TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

February 4, 2000

NETWORKING

Launching TOCFE in the Netherlands

By Eleanor May, United Kingdom

 

(Let's welcome a new 8 lb. beautiful baby into the TOC for Education family!)

 

A TACT Workshop was completed on Jan. 15, 2000.  Recently I returned to London from the Netherlands after having taught the second half of the TACT Workshop.  Eight (8) candidates received diplomas at the end of the training.

 

Marco, a member of SEAL (Society for Effective and Affective Learning) attended a workshop on TOCFE, which I directed in the UK at the SEAL Conference April '99.  Subsequently, he and Nel invited me to run a workshop on TOC for Education and another one at Brain Gym in October '99 in Rotterdam.  The result of that event was a request to come and teach the very first TACT Workshop in the Netherlands.  What a learning experience this has turned out to be for them as well as for me!

 

A week before teaching the first half (just before Christmas '99), Kathy updated me on the latest draft of the curriculum materials for education.  Many thanks again, Kathy; your new material is a lot more user friendly! I taught the course in Dutch, “on the hoof”, so to speak.  The candidates were terrific, enthusiastic and very helpful when I got stuck with the latest educational or political jargon. 

 

Kathy advised me to attract an administrator from the high ranks (even if it were only for an afternoon) in order to achieve a buy-in at the top.  This materialized beautifully!  In fact, at the end of her intended half-day and a cloud or two, the administrator, called Astrid, bent over backwards to change existing plans to attend the whole course.  In NLP, one of the pre-suppositions (assumptions) says, “The meaning of communication is the response you get.”  We were delighted with Astrid's response!

 

We gathered in a private home (my sister's abode) in the center of the country and, the Dutch being Dutch, were ready to begin at 20 minutes to 9 for a 9 o'clock start, every day.

 

It was a real joy to work with them and (judging from the evaluations) in the form of a Round Robin feedback meeting at the end of each part, they had a whale of a time too.  One member acted as scribe for these meetings.  In due course, I'll translate their comments, which were elicited by asking them: “Which 3 positive elements have you experienced today, in regards to material, presentation, practice, multi-sensory and Socratic teaching, are  worth holding on to and which ones need to be improved?”  That aids the POOGI (Process Of Ongoing Improvement).  Among the revealing remarks were the following:

     It has become clear to me how important it is to take little steps.

     You learn to look at problems from a different angle.

     Focus on the real goal.

     Fantastic, inspiring material, ready for immediate use, practical.

     You're a fine teacher because you know how to ask the right questions at the right time....(Socratic).

     Your constant alertness kept the energy of the group at a high level.

 

I left the new session 4 till last.  For our Ambitious Target we chose “How do we get TOCFE off the ground in The Netherlands?”  We created a 'Wailing Wall', (sorry Eli), on which we stuck all of our post-it-note-obstacles.  We found that being able to gripe and grumble about these hurdles together united us even more and increased the determination to grapple with the grievances on the way to success.  In fact, it made them appear smaller and easier to tackle and to overcome.  We turned mountains into molehills!  Some of the IO's (Intermediate Objectives) which were transformed from these obstacles are worth listing:

     Dates and times are set for the translation of the materials into Dutch.  The 8 candidates are divided into pairs and take care of the translation of one session each, with the help of family and friends.  By mid-March I am to receive the translated material for proofreading to be returned to Astrid for the 2nd proofreading and printing. We eagerly await session 5 to come off Kathy's penmanship conveyor belt to be translated immediately.

     A “steering group” is set up consisting of Marco and Nel, co-organizers of this course, and Geerte and Astrid, who see great potential in spreading TOC for Education in the Dutch world of education. 

     A practice day will be held in April and I'll shoot across the Channel again in May for an update/upgrade in the form of an after-sale's service day.

     Flyers and leaflets are being designed for distribution nation-wide.  Articles will be written for publication in educational magazines on the subject of TOCFE and its applications. 

     Conference organizers will be approached to slot in TOC workshops and buy-ins for me at several universities, educational organizations, teacher training and re-schooling institutes.

     Possibilities have been discussed to organize funding and further marketing.

 

It clearly looks as though our Ambitious Target will soon be realized to make room for a new one; together we can make it happen in The Netherlands.  We'll go for it, or, as Eli once said to me, "Eleanor, just do it!"

 

For further information, please contact Eleanor May at: eleanor.may@emayl.freeserve.co.uk

 

QUOTES

From Cheryl Edwards

 

Great comprehensive report, Eleanor!  Your enthusiasm reminds me of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:  “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

 

CONNECTIONS

TOC for Education HTT/Facilitators Workshops:

 

Dallas/Fort Worth Texas USA

February 16-20, 2000

 

Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan USA

March 9-13, 2000

Want to be trained as a facilitator or know someone who does?  Space is still available in the Metro Detroit, MI class.  Criteria: (1) Have successfully completed the TACT Workshop.  (2) Have experience using the tools with students and educators. (3) Have a solid commitment to teach TACT to educators.  Contact: Cheryl A. Edwards at 906.484.6808

 

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

            cherylaedwards@aol.com

           

Send mail to:

            Cheryl A. Edwards

            2253 S. Hill Island Road

            Cedarville, MI 49719 USA