TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

September 21, 2001

 

Connections

    (1)     It’s Time to Make a Difference, Kathy Suerken

   (2)     Big Happenings in TEXAS, Part 1 of 3, Paula Sommer / Dr. Charles Blanton

Quote

  (3)   Alan Kay

Editors’ Notes

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

 

 

CONNECTIONS

(1)        It’s Time to Make a Difference

From Kathy Suerken

 

I was in London last week during the terrorist attack that killed people from 80

nations, many of which already have had first hand experience with terrorism.  So very many problems have been created as a result of this tragedy--truly, an event with global impact.

 

How can we utilize the TOC tools in education to better prepare students for life in this reality?  We know that children are worried about their own security when they perceive they are living in a troubled world. I still remember watching Linda Trapnell teach a storybook lesson through a cloud to an assembly of 200 five to seven year olds when, all of a sudden, one of the children raised an assumption based on her father's absence from home due to military service in Kosovo.  What a great example of how a teacher can use one process in teaching content to differentiate instruction to many students—especially to enable students to think about the relationships between content and their own lives and to be able to meaningfully express those relationships.

 

Are students able to relate to the generic economic and social needs in dilemmas governments face in cutting interest rates, giving loans to organizations, sending military troops?  Can students be guided to think of similar examples of these dilemmas (and consequences of decisions) in other content areas? 

 

And…would students like to think they could contribute meaningfully to the way global problems are solved?

 

I no longer have a school classroom to generate the TOC guided discussion requested by Cheryl in last week's TACTics.  Nevertheless, I do have these kinds of examples to share.  Although written 6 years ago, they are still relevant as is the response of the parents who learned that their children have the wisdom to think logically and deeply about global issues.  While teaching at a middle school in the early 1990’s, I sponsored a middle school International Club, whose motto was “Think Globally, Act Locally.”  By 1995, it had become a TOC problem-solving club with 60 members.

 

One evening they gave a presentation to parents on how they were using the cloud to think through a variety of problems.  The students presented examples of the cloud on a personal issue (go to a party/don't), a moral issue (tell a lie/don't) a social studies issue (let the refugees in/don't) and then there was this cloud… prompted by current world events, and presented by Matt (then 12 years old and who only learned the cloud during club meetings):

 

A: Enhanced International Relationships

B: Get the job done

D: use military force against other countries

C: nobody gets hurts

D’: don’t use military force against other countries

 

Assumptions:

AB: Tensions build continuously

AC: Anger will surface

BD: that is the only way to get the job done

CD: military force will hurt them

 

He verbally discussed these assumptions and possible solutions with his audience which included Marion Oelke.   She later wrote Matt that “as a recently retired Air Force Colonel, I am profound impressed by the depth of your reasoning.  You demonstrated a wisdom well beyond your years in recognizing that nations usually have a range of options as they seek to acquire what they need….”

 

By the way, Matt is now a university student where, due to a new reality, he is organizing blood drives as well as establishing a non bigotry student body coalition to ensure that erroneous assumptions don’t lead to ethnic backlashes on his campus.  Matt is still thinking globally while taking local actions.  He is DOING SOMETHING.

 

Frequently we think we have no impact on the big picture.   And yet I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t want to.  Almost everyone wants TO MAKE A  DIFFERENCE-- to leave behind a better world.

 

What can WE do?  Let’s show the world that children can think responsibly and effectively about all kinds of decisions that impact them and others--if given thinking tools that work.   PLEASE send me your students’ TOC work--clouds, branches, PRTs on any subject to include values-education.  I need class sets of examples—yes I NEED THEM ALL and from every country-- as well as testimonials of students, parents and educators.    For those who have examples in language other than English, send me the originals and translate, if possible, only one or two.

 

I need as well examples of TOC in counseling, peer mediation etc.  OF COURSE in TOCFE, we will never compromise the means to the end so rest assured we will use these students' names only with permission.

 

If you will DO this, I will forward these examples with a letter of explanation to every high level authority I can think of—even, if appropriate, the Secretary General of the United Nation, the President of the World Bank etc.

 

 Who knows, it might just make a world of difference.

 

And, in the meantime, our students will become better educated for life.

 

(2)        Big Happenings in TEXAS, Part 1 of 3

From Paula Sommer and Dr. Charles Blanton, Texas, USA

 

Paula shared the scope of the work that she and her team were working on in Texas at our June Conference.  After recently visiting the schools, Paula submits this updated report.

 

Weatherford ISD

Turning the Campus Improvement Plan into the Teachers’ Plan for Campus Improvement.

The Campus Improvement Plan (CIP) is typically a tactical document that the principal completes for district and state requirements that sits on a shelf. ! Principal Patti Woods* desired for the CIP to be more than a paper exercise.  She saw the potential for it to be helpful to teachers.  But the system’s process typically resulted in the same document with a few variations added from year to year.  There was very little logic to the plan and the follow through was based on an intensive effort by the principal to fulfill the paper requirements.  This year we involved the faculty in creating the plan using the Ambitious Target methodology.  Her goal was for the document to be the teacher’s plan.  This year it is. 

 

The teachers did the entire process using the Ambitious Target and then presented it to her.  They were empowered.  Now we are developing a three-tiered implementation plan for the entire school.  The first tier is training the principal in data-gathering methods and the tools.  This tier includes the principal and counselor using the tools with students referred to the office.  The second tier is training the site-based team; the third tier is deployment of the entire faculty.  Each tier, once trained, will develop the plan for training the next tier. 

 

*Her school has great challenges- many kids act out on Friday due to their foster home and/or home situations; they dread not being at school where there is more order and safety.

 

QUOTE

(3)        "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." —Alan Kay

 

EDITORS’ NOTES

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

 

Have you given students the opportunity to use the tools to help them process their thinking during this time?  Have you used the tools lately?  If so, why not share the results with us in next week’s TACTics?  Send your responses by mail to Cheryl Edwards:  2253 S. Hill Island Rd., Cedarville, MI 49719, USA.  Or, you can send them to 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