TACTics Journal
A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners
August 2005

In this month’s issue:

Networking
(1) "Learning To Live And Learning To Learn" Khaw Choon Ean

Connections

(2) 8th International Conference Update, Kathy Suerken
(3) Made Your Reservations? Kathy Suerken

Editors’ Notes & a Special Request
(4) Kay Buckner-Seal, Cheryl A. Edwards

NETWORKING

1.  "LEARNING TO LIVE AND LEARNING TO LEARN"

(on promoting TOCFE Workshops as Lifelong Learning)

Khaw Choon Ean (MALAYSIA)

Today’s Reflection:

"…30 years of research with families and in schools has shown that children who can think through and successfully solve everyday problems for themselves have fewer behaviour problems and do better in school than children who are unable to think this way…"

Myrna B. Shure, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA

I came across the above remark when I was doing some literature review in preparation for my first-ever TOCFE Parenting Skills Workshop in Malaysia last year. I was seeking for a leverage that parents may need, in order to understand why they would want to use TOC tools with their children.

You see, before this, when planning workshops, it always seemed to be a question of limited time, so do I dwell on teaching how to learn content or how to learn behaviour? Since coming across that meaningful comment, I no longer need to agonize over this. It is simple. I make sure I do both.

When implementing accelerated learning techniques in workshops these days, the aim is not only to save time but also to ignite the participants’ full mental and psychological powers for thinking, problem solving, innovating and learning. They can be children or parents or teachers, it doesn’t matter. Therefore, I realized we cannot compartmentalize the teaching and learning. One leads to the other.

Teaching the tools first in the context of behaviour, then leading this into learning of content has a feeling of more immediacy. The grasp becomes more real to the participant. I find that when the participants can start using whichever tool to personal behaviour storylines or situations, it is a very natural process to transfer the skill into learning content. The AHA! moment comes with no trauma.

So in the last workshop I ran a couple of weeks ago for 66 secondary school teachers attending a professional upgrade workshop, I introduced the Cloud tool and one teacher participant unabashedly put forward her personal conflict for a decision to be made between her husband and herself while the others offered win-win solutions, helped her look at invalid assumptions in the situation and gave injections.

Moving on from there into a content area using the Cloud to teach a topic with conflicting issues seemed so natural because having applied the steps of The Cloud tool in a personal meaningful behaviour situation helped to internalize the technique.

So, taking a leaf from this experience, we should start children on TOC tools on behaviour and then it is a natural progression to apply that skill to learning. It will be a total learning experience as the skills can be used to solve problems and then leave the way clear to apply to meaningful learning.

We would really like to have our children be able to solve their daily problems and leave the way clear to use the self same techniques for learning. What we would call LIFELONG SKILLS. Believe me, this angle promotes well.


I welcome comments to the above reflection.

CONNECTIONS

(2) TOCFE 8TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AGENDA

From Kathy Suerken < suerken@cox.net <

8th International TOCFE Conference

"Building a Viable Vision for Education"

Seattle, WA, USA

Embassy Suites, Lynnwood

August 11-14, 2005

General Conference Agenda:

  • Introduction and Welcome/General Session
  • Welcoming Remarks:
  • "What Is This Thing Called TOC? An International Sampler "
  • Keynote Address

There will be 3 Tracks available for Conference Attendees to select through Saturday:

1.     Administrative Track:

2.    Teacher's/Counselor’s Track:

3.  University Academics/TOCFE Experts Track:

Sunday

" NOT THE END, JUST THE BEGINNING!"

Kathy Suerken, President TOCFE and Others

(3) MADE YOUR RESERVATIONS?

Kathy Suerken

8th International Conference
"Building a Viable Vision for Education"


Don't forget to make your hotel reservations at the Embassy Suites Lynnwood/Seattle for TOCFE conference as soon as possible. Reservations received after
Monday, July 11, 2005 will be provided on a space available basis at prevailing rate. To make reservations please call 1.800.628.0611 and ask for TOCFE block.

More information on conference at:
http://tocfe.home.comcast.net


More Conference Details…

Registration Fees: Fee includes 4 lunches, special event dinner, coffee breaks and all materials.
By July 1: $250; After July 1: $275.
Discounted fees for University Students and K-12 Teachers: By July 1: $150. After July 1: $175. Registration form available for download: www.tocforeducation.com

Hotel Accommodations
: Embassy Suites Seattle North/Lynnwood (www.wcghotels.com)
Group rate of $119 plus tax. Includes: two-room suite, daily cooked-to-order breakfast and complimentary evening reception. Reservations: 1.800.628.0611. Request TOCFE block.

Ground transportation from SeaTAC: (
Seattle International Airport): Shuttle Express: 425.981.7000.

For more information: www.tocforeducation.com
Questions:
suerken@cox.net

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

Special Request just for Conference Attendees!!!!!

Many of our readers are unable to attend the conference this year.

As you reflect on the content of the conference, your learnings and your insights won't you please take the time to jot them down and send them in for publication in TACTics? We know our readers really enjoy hearing from other practitioners and they will enjoy hearing about the conference from you.


Due to a local holiday our next issue will be published on Friday September 9, 2005; therefore submissions should reach us by Monday, September 5, 2005. Please send your articles 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.