TACTics

     A Publication by and for TOC for Education Practitioners

                       May-June 2014

In this issue:

• “The Thought Provoking Relationships Between TOCfE and Chris Argyris’s Theories of Learning: Part 2” by Kathy Suerken, President, TOC for Education

• “The Never Ending Gift” by Ceclia del Solar and Kathy Suerken

• TOCfE News Briefs from Around the World

• Odyssey Program Announcement from Paula Weyler

“The Thought Provoking Relationships Between TOCfE and Chris Argyris’s Theories of Learning ”   Part 2

© Kathy Suerken, President, TOCfE

Part One Summary: (to view full article: http://www.tocforeducation.com/archive14.zip  (open March-April edition)

• Chris Argyris (renowned organization theorist and author of  20+ books),  developed several learning theories that can be useful in analyzing what is needed to more sustainably implement TOCfE in the way we teach and  learn
• One of them, single loop learning, is a linear reasoning technique of gathering information that does not require revelations that test explanations and by that avoids what Argyris calls double-loop learning.
• Double-loop learning requires an additional step—to ask questions, not just about facts but also about the reasons behind them.
• Eli Goldratt gave us tools that create double loop learning–tools to which all TOC practitioners very much espouse.  And yet, espoused theory does not always lead to what Argyris calls ‘theory in use.’
• Espoused theory represents knowledge we are able to articulate and that we think we are applying to our actions whereas theory in use is identified through observation of our actions.
• When under stress (especially when we fear embarrassment) we often will stop using our espoused theory and revert to habits of defensive reasoning and actions
• Evidence of blaming is indicative of single loop learning that does not test explanations
• The question becomes: how do we overcome habits that block consistent ‘theory in use’ of TOC to achieve the double loop learning experiences needed to achieve our goals?

PART TWO:

Our habits are our mental models we have learned, warehoused and use as default responses, especially in difficult situations.  Argyris aptly conveys how these mental models develop and become reinforced (more and more imbedded) in his “Ladders of Inference,” developed in 1990 as a tool to explain the way we think.

Of course, the ability to respond quickly to some situations can be useful.  However, too often our deeply embedded mental models are not helpful because they prevent us from reacting in new ways that will lead to substantive improvements in our internal and external communication—to include the way we teach and learn.    

How, then,  can we break the cycle of habitual ways of teaching that impede double loop learning and  student achievement—at all age levels?  In his article, “Student Achievement Through Staff Development,” Geoff Petty wrote “research summaries all stress that teaching has at least three times the effect on student achievement as any other factor.”   Thus, it is not surprising that professional development is considered so vital—and not just in formal education.

Though important for those who teach to be open to new methods and approaches, it can also be risky to try them—especially when there are time constraints.   In k-12 education, teachers have limited time to cover the subject matter upon which students are tested—the results upon which teachers, schools and school systems are measured.  This reality negatively influences the sustainable outcomes of staff development trainings—even those that receive rave reviews by participants.

The research of Joyce and Showers, as noted in their article “the Evolution of Peer Coaching”  suggests that typical training methods are insufficient to overcome habits of teaching and  that change in classroom practice requires  applying a supportive follow up method they call ‘peer coaching.’    This is different from having a peer coach who observes a teacher and then gives feedback.  Joyce and Showers’ model, developed specifically to overcome low implementation of teaching strategy trainings, focuses on follow up sessions where groups of teachers form coaching teams and work collaboratively to share experiences and discuss difficulties when trying the new methods and how they relate to other improvement issues.  According to Joyce and Showers, without this experience most teachers may try the new methods only once or twice and then revert to their usual practices.  

Indeed, after analyzing hundreds of staff development trainings (or ‘insets’ as known as UK) their findings revealed:

• Studying the theory and also demonstration of it yielded some (10-30%) development of knowledge and skill but 0 (yes ZERO) transfer (executive implementation.)
• Practice during training led to higher levels (60%) of achievement of knowledge and skills but surprisingly only 5 % transfer.
• The results of using a peer coaching method, however led to 95% of all three:  knowledge, skills and even transfer! (this information presented as a chart in Petty’s article).

