TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

December 14, 2001

 

In this week’s issue:

Connections

(1)          Japanese Edition of The Goal, Kathy Suerken

Networking

   (2)     Jeff, Jackie Trimble

   (3)   Feedback: “Jeff,” Cheryl A. Edwards

POOGI

(4)     Last Week’s TACTics,  Kay Buckner-Seal

Quote

  (5)  Unknown

Editors’ Notes

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

 

 

CONNECTIONS

(1)            Japanese Edition of The Goal

From Kathy Suerken

 

The Japanese edition of The Goal was published in May 2001 and over 300,000 copies were sold in the first 3 months!  Isn't it interesting that The Goal is selling more copies there than Harry Potter?  Why do you think?

 

NETWORKING

(2)        Jeff

By Jackie Trimble, Seattle, Washington, USA

 

The following is an episode of how the tools worked with a kid that everyone had given up on. 

A follow-up:  I have teachers raving about Jeff and his improvement; the principals tell me daily about their awe.  Jeff comes to me daily 3rd period to let me know how his day is going- good or bad.  He then sees me period 5 & 6 for class.  It hasn't always been perfect scores, but when his score has been anything less than a 4 he is beside himself.

An interesting note:  One of the principals wanted to borrow the contract thinking that it might work for another student.  I explained it was the tools, but she took it any way.  I'm waiting to see how it will work/fail.

 

I always begin my year using the cloud to set rules in the class.  Barely a month of school had passed when a discipline problem arose.  Jeff was a student in my two-period block, who was constantly in trouble.  He would say things to other students under his breath that would infuriate them, he would get in their space and he spent a good deal of time out of his seat wandering during class time.  To say the least, I dreaded that class because of Jeff.  I tried many different strategies including talking to other teachers who also had Jeff.  It seemed that everyone was having trouble with Jeff.  In the first month Jeff received many infractions and referrals, which were landing him in in-school suspension.

 

One day Jeff came in and proceeded to say things to students about their mothers that had one boy ready to beat him up.  I quickly removed Jeff to the office and set an appointment the next day to conference with Jeff and the principal.  I sat down that night thinking this was futile as I felt Jeff, with his flippant attitude, would not be a willing participant in the conference.  I then proceeded to complete a cloud that read:

 

Our common goal was to enjoy class.

Jeff’s needs were to have acceptance from others.

His wants were to be free to do what he wanted.  (I listed the behaviors: out of seat, touching others, joking comments and leaving the classroom.)

My needs are to have the class free from disturbances.

My wants would be that Jeff would comply with class rules

 

I read the cloud to Jeff beginning with my side and listed my assumptions, or (as I call them) my “becauses”: students are angry and may hurt Jeff and everyone’s safety is my responsibility, students are not learning, I would need more structured class time to keep everyone focused and that was not as much fun.

 

I then read his side and he asked that I remove the part in his wants that said he liked to leave the classroom and I did.  We discussed his assumptions that his comments and touching were fun, got him out of a boring class, people noticed him, and he liked the attention.

 

At this point I didn’t try to solve the cloud, but went straight to a negative branch (cause and effect tree).  I basically began with, “Jeff is allowed to do whatever he wants” and listed the effects to me including stopping class, frustrated/angry with him, students not being taught, taking time in writing him up, time for parent conference, etc.  Then we started another branch that showed that students would get angry with him, may hit him, wouldn’t work with him on projects, tell on him, etc.  I had only started when Jeff began filling in both sides of the branches and got to a point where his parents would be very mad at him and that would not be a good thing.  He began talking so fast that I had to abbreviate and finally we just filled it out verbally.

 

I asked him if he had any suggestions and he said he thought that a contract might work.  We began drawing up a contract with him, directing what to put in it including score, comments, date, and a space for every period of the day, as he wanted all teachers to participate.  I then spent the evening creating a chart for him to use and got his final approval.

 

I have to say that I wasn’t that hopeful that things would change, however, he has amazed the staff.  He has maintained high scores daily with one exception- a day when a teacher had a substitute.  The sub gave him 2’s and 3’s (out of 5).  Jeff came to me and then had to go see the principal.  He was in tears because he had blown it (he admitted that he deserved the scores).  We assured him that he had the rest of the day to make it good and he did!  He now proudly shows his contract to the principal every day after school and takes them home to parents who file them to take out and look at on occasion.

 

Reflection:  Jeff had recognized the cloud from the earlier class discussion on the gum chewing rules and also a cloud I did with the class on excessive talking.  The principal noted the process and would like to know more, but has been "too busy" for a meeting. I will keep at him.  I thought that I might work with Jeff on how to do the cloud and have him help present it.

 

I think my book will include these real life stories and tell step by step how I did it.  I still want to do some more with teaching concepts.  Partner teaching is taking a lot of extra energy, but he is still open to more TOC.

 

(3)            FEEDBACK: “Jeff”

From Cheryl A. Edwards

 

Wow!  What a great story!  Congratulations to you and Jeff.  This is a true story of empowerment.  Jeff was allowed to figure out “what to change,” “what to change to,” and “how to cause that change.”  His injection ...the contract.

 

I think you are right about passing along the contract.  It is what Jeff was able to discover before he decided on the contract.  Just giving someone else the contract could not have the same impact as Jeff deciding that he wanted the contract and developing it.  It would simply be a matter of imposing someone else's injection.  Maybe you could send Jeff to the principal and have him explain how he came up with the contract (?).

 

Anyway... great work and thank you so much for sharing.  Our TACTics readers are really going to enjoy this one.  Keep us posted on his continued progress.  Oh, did he have anything to say about the way the conference with the Principal was handled?

 

POOGI

(4)       Last Week’s TACTics

From Kay Buckner-Seal

 

Many of you may have received two copies of last week’s TACTics and some of you may not have received a copy at all!  My apologies for any inconvenience this may have made.  It is necessary that this week’s TACTics is sent from my e-mail address and Bernie and I were conducting a trial run with last week’s TACTics.  Hopefully we have rid ourselves of the “clunks” and you are reading this text right now without any problems. 

 

Please note that the pdf version of TACTics is attached.  You can get a free download Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read the attachment at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.  Your feedback would be greatly appreciated and thanks for your patience. 

 

QUOTE

(5)        “If there is right in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.  If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the home.  If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.  If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.” —unknown

 

EDITORS’ NOTES

(6)        Happy Holidays!

From Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A. Edwards

 

Many of our colleagues from around the world are celebrating holidays now or in the near future.  As we reflect on the events of the past year, we would like to take this time to send our sincere wishes for a peaceful New Year throughout our world.  TACTics will take a brief holiday and return with the January 4, 2002 issue.  —Cheryl, Kay and Bernie

 

As always, if you would like to respond to any articles published in TACTics, share your ideas or applications of the tools, send by mail to:  Cheryl A. Edwards, 2253 S. Hill Island Rd., Cedarville, Michigan 49719, USA.  Or send hyperlink to redwards@sault.com, or bucknek@earthlink.net.

 

 

 

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