources of need at the same time, and ask the children to choose an image that satisfies those needs. 

      -        The children may notice that one image that might fit more than one need, allow time for students to discuss the situation.  Take up any opportunity the children provide to point out that there can be many ways to meet a need.

 

Support:

-     Some children are likely to find the activity more difficult than others.  They can be given extra support if you provide two copies of some images. Then ask them to take a turn just after someone who has successfully placed that same image.

-     Make sure those students who need support get the most obvious images to meet the needs.

-     Prompt students by asking questions such as, “What do you do with (x)?”

CONNECTIONS

(5)    4th International TOC for Education Upgrade Conference

August 9-12, 2000

Monterrey, Mexico

Conference Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

 

Conference Registration

$75.00 covers the cost of lunches. 

Send checks payable to TOC for Education, Inc. along with your registration forms to:

Attention: Bernie Kean

TOC for Education, Inc.

1532 Glenlake Circle

Niceville, FL   32578  USA

 

Airport:            Gen. Mariano Escobedo International Airport (Code is MTY).  Transportation from Airport to hotel: Cab $15.  Departure Tax: $10.00

 

Hotel:             Sheraton Ambassador Hotel- Monterrey, Mexico

(*Room rates are based on single OR double occupancy.)

Classic room— $86(+tax)            For more than two people to a room, there is a $15.00 charge for each extra person.

 

Reservations: Identify yourself as a member of TOC for Education.

-     Mexico — (direct to the hotel)                  1.800.832.8400 

-     USA & Canada— (central reservation)                  1.800.325.3535

-     Nations outside of North America—(switchboard)                  1.528.380.7000

 

Registration Deadline:            July 25, 2000 (for conference rates)