Although this form of coaching is supposed to avoid negative verbal feedback that could discourage experimentation, nevertheless Petty suggests that it is necessary to get informative feedback when trying out new teaching strategies.  For new methods to be successfully implemented requires that their trials be “sufficiently informed by evidence and sufficiently self-critical to learn from.”   The TOC Categories of Legitimate Reservations (CLRs) is just the mechanism to provide effective feedback without the negative experiences that often come with constructive criticism. After all, in TOCfE, we frequently refer to the 4 CLRs as ‘manners for polite discussion.’

The literature suggests that coaching skills may be taught as part of the peer coaching process.  If used as a coaching skill, the CLRs specifically support the kind of practice that goes beyond repeating a skill or technique without understanding why it works.    Petty refers to K.A. Ericsson’s concept of ‘deliberate practice’ which requires getting out of your comfort zone to do things differently and better.  For TOCfE practitioners, deliberate practice means not just writing assumptions but also continuously checking them for validity. The CLRS not only enable us to provide effective feedback to others but to ourselves as well.  Thus, we are able to become self-critical as we use these questions to challenge the automatic inferences we make and which are based on frequently unchallenged assumptions.  An excellent demonstration of how the CLRS can be integrated with the Ladders of Inference to challenge our imbedded mental models was presented by Dr. James Holt at the 11th TOCfE International Conference in Warsaw and may be viewed at:

http://www.tocforeducation.com/what.html

Argyris’s theories of learning and the concepts that make peer coaching effective provide valuable insights when analyzing  TOCfE implementations—those that seem to have reached a plateau and stalled out as well as those that  model a Process of Ongoing Improvement (POOGI).  Those implementations represent not only double loop learning but also the transfer of espoused theory into the theory in use that leads to sustainable results such as the implementation of TOCfE at Altor School (formerly Collegio Greenwich) in Leon, Mexico.

Pictured here in 2011, every student of this school was holding an example of a TOC tool they used either in curriculum or on a personal issue.   What began at the school in 2006 with an application of TOC to behavior has progressed under the leadership of Principal, Rosy Perez-Servin, into a holistic implementation including curriculum and school governance.  At the 2013 TOCfE International Conference, Rosy’s keynote address verbally described the systemic impact of TOC on her school.  As she spoke, a background of a school video conveyed that TOCfE is theory in use in every classroom.  It is important to know that video was not scripted--the students and teachers did not know ahead of time they were to be videoed or why.  At Altor School, TOCfE has become the mental model for learning and teaching.

But what about implementations not at a specific school or organization…such as the TOCfE implementation in Japan?  Starting in 2011 and using the TOCfE training materials (TOC Learning Connection) that develop double loop learning, the implementation has included seminars for very large, eclectic participants from many work environments.  The  experimentation, ‘deliberate practice’ and feedback—all representative of  an effective peer coaching method—is the result of the leadership of  Yuji Kishira (Director Goldratt Group, Japan) and his team through follow up symposiums and 9 study groups  that meet monthly in various cities.

And then there’s the remarkable implementation being driven by the learners themselves! It’s a TOCfE training program for young (ages 4-7) children called the Chest of Secrets as demonstrated in this picture from a Polish school. In this program, the teachers are learning the TOC tools along with the children.  It has been noted that these children are applying the TOC thinking tools in their daily lives away from school and on their own initiative (as evidenced in April TACTics ) as well as continuing to apply to school work through grade progressions—even when the next teacher has not been trained in the  program.  Perhaps they are demonstrating their brand of peer coaching —one that doesn’t appear to require the 10-20 trials  that Petty suggests is  necessary to get to consistent ‘theory in use” for teachers.

WHY?

Is it because very young children don’t have so many mental models to unlearn?  When I asked Petra Pouw-Legene, TOCfE Lead facilitator from Netherlands, she responded:  “The children are using Chest of Secrets.  Adults, we are still using a “Chest of Assumptions.’   As the creator of TOC wrote in the book he hoped conveyed the meaning of education:  “This challenging of basic assumptions is essential to breakthroughs…..Progress in understanding requires that we challenge basic assumptions about how the world is and why it is that way.  If we can better understand our world and the principles that govern it, I suspect all our lives will be better.’   Eli Goldratt, THE GOAL

References and for further reading:

Argyris, Chris:  “Good Communication That Blocks Learning” (Harvard Business Review); Ladders of Inference: (many references on internet)

Petty, Geoff:  “Student Achievement Through Staff Development” www.geoffpetty.com

Showers, B and Joyce, B:  “The Evolution of Peer Coaching.”  (Educational Leadership, Volume 53, Number 6)

Peru:    The Never Ending Gift by Ceclia del Solar and Kathy Suerken

What do the following have in common?

