TACTics
Journal
A Publication for and by TOC
for Education Practitioners
May 9, 2003
In this week’s issue:
Networking
(1) Hazing, Cheryl A. Edwards
(2) An Alternative to Hazing, Doug Roby
Connections
(3) 7 th International TOCFE Conference,
Kathy Suerken
Editors’ Notes
(4) Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A.
Edwards
(1) Hazing
By Cheryl A. Edwards
In the news this past week is
the story of a “powder puff football game” that turned into a horrible example
of the results of hazing. A group of high school girls, juniors and seniors,
gathered for their traditional football game.
It seemed harmless but
apparently another tradition of the game was the hazing of junior girls by the
senior girls. The junior girls expected “small hazing,” like yelling, and
ketchup and mustard in their hair. They were warned by others not to run away;
but they were not expecting any physical harm.
So, what happened? The hazing
got out of control. One observer said what started out as a fun time turned
into a form of “anger release”. Several girls were hospitalized with very
serious injuries, and as a result, criminal charges have been filed.
Could this have been prevented?
Doug Roby, High School Student Assistant Coordinator and author of the
following article, “An Alternative to Hazing,” describes how he was able to
stop the hazing in his school before it got out of control.
(2) An Alternative to Hazing
By Doug Roby, Michigan, USA
I’m a student assistance
coordinator at a large high school where we were experiencing problems with
seniors who were hazing freshmen or other new students. By hazing I mean they
were trying to make them do ridiculous, humiliating or even painful things.
This cloud came from a group
intervention I did with about 20 senior girls on hazing. I explained the
concept of the cloud to the students, had them raise assumptions on only one
side of the cloud, and then identify injections. Here is one example …it took
about 30 minutes to get to their injections.
Assumptions
It makes me look important.
It happened to us.
We are seniors and need to show
our authority.
It is tradition.
It makes them feel scared.
B Authority/Power
D Haze other students.
A Learn/Be prepared for my
future.
C Safety
D’ Do not haze other students.
Injection: As seniors we already have
seniority. I could introduce myself to the freshmen and help them find their
way around the building. We should be the people they look up to and admire,
not run away from.
The result of this
intervention?
We did not experience any more
hazing on our campus in the two school years since this intervention took place
using the Cloud. What a powerful tool to get students to really understand why
they are doing something, what effect their actions have on others, and to find
alternative ways to meet their needs.
CONNECTIONS
(3) 7 th International TOCFE Conference
From Kathy Suerken, suerken@cox.net.
May 16-19,
2003
Ramada Plaza Beach Resort
1500 Miracle Strip Parkway, SE
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Telephone: 850-243-9161
Fax: 850-243-2391
Ramada Central Reservations:
1-800-272-6232
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.
All rooms include individual
climate control, refrigerators, coffee makers, room safes, irons and ironing
boards, 2 telephones with data ports, 27" televisions with cable, radio,
clock alarm and hairdryers. Boxed continental breakfast—up to two per room
included with the TOC for Education block of rooms.
Recreational Facilities.
Access to 800 feet of sugar
white sand beach and sparkling Emerald Green waters. Swimming pools, sundecks,
whirlpool and patios for lazing, tanning, swimming and playing. Northwest
Florida's largest swimming pool accented with a five story Polynesian island
where one may swim through the waterfall to the Grotto Bar. New exercise
facility that is complimentary to hotel guests. A Beach Gift Shop is on site
and adjacent to hotel is a boardwalk with entertainment, shopping and dining.
Average daytime temps 81°F
(27°C)
Average nighttime temps 66°F
(20°C)
Airport
· Fort Walton Beach, Florida (VPS is the airport code).
· Cab/shuttle service from airport to hotel is about $15.
· Driving information:
¨ When leaving the airport, turn left onto FL-85 South (also called
Eglin Parkway). Stay on 85 South for approximately 10 miles.
¨ Turn left (east) onto US-98/FL-30/Miracle Strip Parkway SE (it
seems every road has two or three names just to confuse!) Go over the bridge to
the island and the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort will be on the right one mile after
the bridge.
EDITORS’ NOTES
(4) Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A.
Edwards
Doug Roby’s contribution to
this week’s TACTics is another example of how the TOC tools positively
influenced the culture of a school. More so than ever before, our schools need
to foster environments that support logical thinkers and responsible
decision-makers. Don’t you agree that our schools really need the TOC tools
before there are any more of these horrible incidents?
Doug, thanks for sharing. Feel free 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.