TACTics Journal

A Publication for and by TOC for Education Practitioners
October 2008



“The 11th TOCfE International Conference”
from Kathy Suerken


Approximately 275 conference delegates representing 14 countries from 5 continents listened with rapt attention at the National Library of Poland as our founder, Eli Goldratt, described an educator’s dream: the synergistic, concurrent delivery of curriculum and moral education. Although Eli used a logical progression of rhetorical questions and personal vignettes to demonstrate how this can be achieved through TOC, he began by building links to his audience and message by involving one of us in a Polish history test! “Who was Sobieski and what was his impact on you?” he asked of Dr. James Holt, who had just preceded Eli with his own keynote address on “TOC and the ‘Ladders of Inference.’ ”

A Q & A (&Q!) session between Dr. Goldratt and Dr. Holt is always entertaining and informative and, in this case, very relevant to the conference focus that day on applications of TOC to curriculum.

Other Keynote speakers on days focused on learning disabilities and other applications of TOC to human behavior were:

  • Professor Marta Bogdanowicz, University of Gdansk, Poland
  • Christina Cheng, TOCfE Director, Singapore
  • Daniel Brown, TOCfE Director, Mexico
  • Francis Conde, TOCfE Director, Colombia


These keynotes and topics were supported by practical workshop presentations specific to our breadth of applications given by:
  • Petra Pouw-Legene: (Dyslexia)
  • Annemie van Dijck (Gifted Education)
  • Shoshi Reiter (Emotional Intelligence)
  • Marta Piernikowska (Cerebral Palsy and other Physical Disabilities)
  • Katie Powell Burns (Mediation)
  • Debi Roberts (Addictive Behaviors )
  • Denise Meyers (Learning Theory)
  • Dr. Danilo Sirias (Raising Exam Scores)
  • Francois Moll (Secondary Curriculum)
  • Francis Conde (Primary Curriculum)
  • Katie Powell Burns also presented the TOCfE research of Jeni Corpuz, who encountered insurmountable glitches in obtaining a visa but kindly provided her presentation.


The 4th day of the conference was solely for TOCfE network. Revealing how TOCfE continues to pick up speed –our TOCfE flywheel effect--were:
  • Dr. Rami Kallir, Israel (Using TOC to teach Science-PP attached)
  • Daniel Brown, Mexico (Progress in the State of Guanajuato)
  • Francis Conde, Colombia (How a MEPSA Business Partnership is Spreading TOCfE in Peru )
  • Dr. Zzippi Margalit, Israel (A Personal Story)
  • MSG Muris, Netherlands (Using TOC with Gypsies)
  • Cristina Rosskamp, Brazil ( A DATASUL sponsored Project to help the children of Brazil)
  • Alan McTavish, TOCfE Library on the Internet
  • Marilyn Garcia, USA, Debi Roberts, UK, Dr. Danilo Sirias, USA, Annemie van Dicjk, NL and Kathy Suerken: (New TOCfE Materials) AND….
  • A closing address from Eli who gave us clues on how-- along with the motivation-- to pick up speed—more and more!


TOCfE is very privileged to have collaborated with such a professional and hospitable co-sponsor, Mazovian In-Service Teacher Training Centre (MSCDN). Under the direction of Mr Jaraslaw Zaron, MSCDN, provided our venue, hot lunches, and on-site translations from Oct 2-Oct 4.

I wish I were able to do justice with words to the servant leadership so honorably and generously given by Maciej (Magic!) Winiarek and Marta Piernikowska who had to arrange this Warsaw conference from 400 kilometers away in Gdansk. In the midst of huge life changes since June (new jobs for both, a death in the family, a wedding for Marta) they continually reassured me with words and actions that they would not let TOCfE down. Indeed, they made us all very proud to be affiliated with this event. To Maciej and Marta: Thank you and BRAV-O!


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“How to Be Your Own Jonah” Part 1
Kathy Suerken


In addition to application breakout sessions, we also had conference workshops just for TOC specialists with the first two days devoted to the topic: “How to be Your Own Jonah.” I began by asking what my participants thought I meant by the topic. A few replies suggested I meant: taking responsibility for one’s own actions and outcomes.

And then Francois Moll very aptly modeled an element of the ‘how’ with a question seeking clarity: “What do you mean by ‘Jonah’?”

The character of Jonah in the GOAL became the framework of our answer as we considered the methodology Jonah used to enable Alex to clarify his thinking. Do you remember how Jonah did it?

I used a version of this technique (we called them ‘Mannerly Questions’) when teaching my 7th grade students a “Jonah” critical thinking class in 1994. My intended outcome was to overcome our Aristotelian tendencies to help others improve their work by telling them how --and sometimes rather harshly. Our set of ‘mannerly’ questions, however, not only prevented hurt feelings and possibly implementing a flawed suggestion but also enabled the author of the work to clarify his own thoughts and words and take real ownership of improvements.

AND there was another substantive benefit! Those asking the questions also had to clarify their own thinking before they could connect their ideas to an appropriate ‘mannerly’ question.* (*footnote: for those familiar with cooperative learning, I found using this technique vastly improved cooperative learning sessions where typically, one or two of the students become teacher and give the answers to the rest and few experience real learning. When using effective questions, however, everyone was on a learning curve.)

That said, my topic isn’t ‘How to be someone else’s Jonah” as was my use of the questions in the classroom. So how is being your own Jonah different? And, to use a question posed by someone who has taught Jonah courses for more than 15 years, Dr. James Holt: “Is it really possible to be your own Jonah?”

What do you think? Please send your thoughts and questions to Suerken@cox.net which I hope to incorporate in part 2.

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And Finally ...

I know I say it every year but I am going to say it yet again: Wow! What a conference. I would also like to personally thank all who helped to make it so good including the ‘behind the scenes’ people like Ida and Krystyn and the translators and technicians who helped to make it all possible.

If you attended the conference and would like to send comments to me here at TACTics, please do. Your feedback is important and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Alan ...

Email: tactics@mct-ltd.com