• Fundación Margot Echecopar de Rassmuss (FMER)
• 35 Peruvian Teachers
• 2 Mexican TOCfE facilitators
• A TOCfE donor who wishes to remain anonymous

Answer:  They all have donated personal resources of time, talent or money to make a never ending difference in the lives of Peruvian school children.

In late April, a 3 day TOCfE Learning Connection facilitator training was given in Lima, Peru.  Pictured here at lunch with Cecilia de Solar (who coordinated the event), and some of the teacher trainees are Rosy Perez-Servin and Claudia Carillo of Altor School in Leon, Mexico.  Rosy and Claudia not only donated the training but also translated (with help from some Altor teachers) and donated to TOCfE the Spanish translation of all the materials.  The 35 Peruvian teachers who attended are from 3 cities:  Lima, Ica and Jauja.  All expenses were donated by FMER and a TOCfE donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

The 3 days were focused on applications of Logic Branch, CLRS and Ambitious Target Tree.  A Virtual session is planned May 30 to complete the CLOUD.  Originally trained in TOC behavior applications, the teachers particularly noted how the training helped them understand how to apply the tools to teaching and how they enable critical thinking.

To see their testimonials (Spanish) : YouTube link:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG6dHWcMXJQy6-7qBIt9czevQS2i3pvIA   Facebook link: (here you will see lots of  photos)  https://www.facebook.com/FundacionMargotEchecopardeRassmuss   These teachers teach over 1,000 primary and nursery school students each year.  As facilitators, they will now be able to train other teachers in their 14 schools with more and more children learning through TOC …a truly never ending gift.

TOCfE News Briefs from Around the World

2014 Odyssey Programs from Paula Weyler

Israel:  A training program of TOC for thinking development and well-being for nursery schools developed by Miri Goldratt and Dr. Shoshi Reiter has been approved by the Israeli Ministry of Education. They are certified to proceed and offer it to all teacher centers and supervisors.  USA:  After such positive feedback from last year’s training, Dr. Danilo Sirias was invited back to give another 2 day workshop for the Michigan Rehabilitation Services.  His 20 participants were a mixture of managers and counselors at this workshop to teach/learn the CLOUD and the AMBITIOUS TARGET TREE.    Japan: Motoi Tobita, PhD and Yuji Kishira will give a presentation on the progress of the TOCfE program in Japan at the June 2014 TOCICO International Conference to be held in Washington D.C.  The presentation includes a new approach being used to get buy-in to the fundamental TOC principles, known as ‘the 4 Pillars of TOC.’  Australia:  Andrew Kay trained 16 counselors in the CLOUD in May for a school related charity called Steward House.  A follow up session was also conducted and the group has requested training in the BRANCH which has been scheduled for July.

The 2014 Odyssey Programs will be held this year in Santiago, Chile. The Odyssey Freshman program, open to anyone age 16 and over, is a 5 day workshop in which attendees receive training and instruction, as well as a guided process with small groups and experienced assistants to apply the power of the TOC Thinking Processes to realize more of what they really want from life.  The Alumni program, open to anyone who has completed the current year or past year's Odyssey Freshman Program,  offers opportunity to work with like- minded individuals to find practical solutions to important problems that impact everyone.

• Freshman Dates are July 28- July 31. Friday August 1 is reserved as a buffer day, which will include group sight-seeing activities. Alumni Program August 2-4
• Program fees include all program materials and resources, as well as lunch and dinner daily. They do not include hotel or travel expenses.  Early bird fees and other additional program details as well as registration can be found  at www.theodysseyprogram.org

Please send email changes to Atsumi at: gavriel.theglashearted@gmail.com .  Articles, news  of  TOCfE activities and comments  should be sent to Kathy Suerken at:  suerken@cox.net