TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

September 7, 2001

 

Elementary/Secondary Tactics

(1)         Classroom Teasing, Denise Meyer

(2)          Helping My Peers to Make Better Decisions, Ana Maria Conde, Age: 11

Quote

   (3)   from Francois Moll, South Africa

Editor’s Notes

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

 

ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY TACTICS

The following articles are from The International Anthology of TOC for Education Case Studies compiled by Kathy Suerken.  Each article involves young people using TOC to solve their own problems.  Now that’s empowerment!

 

(1)            Classroom Teasing

By Denise Meyer, East Los Angeles, California, USA

 

Evonne was a child with serious attendance problems.  She was a second grader and her mother said she didn’t want to go to school because the children teased her and called her names.  As an administrative assistant, I was asked to go and talk to the class about this.

 

I went to Evonne’s classroom to talk to the students.  Evonne, as usual, stayed at home.  I told the students I had a problem.  On the board I wrote:

 

I want Evonne to come to school.

Evonne doesn’t want to come to school.

 

I asked them whether they knew why I wanted her to come to school.  They were not long in saying, “You want her to learn stuff.”  I told them that she wasn’t coming because she needed to feel happy.  I added an objective of:  I wanted everyone in school to be happy and learning.  The Cloud read:

 

My side

A:      Have happy learners in school.

B:          Evonne to learn things.

D:      I want Evonne to come to school.

Evonne’s side

A:      Have happy learners in school.

C:       To be happy and not sad.

D’:          Evonne doesn’t want to come to school.

 

Then I explained that this is where I really needed their help.  Why did they think she wasn’t happy when she came to school?  I listed their reasons:

 

The teacher yelled at her.

The boys called her “bon-bon.”

We don’t play with her at recess.

I give her mean looks.

 

I listened non-judgmentally.  I asked if there were some way that they could help me.  They simply said:  “We shouldn’t call her ‘bon-bon’ anymore.  We should ask her if she wants to play with us at recess.”

 

At this point one of the girls, who was somewhat of a mischievous class leader, asked if I could talk to her mom because her mom said she couldn’t talk to Evonne.  I talked to her after class and the reason she couldn’t play with Evonne was that her mom and Evonne’s mom were fighting.

 

I said I would call her mom.  I tried but couldn’t reach her that day.  The next day, the child came to me and said, “My mom said I can play with Evonne.”  She had taken care of it herself.

 

The power of this example is evident if you consider the difference between someone saying to the children, “I heard you were calling Evonne names and won’t play with her.  I want that behavior to stop!  You must stop calling her names and include her in your games.”

 

Because the children came up with the same solution all by themselves, they were willing to follow through.

 

(2)            Helping My Peers to Make Better Decisions

By Ana Maria Conde, Age: 11
Caracus, Venezuela

 

My Mother and Father taught me how to make Clouds and Negative Branches and now I am teaching my friends and teachers at school.

 

The first person I taught the Cloud to was Gabriela who had a problem with her sister, Viviana.  This is her Cloud.

Gabriela

A:      To be happy.

B:       Do things that are fun.

D:      Play Nintendo after homework is done.

Viviana

A:      To be happy.

C:       Do what she likes most.

D’:      Play Nintendo after homework is done.

 

B/D Assumptions:

Nintendo is the best.

Nintendo entertains me.

 

C/D’ Assumptions:

Nintendo is cool.

It is the only thing she likes to do at the time.

 

When Gabriela read the Cloud to her sister, her sister said that it would be fair to take turns by days to play Nintendo or if someone did have homework the other girl could play.  Kids want to think up their own solutions.

 

QUOTE

(3)      from Francois Moll, South Africa

 

"The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths to it are made, not found, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destinations." —Phillip Adams

 

EDITOR’S NOTES

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

 

Almost any decision brings conflict.  And, determining the appropriate course to take when faced with a difficult decision can be a challenge.  With the use of the TOC Thinking Tools, young people become empowered enough to identify and solve their own conflicts in order to make decisions.  Then, they are inspired to teach others how to use them as well.  Hey, that is about as good as it can get!

 

If you are interested in your own copy of the International Anthology, contact Cheryl Edwards by mail: 2253 S. Hill Island Rd., Cedarville, MI 49719, USA.  Or, you can reach us by hyperlink: redwards@sault.com or bucknek@earthlink.net.

 

 

To view TACTics in its intended formatting and to read previous issues, visit the TOCFE website at: www.tocforeducation.com