TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

November 17, 2000

 

 

CONTENTS

NETWORKING

  (1)  Just Do It, Eleanor May-Brenneker

ELEMENTARY TACTICS

  (2)  Cause and Effect Tree: Pilgrims, Connie McClure

CONNECTIONS

   (3)   Report from the Philippines, Cora Santiago

   (4)     2001: The 5th Annual TOCFE International Conference, Cheryl A. Edwards

QUOTE

   (5)      Peter Senge

EDITORS’ NOTES

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

 

NETWORKING

(1) Just Do It

By Eleanor May-Brenneker, United Kingdom

 

“Don't be afraid to take big steps,

you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.” —David Lloyd George

 

Dear TACTers (sounds a bit like “tractors,” machines that pull stuff out… in Educare: to “draw out”).  In the thriving TOCFE.NL group some reservations have been expressed quietly about underlying fears to organise and teach a TACT course after due training, HTT.  The above quote seems appropriate.  I remember I harboured similar feelings when I was trained.  One day I shared these with Eli who said, puffing smoke from his pipe, “JUST DO IT!”  He wrote it on a napkin, which I treasure…  It gave me the courage to accept that the teaching can't be perfect, doesn't need to be perfect, as long as it's good enough.  When we evaluate our actions afterwards and give ourselves feedback and allow others to do so as well, only then will we learn from our actions and possibly improve.  How can we improve if we don't allow ourselves to learn in the first place?

 

Now, I would like to share with you an example of the TACT Journal networking.  A little while ago, I wrote about the positive branch used to motivate students.  A colleague from Trinidad e-mailed me asking for an example, which she would like to use during a motivation training course for teachers the next day!  I responded promptly, which is rare, and here follows the result:

 

"Thanks so much for sharing with me.  I used it today and the teachers were quite excited and said they would try it with their students.

Thanks again, Carol."

 

Last Saturday I presented no less than three workshops at a conference for adult dyslexics.  My theme was “The Power of the Positive Approach” and one part dealt with goal setting.  Many people suffer from chronic action fatigue, the postponement syndrome, called procrastination.  They see the goal looming up as big as an elephant, in a forest of obstacles.  Talking about “not seeing the wood for the trees”!  And how do you eat something as big as an elephant?  Indeed, a bite at a time…  What better tool to use than an Ambitious Target (AT)!

 

The delegates received a sheet with space at the top, to specifically verbalise their goal.  Below it were two columns, one for obstacles and one for IOs or subgoals, to remove the obstacles that get in the way of achieving the goal.  We worked through the procedure and the result was amazing:  Application of AT as a tool to combat procrastination.

 

At Utrecht University in The Netherlands, we will be running TACT courses in January 2001, including a HTT (How To Teach TOC) for previously trained TOC educators.  Prior to qualifying for the HTT course, the candidates will hand in a detailed sample from their own practice of an application of each of the 5 session tools.  I've already received a few trees, branches and clouds and the scheme is working well.  They're also offered an opportunity to cucumber on the basic TACT course.  Thus they can limber up with a few practice jumps before they leap over the chasm… (see above).

 

Take care and have fun with or without TOC!

 

 

ELEMENTARY TACTICS

 

(2)            Cause and Effect Tree: Pilgrims

From Connie McClure, Creative Learning Academy, Beaverton, Michigan, USA

 

Connie McClure sent in the following lesson that was developed for the kindergarten and first grade classes at her school.

 

 

Storyline:

Many people that lived in England during the early 1600’s were forced to go to a church that was not of their choice.  Rather than go to that church or chance being hanged, some chose to escape and travel to a very far off land. 

 

After studying this period in history the students came up with this Cause and Effect Tree:

If the Pilgrims didn’t go to the Church of England, then they would be hanged.

or

 

If the pilgrims didn’t go to the Church of England and they escaped, then they could be free.

 

If they could be free, then they could get on a ship.

 

If they could get on a ship, then they would sail away.

 

If they would sail away, then they would go to a New World.

