TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

April 6, 2001

CONTENTS

Networking

    (1)       Mexico Branches Out! Kathy Suerken

    (2)   Learning and Teaching in the Philippines (Part 2), Kathy Suerken

Elementary Tactics

    (3)   Ambitious Target: A Means for Student Self-Evaluation, Aleia Schaum

Editor’s Notes

    (4)     Kay Buckner-Seal

Connections

    (5)     5th Annual TOCFE International Conference/First Annual TOCFE International Student’s Conference, Cheryl A. Edwards

 

NETWORKING

(1)        Mexico Branches Out!

From Kathy Suerken

 

Mexico TOCFE Director, Alejandrina de Garza, is taking TOC into two new Mexican locations (states) in March.  She will be giving several presentations in San Luis Potosi and she will be teaching TACT to a group of public and private school educators in Aguascalientes.

 

Meanwhile, Marina Rodriguez and her team in the Secretariat of Education, Nuevo Leon, are teaching the cloud and negative branch to 500 teachers from 500 schools by the end of April.  Marina is also training 20 more facilitators!

 

(2)            Learning and Teaching in the Philippines, (Part 2)

From Kathy Suerken

 

"In learning we will teach and in teaching we will learn"

 

Have you ever seen a child in a high chair throw something to the floor, watch Mom (Yes, Mom, not Dad!) pick it up, and then do it again?  And again…and again to the power of Mom's patience?  Is the child predicting Mom's behavior…based on experience?  Can you think of other examples where children innately predict effects and, if so, are they practicing cause and effect logic?  Yet, everywhere I travel I am told that cause and effect is a very difficult concept to teach—that children can't apply the concept after it is taught.  What do you think is the cause of that effect?  Could the problem possibly exist in the way we are developing this innate skill? 

 

Part of the problem, I'm told, is that we tend to teach cause and effect as an isolated skill and children don't see how it relates to academic content, much less to real life.  Have you noticed, however, how relevant the skill becomes to the child who practices writing consequences of behavior as a negative branch?  Then the concept has a practical application.  Not only that, it is easy for ALL children (regardless of educational background) to develop the skill because they are practicing on a subject matter about which they— like the child in the high chair— have “experiential” intuition.

 

But what about the application to other academic content?  Larry Till, middle school counselor, has told me for several years that he has observed that students who practice negative branches begin to transfer the logical process to content areas as well.  Many teachers, of course, have an obstacle to using class time to learn this skill on behavior issues.  They are supposed to be focused on their mandated curriculum content and to GET THOSE TEST SCORES UP!  Right?

 

Is it possible to develop the skill in academic subject matter as easily as in a life skills content?  And, is it of value to do so?  If students can connect information (any content) in a way that makes sense to them, will they be better able to understand, communicate and remember it?  If we agree the answer is yes, then the problem becomes how to use and develop the cause and effect skill on new knowledge, when there is not enough existing intuition/experience to create the linkages. 

 

One way is to let students practice on a short writing sample from the content area, a lesson that has simple cause and effect connections that students can easily plot.  (Such as "The Boy and the Candy” example shared in last week's TACTics.)  You'll note that they are practicing cause and effect not as an isolated skill but integrated into the way the content is explained.  As noted last week, discussion really opens up on assumptions and engages all the students, no matter what their entry level of skills.  Why do you think that is so and.... how often does every child (or adult) feel that they can contribute meaningfully to class discussion?

 

After the class and the teacher have worked through a class exercise, it is time to check for comprehension with a second example.  In order to foster independent thinking, I always ask my students to practice first on their own.  Otherwise, a dominant person with quick answers in a group will shut down the thinking of others.  At the same time, the learning environment needs to be safe.  So, after the independent thinking, I have them work in smaller groups to discuss and then to share a “collaborative” example with whole group.  In this way, I am trying to encourage both individual and group skills in the same lesson.

 

The second example that I share next is courtesy of Bea Kovacs who provided both stories.  (See, I told you how much I learn from and depend on all of you!)  When I used this example in the Philippines, I asked my participants to write the cause and effect tree and also, if they wanted, a cloud.

 

"Grandmother's Table"

Adapted from the Brothers Grimm

 

Once there was a feeble old woman whose husband died and left her alone, so she went to live with her son and his wife and their own little daughter.  Every day the old woman's sight dimmed and her hearing grew worse, and sometimes at dinner her hands trembled and peas rolled off her spoon or soup ran from her cup.  The son and his wife could not help but be annoyed at the way she spilled her food all over the table, and one day after she knocked over a glass of milk, they told each other enough was enough.

 

They set up a small table for her in the corner next to the broom closet and made the old woman eat her meals there.  She sat all alone, looking with tear-filled eyes across the room at the others.  Sometimes they spoke to her while they ate, but usually it was to scold her for dropping a bowl or a fork.

 

One evening just before dinner, the little girl was busy playing on the floor with her building blocks, and her father asked her what she was making.  "I'm building a little table for you and mother," she smiled, "so you can eat by yourselves in the corner someday when I get big."

