TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

February 28, 2003

In this week’s issue:

Connections

(1) Student Feedback: Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center, Gila Glatter

(2) The Story of Anna, Part II, Petra Pouw-Legêne

(3) 7 th International TOCFE Conference

(4) Registration Form: 7 th International TOCFE Conference

Editor’s Notes

(5) Kay Buckner-Seal

CONNECTIONS

(1) Feedback from Students at The Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC)*

From Gila Glatter, Israel

*A center for International co-operation established by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

I had the pleasure of acting as a facilitator at a workshop on Management in Preschool Settings, which was conducted at the above center from the 6 th to 26 th of November 2002. The students came from many different countries all over the globe!

I introduced the TOC thinking tools for education—the cloud and the target.  The participants were highly interested in the theory and its applications and wanted to hear more and more.

Here are some of their concluding comments, which were presented to me as a farewell gift:

· I would like to apply the theory in my position as a director of a pre-school in my country. The lectures were excellently delivered, each time involving us to carry out one activity or the other.

Nwigwe Ngoze Mercy.Estate Children’s School Federal Housing Estate Egbeads,

PO Box 6652 Al Owrri, South Africa

· Toc is a powerful tool for alternative management in our organization…We received clear understanding how to use TOC from the lecturer… We got extra resources of knowledge”.

Amporn Sornprasit, Thailand (sampron@ratree.psu.ac.th)

· Toc method is very realistic and valuable. TOC as a thinking tool helps us personally to be more structured and disciplined in our thoughts. TOC is a good method to define the problem and to find the ways of resolving it.  It deals with emotions, feelings and approach. Life is more complicated, so I think TOC method is more realistic than the other conflict resolution methods.

Vita, from Hungary

· We learnt conflict resolution skills—how to deal with conflicts, the difference between needs and wants. TOC is best and very practical method that can be used at schools. I have learnt how it can be applied on daily basis for personal growth and development and also for the growth of the school.

Winnifred Moine, South Africa (moiwin@thlabaneschools.co.sa)

· I learnt more insights/knowledge about the topic, especially about resolving conflicts. I hope to apply and practice the thinking tools for conflict analysis both with the staff and pupils.

Nila Umpacan, Philippines (nil_u2002@yahoo.com)

· I am happy to know that conflicts don’t last long if we use TOC. TOC is the best way of dealing with conflicts among children… Conflicts are always present in our daily lives but we can try to get rid of them by win-win method. …I am happy to know that conflict let people grow.

Semmeret Mamo

· The contents of the classes were very useful for us. The way of your presentation was really effective and made it easier for us to understand. It has given us both theoretical and practical knowledge and we can easily adopt it in our country.

Meenakshi Paudel, Nepal (mepaudel@hotmail.com).

· I learnt that every conflict has its own solution and TOC can help us solve it systematically. The above statement is more than enough!

Thawat Chittrakarn, Thailand (cthawat@ratree.psu.ac.th)

· I like your technique of teaching as it gave me the courage as a trainer. Actually, TOC is a totally new subject for my country and I want to take it with me. I am a trainer from a training & resource center, so I want to involve it in my work. I just need your auspicious support. Thanks a lot!

Reeta Tamang, Seto Gurans National Child Development Service, Lalitpur, P.O. 4103, Nepal  Tamangreta@hotmail.com.

· TOC is now very well understood. It is a good tool that I will use in my professional and management activities, as I deal with a lot of conflict resolutions. It is an important tool in training preschool teachers, supervisors and coordinators. I feel compelled to teach this thinking tool to teachers and pupils in a few selected schools. I have been empowered!

Francis R. W. Chalamanda, Ministry of Gender, Youth and Community Services

Private bag 330, Capitol City, Lilongur 3, Malawi   chalamanda@yahoo.com.

· I will try to use the benefit of Theory of Constraints with my children— it is excellent. It is not only for “training” but for day-to-day life, if handled properly.

B. Sahu, India.   Sahusai2000@yahoo.co.in

· TOC is very useful and efficient for me because I am a social worker. The cloud method helps me to solve problems in my life experiences. I will share the experience with my colleagues.

Ms. Ruper Mya, Rangon, Myanmar (Burma)

· I got lots of information and a simplified approach to deal with problems. It is an avenue for future association, very effective in communication.

D. R. Vijayalakshmi, India, nipcedbl@bgl.vsnl.

· We have learned about good leadership, good communication skills and how to solve conflicts. This will help us to have good working relationship with our colleagues as well as trainees.

Eunice Maonga, Malawi. Emaonga@yahoo.com.

· The program was built to give us both theoretical background and the ways of reflection and implementation. The workshop was very interesting, the idea of target planning was wonderful.

Andrulla Assiotou, Cyprus.

