TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners

March 12, 2004

In this week’s issue:

Connections

(1) TOC is Fun, Francois Knoll

(2) Visas for Serbia, Zana Borisavljevic

(3) 8th Annual TOCFE Conference

Editors’ Notes

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

CONNECTIONS

(1) TOC is Fun!

From Francois Knoll, South Africa

What a pleasant week I've just had with TOC. On Friday I took our RCL

(Representative Council of Learners)—in other words the elected student

leaders—on a camp to plan our programme for the year. I was aware of time

constraints so while we were gathered around the fire making food, I subtly

posed the questions: "What is preventing us from being a very effective

RCL?" and "What have we not done yet that will lead to us being an effective

RCL?" This was rather more informal than my usual approach in these

matters but what was significant was how enthused they became with the

process. Instead of allowing me to go to bed after supper (!), they wanted

to carry on with the "strategic plan" (as I had called it). By the end of the

evening we had the plan in place with all the IOs sequenced and

responsibility for each IO delegated in such a way that all the learners had

responsibility for and in the plan.

Reporting back to the school they were so proud of themselves that they

were already claiming that they were the most effective and organized RCL

ever! We know that the tools are very effective but what interested me

was the emotional benefits that accrued—we know that confidence, synergy,

enthusiasm are all essential to leadership training but we rarely find a way

of teaching it so quickly to so many.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to share my discursive/argumentative

writing tool with all the English second-language teachers in my hometown.

For the half-hour I had to present. They were riveted and thoroughly

engaged in the process. It is so exciting to see some fire back in teachers’

eyes! Next, I will have the opportunity to take this throughout the region to

other English teachers because the Departmental representative (my English

boss really!) could so clearly see a need that was being addressed. Of

course, I managed to drop a few hints that I had a tool that was useful for

analysing conflicts in stories and a narrative writing tool etc.

TOC is fun! Love to the whole network from an autumnal South Africa. See

some of you in summery Serbia!

(2) VISAS for SERBIA

From Zana Borisavljevic, The Union of Serbia and Montenegro

If you are planning to attend the conference in Serbia in May, please check

whether you need a visa with the Serbian Embassy (The Union of Serbia and

Montenegro) in your country. For some countries, it might be the case that

we need to send you a letter of invitation so we will need to know the names

of the people who need visas quite soon.

That will be the case for Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines. For the

colleagues from these countries, it will be necessary to obtain the visa from

the Serbian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. (I believe that is also the case

for any other Asian country, but please double check!) Apparently it takes 3

to 4 weeks to get the visa.

The phone number of the Serbian Embassy (The Union of Serbia and

Montenegro) in Jakarta I was given is:

Phone: 6221 - 314 3560

6221 - 314 3720

Fax: 6221 - 314 3613

E-mail: embajaka@rad.net.id

embajaka@indosat.net.id

My suggestion is that the TOCFE directors in the countries where visas will

be necessary write to me as soon as possible with the names of all the

colleagues from their countries that will be attending the conference, so I

could arrange for the MOE or one of our educational institutions to write

the letter of invitation.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Zana Borisavljevic

Phone: +381 11 427232

+381 63 853 3167

E-mail: jana.b@eunet.yu

oplus@eunet.yu

(3) 8th Annual TOCFE Conference

Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Dates: Thursday, May 20 - Sunday, May 23, 2004

Conference: Intercontinental Hotel in New Belgrade

Conference Fees: $50 (covers cost: 8 coffee breaks, 4 sandwich lunches)

Accommodations: Jugoslavija Hotel

• Single room: $42 to $62

• Double room: $60 to $90

• Breakfast included

• Room rates depend on how recently rooms have been renovated

All prices are in USA dollars– subject to slight conversion changes.

If you would like to book rooms at the Jugoslavija Hotel, you can do that

through the Miross Travel Agency. The person to contact is:

Ms. Dobrila Puzic

dobrila@miross.co.yu

Miross Travel Agency

Svetogorska 4, Beograd 11000

Serbia

Tel/Fax: +381 11 33 44 945

+381 11 33 44 510

+381 11 33 44 529

EDITORS’ NOTES

(4) 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 kayseal@comcast.net.

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

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