TACTics
Journal
A Publication for and by TOC
for Education Practitioners
May 2, 2003
In this week’s issue:
Connections
(1) 7 th International TOCFE Conference,
Kathy Suerken
(2) Welcome New TOCFE Trainers,
Eleanor
May-Brenneker
(3) Dear TOCFE Friends, Katie Powell
(4) TACT Class in the
Heartland, Cal
Halliburton
Reader’s Feedback
(5) Manfred Smith
Editors’ Notes
(6) Oops!, Kay Buckner-Seal & Cheryl A.
Edwards
CONNECTIONS
(1) 7 th International TOCFE Conference
From Kathy Suerken
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.
(2) Welcome New TOCFE Trainers
From Eleanor May-Brenneker,
Netherlands
I’ve just trained two more
colleagues towards facilitator status in Holland. They would like to receive
the TACTics Journal from now on. Their names are: Drs. Marijke van der Meer,
head of O. C. R. Orthopedagogisch Didactisch Remedial Teaching Consultancy and
Drs. Joel van Raak, Partner in O. C. R. They both intend to take TOCFE into
schools on school study days, to teach teachers the TOC tools. That's a mouth
full, isn’t it?
I need to congratulate these
two new members on the way they so quickly learned and applied the tools. It
was great fun to work with them. The success of the 5-session course lies in
encouraging the students to immediately apply the tools, possibly at house,
garden, kitchen level (Dutch expression!), so that use of the tools is directly
relevant to every day personal life experiences. In this way, the learner will
see that the proof of the TOC pudding is in the eating and that there remains
no fear to start application.
How did we achieve this? The 5-
session course was taught and we arranged for the 2 students to work with all
five tools immediately, from the next day. I visited them again within the week
and asked to see examples of their efforts: I was astounded about the high
quality of their real-life examples! They were over the moon about the results
they had so quickly achieved with the thinking tools. All they could say was,
“IT WORKS!” All I would like to say is, “WELL DONE, MARIJKE AND JOEL!”
Kind regards.
(3) Dear TOCFE Friends
From Katie Powell, United
Kingdom
As many of you know, for the
last 2 years, I have been preparing myself to work as a primary school teacher.
After the end of April, I will no longer be working directly with GOLDRATT UK;
but instead will be completing my teacher training on an 8-week placement at a
local school. I have accepted a full-time position at this same school for
September 2003 and will be teaching their Year 3 class (7-8 year olds).
I can't wait to start and bring
the TACT into action in my own class. I have been practising my ideas so far
(courtesy of David and Galina) at their Saturday Club in the UK. I am very
grateful to them for giving me this opportunity as it has made the transition
from teaching adults to teaching children much easier for me.
I have a developed a collection
of ideas which I would like to share with you. Unfortunately, due to the dates
and rules of my final teaching practice, I will not be able to join you all for
the conference in Florida. However, I will send over some samples with Galina.
I also hope to share some of my work in future TACTics Journals. Until now, I
felt that whatever I contributed would be obvious to those who have been
working in education for a long time. But, I am repeatedly told by some of you
that this is not the case—so expect to see some examples from me over the
coming months!
If you have my Goldratt UK
email on your system, please change it now to katiehpowell@ntlworld.com
Thanks to all of you who have
supported me over the years. I look forward to continuing to work with you!
Best regards.
(4) TACT Class in the Heartland
From Cal Halliburton, Iowa, USA
Class Title: Stop and Think
Content: Evaporating Cloud and Negative
Branch
Bonus Content: A little bit of the Theory of
Inventive Problem Solving (a.k.a. TRIZ)
Location: Ames, Iowa
Dates: June 5, 6
Time: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Instructor: Cal Halliburton
Registration: www.AEA11.k12.ia.us
Go to Professional Development,
then Catalog & Registration, then search by Location.
Best Regards.
READER’S
FEEDBACK
(5) Manfred Smith, Maryland, USA
Francis Moll’s essay process is
good. The reason that the teachers he worked with were amazed to see
improvement is, unfortunately, a reflection of the way writing is NOT taught
anymore. The advantage that Mr. Moll introduces in his program is what we used
to call, OUTLINING. What Mr. Moll is adding is what we call ACE: Answer the
question (i.e., address the issue directly), Cite evidence, Explain,
Elaborate. When done in combination
with outlining, AND when the outline is REQUIRED as part of the writing
assignment, DRAMATIC results appear.
And, why not? When folks have at their command a systematic structure
that allows them to organize information in an effective manner…well the rest
is history.
What I do is a process called
Effective Communication using an outlining process with the ACE process. TOC
tools are incorporated when appropriate (branches, trees, etc). Outlines MUST
accompany final drafts or be returned. Outlines are graded separately. The EC
process is applied to written and oral presentations.
If teachers want to see CONTINUOUS
progress, then this process must become a system that is followed each and
every time. When we first begin the EC program in my classes, the difference
between those who follow it and those who do not is literally night and day.
Since I show the work on an overhead, the students themselves see the
difference and begin to buy in.
I applaud Mr. Moll for creating
a system of pre-writing that allows his students to become better writers. I
plan to look more carefully at Mr. Moll’s structure and see what I can
incorporate in my Effective Communications process.
Thank you!
EDITORS’ NOTES
(6) Oops!
Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A.
Edwards
As suggested in one of our most recent
issues of TACTics, TOCFE practitioners could download Francois Moll’s complete article: “Literature Essays
and, by Extension, any Argumentative/ Discursive Writing” from the 2002 archive
located at our website: www.tocforeducation.com. However, we have discovered
that several readers were unable to gain access to that archived (October 18, 2002)
issue. Until we remedy this computer “glitch,” anyone who wants a copy of that
issue may contact Cheryl or me. We will gladly send it to you. Otherwise, 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
edwards@cedarville.net or bucknek@earthlink.net.