TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

October 20, 2000

 

CONTENTS

CONNECTIONS

   (1)     Making Connections, Cheryl A. Edwards, USA

NETWORKING

   (2)      TACT Workbook: Session 2 Story Line, Kathy Suerken, USA

QUOTE

   (3)     Booker T. Washington

EDITORS’ NOTES

   (4)     Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A. Edwards

 

CONNECTIONS

(1)            Making Connections

From Cheryl A. Edwards

 

Francois Moll will be giving a TOC presentation to the entire faculty of Education at the University of Port Elizabeth, RSA on November 14, 2000.

 

On November 25, Kathy Suerken will present "TOC: A Primer Called HOPE" at a Safe and Caring Schools and Communities (SACS) conference in Edmonton, Canada.  The conference focuses on improving student conduct and reducing violence in schools.  Parents, police, students, community agencies as well as educators will be attending.

 

In the Southern Hemisphere, Dr. Shameem Rafik Galea of Malaysia will be presenting a paper at the January 2001, Ninth International Conference on Thinking in Auckland, New Zealand.  Her paper is entitled, "Opening Closed Minds, Changing Mindsets: Learning to Think through TOC."

 

On Monday, October 23, 2000, Mary Ellen Bourbeau and Doug Roby will be presenting at the Michigan Association of School Social Workers Annual Conference, at Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville, MI.  The topic: "TOC for Education provides simple, very concrete tools to enable children of all ages and demographics to systematically think through problems so they can make more responsible choices."

 

NETWORKING

(2)       TACT Workbook: Session 2 Storyline
By Kathy Suerken, Suerken @nwfl.net

 

I wrote the rather lengthy story in session one to help prevent some obstacles I incurred when teaching session one without a story to address them.  It is so easy to get people to think of their own negative branch story line example in session two and the session is so easy to teach as is, I never took the time to formally write the missing story lines.  Recently, however, I was in the UK working with Galina Doyla on the TACT materials for translation into Russian and, thinking it would be helpful for her, I wrote the missing scenarios in session two.  First is a simple story line, which I hope is internationally relevant.  The continuation of the story later (to illustrate the construction of the tool) was designed especially to model how a teacher might very simply guide the student through questions in writing a negative branch.  Bernie will add flow charts to visually illustrate the connections in the next printed edition of the TACT workbooks.  In the meantime, thank you Cheryl Edwards for editing and improving this effort.

 

Story for page 2 of the Negative Branch (Session 2)

"Oh no!  Not again, I think as I turn around from writing on the board and see Ann talking to a couple of her friends in class… as usual.  This time she is talking while I am trying to explain a lesson.  Everyone is supposed to be paying attention… and listening to me.  Ann knows that the one rule we have in class is that when anyone is speaking, no one else can talk or interrupt.

 

Ann seems to like to challenge me on this one rule even though she knows how angry I get when someone disrupts the learning environment. No matter how many times I tell her to stop, it's as if she doesn't hear me.  I've tried everything...moving her to another seat; giving her a writing assignment; I've even called her parents.  Nothing I have done has changed her behavior.

 

Continuation of story for page 8 (Constructing the Tool)

 

"Ann, I ask, taking out a sheet of paper," what happens when you talk in class when someone else is talking?"

 

"You get mad because you think I'm interrupting the class," she says.  I quickly write her exact words on the paper and pass it to her.  At the same time, I have to all but bite holes in my tongue to keep myself from describing in detail how annoying classroom interruptions are.  Instead I simply ask, "What happens next?"

 

"You punish me," she quickly responds, adding, "you'll probably call my parents AGAIN."

 

It's important for Ann to see this in writing and more important even for her to do the writing herself.  I wait as she writes down her comment and draws the cause and effect arrows.

 

"And if I call your parents," I ask, drawing another arrow for her, "what will be the result?"

 

"This time they'll probably ground me."

 

I encourage her to write it down and then I say, "Really?  And what would happen if you're grounded?”

 

"Well, I probably won't get to go to a really cool party on Saturday."

 

"How would you feel about not going to the party?"

 

"Then I'll be mad too," she says with certainty.

 

"Alicia… where did the problem start?"

 

QUOTE

(3)            “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” —Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)

 

EDITORS’ NOTE

(4)   Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A. Edwards

If you would like to share, don’t hesitate to do so.  Send your contributions by mail to:

Cheryl A. Edwards

2253 S. Hill Island Rd.

Cedarville, MI 49719, USA

Or

send hyperlink to:

<redwards@sault.com>

or

<bucknek@resa.net