TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

December 19, 2003

In this week’s issue:

Connections

(1) Estimados Amigos/Dear Friends, Javier Arevalo

Readers' Feedback

(2) Zana Borisavljevic

(3) Zzippi Margalit

Editors’ Notes

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

CONNECTIONS

(1) Estimados Amigos/Dear Friends

From Javier Arevalo, Venezuela

In Venezuela things are moving at a better pace and we are making steady

progress. Just receiving notes from some of the teachers that have used

the tools saying how great the results are, is rewarding. Here are a few of

the comments (in Spanish with English translations):

Caracas, 21 de octubre de 2003

Estimados amigos:

Quiero compartir con ustedes las positivas impresiones de nuestras

docentes una vez realizado el curso del fin de semana dictado por Uds.

Dear Friends:

I want to share with you the positive reactions from our teachers emanating

from the workshop they attended, and were provided by you.

Agradezco la oportunidad que nos brindaron de compartir esta experiencia

enriquecedora. Hoy llegamos con ganas de poner en práctica lo aprendido,

segura estoy que la mayoría queremos la armonía y formar niños y niñas sanos

espiritualmente capaces de resolver conflictos sin violencia.

Muchas Gracias!”

Ana María D’ascencao

INDASE

I want to thank the opportunity that you gave us in sharing such a

rewarding experience. Today we arrived with the energy to put what we

learned into practice, ensured that all of us want harmony and to form

healthy boys and girls in spirit and capable of solving conflicts without

violence. Thanks so much.” Ana Maria D’Ascencao

Fue un taller muy valioso que me enriqueció personal y profesionalmente. Son

estrategias aplicables al entorno escolar que ayudaran tambien a los niños a

crecer personalmente.

Fue especial

Olga Santelíz de Gutierrez

INDASE

It was a valuable workshop that enriched me personally and professionally.

These are strategies applicable to the school environment that will help

children grow. It was very special. Olga Santelíz.

Doy las gracias por la oportunidad de experimentar una forma ta eficiente de

resolver conflictos y de comprender que la solución no puede ser

obligada…Estuvo magnífico.

Norelkis Cardozo

INDASE

I thank you for the opportunity to experience such and efficient way of

solving conflicts and to understand that the solution can not be forced…It

was magnificent. Norelkys Cardozo.

De mas está decir lo satisfechos que estamos todos de haber participado en

esta experiencia y no queremos dejar pasar la oportunidad de manifestarles

nuestro interés en prepararnos como facilitadotes para multiplicar esta

valiosa experiencia.

It is beyond words how satisfied we all are of having participated in this

experience and we do not want to miss the chance to manifest our interest

in becoming facilitators to multiply this valuable experience.

Marisela Díaz de Aurrecoechea

Directora (Director)

INDASE

Tengo que contarte que se me han presentado unos rollos con los muchachos

gradisimos y todos los he solucionado o por lo menos han quedado en camino

de solucion con el metodo de la nube y con las ramas logicas, ha sido

realmente emocionante ver como cambian la cara de los muchachos cuando se

dan cuenta que ellos mismos pueden razonar en la solucion de sus problemas,

sin la necesidad de esperar un regaño del profesor, asi que muchisimas

gracias por las enseñanzas que ahora puedo aplicar y ver el provecho de las

mismas.

Gracias por todo. Con cariño y agradecimiento se despide: Yelitza Querales.

I have to tell you that I have been confronted with several big issues with

the kids and all of them I have solved them or are in the road to be solved

with the Cloud and the Branches. It has been really exciting to see the kids

and how their face changes when they see that they can, by themselves

reason and come up with a solution to their problems, without the need to

wait for reprimands or impositions from the teacher. So a huge thank you

for the teachings that I can now put to practice, and see the end benefit.

Thanks for all. With love and gratitude, yours. Yelitza Querales (Pastoral

Familiar e Infancia)

READERS' FEEDBACK

(2) From Zana Borisavljevic, Belgrade, Serbia

This piece is in response to an article that was published in our November 7, 2003 issue of

TACTics entitled, "A Request from Kathy," from Kathy Suerken <suerken@cox.net>. The request

was as follows:

"One of our team members needs YOUR help! Sandra Fierro has a very important upcoming

presentation (early December) to a secondary school group and needs as many relevant

curriculum examples as possible. As we know, authentic, less than perfect examples are very

effective in such situations."

Dear Sandra,

I wanted to send you some examples of using the tools in the curriculum.

The constraints I had were the time and my knowledge of English

terminology in biology, chemistry, and even geography. So I am sending you

the ones I could easily translate into English. They are certainly less than

perfect, but the teachers who have been using them with pupils all report

that the students loved working with the content in this way, particularly

discussing the assumptions. One interesting example a teacher once shared

was a cloud in Biology—the internal conflict the plants might have had at the

time in their evolution before moving out of the water and onto the land.

A: survival

B: development

C: safety

D: go out of water

D': stay in water

The assumptions were very interesting, but I do not remember them—things

to do with light, air etc. Perhaps your knowledge of natural science is better

than mine, so you could list them.

Good luck with your presentation.

Zana

(3) From Zzippi Margalit

This piece is in response to an article published in our December 5, 2003 issue of TACTics,

entitled "A Small Example to Share," from Jeff Rideout.

Dear Jeff,

Your story about David gave me a lot of inspiration. You brought one more

example of the special blend of characteristics of the tools and the people

of TOC: Affection and Mind. Thank you!

If only I had such a Big Brother when I was a young girl.

Yours,

Zzippi Margalit

EDITORS’ NOTES

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

This week's TACTics includes formatting, which can been seen in the pdf

version of TACTics. Please note that the pdf version of TACTics is

attached. You must have Acrobat Reader to open the file. It is freely

available for download from:

www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.

If you have the Reader installed but still can't open the file, drag it from

this e-mail to your desktop, launch the Reader, and open it from the FILE

menu.

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

site at www.tocforeducation.com. Click on "What's New."

Cheryl and I have a two-week holiday to celebrate Christmas and New Years.

As a result, you will receive our next issue of TACTics on January 9, 2004.

Peace and good will to all! We look forward to the New Year and your

continued collaboration to keep our newsletter on a POOGI. Don't forget to

send your responses, applications of the thinking processes, lessons,

announcements, and etc. to: Cheryl A. Edwards, 2253 S. Hill Island Rd.,

Cedarville, Michigan 49719, USA. Or, you may send them via hyperlink to

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