 

Her parents sat staring at her for some time and then suddenly both began to cry.  That night they led the old woman back to her place at the big table.  From then on she ate with the rest of the family.  (End of story)

 

In order to ensure independent thinking, I must now wait (a need, not a want) until next week to share some of the novel applications that were created in the Philippines. 

 

To read Part 1 of this article, refer to TACTics, March 30, 2001 at www.tocforeducation.com

 

ELEMENTARY TACTICS

(3)            Ambitious Target: A Means for Student Self-Evaluation

From Aleia Schaum, Colorado, USA

 

My first experience using the ambitious target (PrT) was on a simple lesson plan that I had struggled to make exciting.  I was blocked.  I was surprised by how identifying the obstacles and then writing intermediate objectives stimulated my creativity.  Suddenly, I was looking forward to teaching this lesson.  Then as I built the "tree" my excitement and ideas grew.  I immediately saw how using these tools would increase student creativity, excitement and personal ownership in learning.

 

My very next day back at school, I met with 3 of my fourth grade students that have an individual literacy plan because they read below grade level.  Conferences were scheduled with their parents to review their plans during the next week, so the timing was perfect.  I invited each student to develop an Ambitious Target to share with his or her parents. 

 

Each one of them wrote one about reading on grade level.  Then I explained what an obstacle is by relating it to an obstacle course.  Together, we came up with: obstacle courses are fun if they are challenging, not too easy and not too hard.  Then I ask them what are their obstacles.  I have attached their Ambitious Targets for you to read.  Everything you see in each Ambitious Target was his or her own ideas and words. 

 

After we identified the obstacles, we talked about what they do to get over a challenging obstacle on an obstacle course.  They each listed trying harder, practicing, asking questions, and asking for help as strategies they use.  Then we wrote strategies for each of their obstacles.  I called the IOs strategies because this is a word we use in class a lot.  We did not do the "Tree" at this time.

 

I observed each of my students having the same emotional experience that I had.  They were excited about their strategies, and for the first time, they believed it was possible to achieve their target.  Later that day, I observed all three of them enthusiastically looking for new books in the library.  One of them told me later that he had noticed that he pronounces each word under his breath. I also received a note from one of them saying, "You're a super teacher."

 

On our report cards we are asked to mark whether or not each student evaluates their own reading strategies and performance.  I can truly say yes for these three students!  Following is one student’s Ambitious Target.

 

Kim's Ambitious Target

Obstacles:

        I'm behind in practicing because I didn't like to read until recently.

        I can't find books that I like.

        It's hard to finish a book.

        I can't remember what I've read.

        I don't like to write about what I've read.

Strategies to get over obstacles:

  Read books I enjoy regularly.

      Find out what I'm interested in, look for books I'm interested in and the right level for me.       

        To finish a book it needs to be fun to read; it needs to be easy but challenging; I need to ask someone to read parts with me.

        I can relate the story to my own life; retell the story with pictures; predict what is going to happen; tell someone (person, animal, or stuffed animal) about the story.

        I like writing notes so I could write notes to my parents and friends about what I've read.

 

 

EDITOR’S NOTE

(4)   Kay Buckner-Seal

 

Aleia, your application of the Ambitious Target gave students the opportunity to be reflective, a strategy that allows them to take responsibility for their learning.  This is exactly what Kathy was referring to when she mentions “engaging all the students, no matter what their entry level of skills.”

 

We certainly hope that you are making plans to attend 5th Annual TOCFE International Conference /First Annual TOCFE International Student’s Conference, held in Detroit this year.  It will be a great time for family learning and fun.  For information and planning, see Connections. 

 

Share with us!  Send your ideas by mail to Cheryl A. Edwards, 2253 S. Hill Island Rd., Cedarville, MI 49719, USA.  Or, send hyperlink to <redwards@sault.com> or <bucknek@earthlink.net.

 

 

CONNECTIONS

(5)  5th Annual TOCFE International Conference/First Annual

TOCFE International Student’s Conference

Cheryl A. Edwards

 

The best way to predict the future is to create it through TOC."

TOC for Education, Inc. presents the 5th Annual TOCFE International Conference and the First Annual TOCFE International Student’s Conference!

 

Date:                                June 25-28, 2001

 

Location:                                Detroit, Michigan USA

 

Hotel:                                Northfield Hilton

                        5500 Crooks Road

                        Troy, Michigan 48098

                        248. 879. 2100

The Northfield Hilton is adjacent to Interstate 75 at Crooks Road, Exit 72

 

Reservations:                                1. 800. HILTONS

                        Ask for TOC for Education’s special room rates.

                Single or Double Occupancy

Per night $139.00 U.S. + Tax (6% Michigan Sales Tax and 7% Occupancy Tax).  This rate includes breakfast for two.

 

Transportation:                                Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

 

To view TACTics in its intended formatting and to read previous issues,

visit the TOC website at: www.tocforeducation.com