TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

July 25, 2003

In this week’s issue:

Networking

(1) How to Cause the Desired Change: A Practical Means Through

Reading Comprehension, Cheryl A. Edwards

(2) An Answer to Linda Trapnell’s Request, Francois Moll

Editors’ Notes

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

NETWORKING

(1) How to Cause the Desired Change: A Practical Means

Through Reading Comprehension

From Cheryl A. Edwards

Colin Rose and Kevin Brown, Accelerated Learning Systems, UK, shared the

results of the combined effort of TOCFE and Accelerated Learning to

create an interactive E-Learning site for students ages 6-10.

You will want to check out www.tocforschools.com where you will be able to

“Take a Tour” of Yani’s Goal as well get more information on the other

components of the program.

On the home page, “Improve Thinking and Behavior”, you will find the

following list of skills the students will be able to accomplish through using

the TOC Thinking Tools:

· Define problems and create thoughtful solutions

· Set their own goals and develop a logical plan for achieving them

· Make reasoned judgements and decisions

· Analyze curriculum topics in greater depth, and also

· Resolve conflicts and

· Predict the outcome of their own actions, and know how to control their

own behavior.

Don’t miss…

· Yani’s Goal - a delightful story in which the reader follows Yani on his

journey as he learns the TOC Thinking Tools which helps him to reach his

‘GOAL’. The students learn the three TOC Thinking Tools as they

interact with the story. In part one the students watch as Yani learns

the tool. In part two students practice on authentic text from various

subject areas and in part three they follow Yani has he applies what he

has learned.

· Help for Teachers- describes how the TOC teacher training program can

solve two important educational issues:

· Finding time to teach content and process and

· Improving student behavior.

· Help for Parents- describes the support program available for parents.

This is a fantastic website!

(2) An Answer to Linda Trapnell’s Request

From Francois Moll, Republic of South Africa

In the June 27, 2003 edition of TACTics, Linda Trapnell of the United

Kingdom requested some sample clouds for high school level students.

This is such a beautiful example of Javier's observation of the willingness of

the network to share ideas—while still in development—for the good of all.

Kathy

Dear Linda,

The truth is the cloud is applicable for any piece of literature (as you know).

So one can have Macbeth (Kill the king/Don’t kill the king—Ambition (?)

/Conscience), Hamlet (Kill Claudius/Don’t kill Claudius).

Thus whenever a decision is taken, I find it more effective to let my

audience work one out. The question for us is “How does this help?” This

has been the cause of my delay and I’ve come up with the following:

1. It clearly defines the central conflict (or other conflicts) in the plot.

This allows the student to understand what it is that drives the PLOT

forward.

2. If the conflict is not solved by a win-win (as in Macbeth), it emphasizes

the lack of achievement of one of the needs and the common objective (in

fact it frequently prevents BOTH needs being met). This is a good lead-in to

a discussion of the concept of TRAGEDY. A TRAGIC FLAW is in essence a

problem of need (either overwhelming or irrational or prevented by

fate/circumstances/someone else's actions).

3. It is an interesting exercise to build a cause-effect tree off the wants

if the want is an action. For example, can the student build Macbeth's

cause-and-effect off “Kill the King?” Alternatively, if there is an injection

to the cloud in the story, the same exercise is helpful; certainly it will

highlight the win-win nature (or lack of) of the injection.

4. Discussion of the NEEDS boxes is crucial to understanding the

character. Often new interpretations come from new needs. It may be

useful to ask the students for evidence from the text to back up their

argument. For instance, traditionally Macbeth’s motivation has been

interpreted as AMBITION but a modern alternative is FEAR (of his wife or

of losing out somehow).

5. It can be useful to ask, “What obstacles are in the way of achieving a

NEED or the COMMON OBJECTIVE?” and produce a rough PrT (Ambitious

Target Tree). In Lord of the Flies for instance, what prevents Ralph and

Piggy from establishing Democracy? And then follow the process of what

they should do and compare it to what they do do.

6. Lastly (for now), I like them to show relevance to their lives by drawing

up a personal cloud with the same needs but different actions from their

lives. How did they break the cloud? Or is it ongoing? Can cross-deductions

be drawn? For example, have they ever been faced with trying to fulfill the

needs of Satisfy Conscience AND Satisfy Ambition (as in Macbeth)? Be

flexible so that a similar need can be accepted. I hope this is some help. I

am sending to Kathy as well because it may be useful for the Journal.

I hope all goes well.

Love,

Francois

EDITORS’ NOTES

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

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.

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

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