 

If they would go to a New World, then they would meet the Native Americans.

 

If they would meet the Native Americans, then the Native Americans would teach them how to grow things.

 

If the Native Americans would teach them how to grow things, then they would have plenty of food.

 

If they had plenty of food, then they would have a harvest feast.

 

If they had a harvest feast, then they would invite the Native Americans and say “Thank You.”

 

At the end of this lesson one of the students told the class that:  “If the king hadn’t told them they had to go the Church of England, then they would have never come to America.”

 

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in November in the USA commemorating the first harvest of the Pilgrims in 1621.

 

CONNECTIONS

(3)            Report from the Philippines

From Cora Santiago, Director of TOCFE, Philippines

 

I recently received the following inspirational report from Cora Santiago, Director of TOCFE, Philippines.  In addition to her volunteer service with TOCFE, Dr. Santiago is Regional Director, Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), Philippines.  Cora also serves as the chair of the UNESCO Research in the Philippines on Building National Capacities for the Improvement of Basic Quality Education. —Kathy Suerken

 

Dear Kathy,

Since the Philippine delegation arrived in the country from Mexico, a core group headed by Lourdes Visaya, started the training of 280 key officials of NCR in the Regional Learning Center of Metro Manila.  The 42-hour live-in TOC training (per group composed of 20 people) has been the source of inspiration and determination to reach our goal of 2,000 people in the Philippines applying TOC skills by the end of 2000.

 

The facilitators who conducted the live-in seminar for TOCFE lived in the center for one and a half months, going home only on weekends.  They are:

 

            Mrs. LOURDES C. VISAYA            - English Supervisor of Manila

            Dr. NORA UY                                    - Asst. Superintendent of Makati

            Dr. NIMFA TOLENTINO            - High School Principal

            Dr. JOSIE SAN JUAN               - English Supervisor

            Mrs. ALICIA ACOSTA                        - Dept. Head - Values Education

 

The 20 per group are composed of the assistant superintendent of schools for instruction, division supervisors, principals and the demonstration teachers.  The 280 key people in every division are expected to cascade TOC tools to their constituents to be used in teaching good manners and right conduct in the elementary level and Values Education in the secondary level.

 

By January, an exchange of visitations for demonstration on the application of TOC tools in different work settings has been scheduled.

 

Nine key people in NCR, which includes the Asst. Regional Director, have finished the course, applying TOC skills and reaping benefits for the organization because:

-     They enhance efficiency and quality through the natural course of their work.

-      Employees share our mission statement and therefore are prepared to give extra time to achieve our goals for a “nicer” NCR:  N for a sense of Now, I for Integrity, C for Commitment, E for Excellence, R for Responsibility.

 

With all the negative news about the Philippines worldwide, I somehow feel that we in TOC are doing our fair share in establishing an empowered culture, evoking our young to be analytical in their thoughts, creative in their search for solutions and critical of their behavior.

 

Regards,

Cora

 

(4)        2001: The 5th Annual TOCFE International Conference

From Cheryl A. Edwards

 

Well, here it is folks, late breaking news…  No, we don’t know who the president of the United States will be, but what we do have is a TACTics exclusive!  A date has been established for the 5th Annual TOC for Education International Conference, 2001, which will be held in the state of Michigan, USA in the Metro-Detroit area.  Mark your calendars for the following dates:  Monday, June 25, 2001 - Thursday, June 28, 2001.  Look to the TACTics Journal for more information as it becomes available.

 

QUOTE

(5)        “Of all the dominant institutions in society, none is more completely a creature of the Industrial Age than the modern school system.  We stand today at a crossroads: either we continue to try to revive the industrial age system of education or we acknowledge the need to think anew.” —Peter Senge

 

 

EDITORS’ NOTES

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

We give “thanks” to those who contributed to this week’s TACTics.  Wouldn’t it be nice to share a “Flying Pig” in our TACTics Journal before the year is out?  Send us your courageous utilizations, successful applications, humorous connections, favorite quotes, worthy news, and flying pigs.  Send them 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.