• I personally feel that I gained a lot by meeting these interesting people, so different, yet so much alike, especially when it comes to the basic needs, of living in peace and harmony…

Rina Raviv, Haifa, Israel   Rinaravi@zahav.net.il

(2) The Story of Anna, Part II

From Petra Pouw-Legêne, The Netherlands

Do you remember the story I wrote in TACTics Journal, October 4 last year, about my friend Liz's mother Anna (85)? She came to me with Liz to find an answer to the question: "Do I give up my apartment and move into a home for the elderly or do I not give up my apartment." While searching for words to fill in the diagram of the cloud, she was not ready to fill in the need in B. She put the following need in C: "to keep my freedom.” Liz and I did not insist on her finding words for B but invited her instead to find out what "to keep my freedom" meant for her.

Well, many people asked me what happened to Anna after that evening. This is what Liz told me on the phone some time later.

Anna had indeed thought a lot about what "freedom" meant to her. She talked about it as being able to just sit and read a book, watch TV, have company, have not so many physical tasks, etc.

About ten years ago Anna's husband died. After that she decided to keep everything in the apartment in the exact same way and condition out of reverence for and remembrance of her husband. Maintaining it all kept her busy most of her days, since she is an extremely neat housekeeper. Now she realised that living alone in her apartment had never given her any freedom at all. She actually had been the keeper of her own private museum for these past ten long years. And she longed to give up being a slave of that museum and live in a smaller place which would be totally her own, but which would not demand so much labor.

A week before Christmas she moved, out of her own free will, into a nice apartment in a home for the elderly, was made comfortable there like a princess with the help of her children. She was cheerful and never looked back or regretted the move.

Of course she is still working on getting used to the change. So new clouds have come up and have evaporated on issues like f. e.: allowing or not allowing the staff to freely walk into her apartment, etc. But that's another story!

(3) 7th International TOCFE Conference

May 16-19, 2003

Ramada Plaza Beach Resort

1500 Miracle Strip Parkway

Ft Walton Beach, Florida, USA

Hotel:

• For reservations, USA toll free: 800.874.8962.

• Please reserve your room under the TOCFE Conference block of rooms.

• Boxed continental breakfast-up to two per room included.

• Blocked rooms will be held until April 24, 2003 (afterward, reservations only if space available).

• The following prices are for maximum of 2 people per room (additional person is $10/person per night up to maximum of 4 per room).

Standard: $120 (plus tax) per night.

Courtyard: $135 (plus tax) per night

Poolside: $155 (plus tax) per night

Beach Front: $175 (plus tax) per night

Airport:

• Fort Walton Beach, Florida (VPS is the airport code).

• Cab/shuttle service from airport to hotel is about $15..• Driving information will be shared in a future TACTics.

Conference Fees:

• Daily Rate: $25 includes lunch, coffee breaks and all materials.

• Full conference rate: $125 includes 4 lunches, all coffee breaks, all

materials and Special Dinner/Entertainment Event on Sunday, May 18. A

Special Event is still being planned for Saturday, May 17!

• 10% discount if registration fees are paid by April 1, 2003

(4) Registration Form: 7th International TOCFE Conference

REGISTRATION FORM

7th International TOC for Education Conference

May 16-19, 2003

Ramada Plaza Beach Resort

1500 Miracle Strip Parkway

Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, USA

Phone: 850.243.9161

Toll Free: 1.800.874.8962

Name:_____________________________________________________________

Home Street Address:_________________________________________________

City:_____________________________State:__________Zip Code:___________

Country:_________________________

Home Phone:________________________

E-mail:_____________________________

Job Title or Position (Include level of children you work with: elementary, etc.):

 

 

Conference Fees:

10 % discount if registration fees are paid by April 1, 2003.  

Daily Rate: $25 includes lunch, coffee breaks and all materials ($22.50 before April 1. $27.50 after May 1.) 

Full 4-Day Conference Rate: $125 includes 4 lunches, all coffee breaks, all materials and Special Dinner/Entertainment Event on Sunday, May 18, 2003.  ($112.50 before April 1. $150 after May 1.)

 

Mail completed registration form with check (sorry, no credit cards accepted) for registration (payable to TOC for Education, Inc.) to:

 

Kathy Suerken, President

TOC for Education, Inc.
1532 Glenlake Circle
Niceville, FL 32578 USA 

EDITORS’ NOTES

(5) Kay Buckner-Seal

This week’s TACTics is a testament (amongst many) of the value and

effectiveness of TOC tools. Thanks to all who made contributions. We hope

that you continue to share with us. Send your responses, applications of the

thinking processes, lessons, announcements, and etc. by mail to: Cheryl A.

Edwards, 2253 S. Hill Island Rd., Cedarville, Michigan 49719, USA. Or send

hyperlink to cedwards@cedarville.net or bucknek@earthlink.net.

You may also view TACTics in its intended formatting, by visiting our web

site at www.tocforeducation.com. Click on “What’s New.”