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.