Developed by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt, an Israeli physicist/philosopher thirty years ago, the Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a set of Thinking Strategies that enables a business to make radical improvements in productivity, quality and revenue within a short period of time. In 1984, Dr. Goldratt published The Goal, the first of a series of books designed to teach TOC utilizing a plot-driven fictional format. Millions have read The Goal and his subsequent fictionalized books addressing different business applications.
Would TOC Thinking Tools help to make your kids smarter?
TOC tools are logic-based tools whose uniqueness lies in the fact that they are based on a holistic approach to learning and their simple visual format enables children to quickly develop effective logical ways of thinking. TOC tools reflect a multi-intelligences approach that facilitates and leverages, for instance, kinesthetic, spatial and logical intelligences. Years of utilizing TOC in the classroom has proven that the thinking processes are applicable to virtually every learning preference such as linguistic, empathic, visual, inter or intra personal and social.
TOC thinking tools leverage the power of the mind.
Here is what an associate wrote about applying TOC in my 8th grade class:
“In World Studies, the TOC process has helped the students put an immense amount of facts and information into a logical and systematic order. From this, they are able to extract and apply information to writing prompts, group discussions, and to expand their answers way beyond basic recall. This is phenomenal because many of the students being served in this class were once self-contained special needs students who are reading at or near a third or fourth grade reading level. The TOC process has given them the ability to clearly understand how facts and information relate to other areas in history, and it has pushed them to another area of higher-order thinking. These kids are highly motivated and love using the TOC process.”
TOC thinking tools are especially effective at clarifying ideas and emotions, and in the case below, illuminating negative thought and its consequences by cutting through years of “mental baggage” that interferes with learning and rallying the logical power of the mind.
Below is an example of two students going through the process of thinking like a victim using a TOC Negative Logic Branch. TOC Logic Branches progress from the bottom up, each subsequent level becoming increasingly more destructive. After studying this TOC example, do you think that TOC Thinking Tools would help make your kids smarter?
Best Premises.
Manfred Smith
TLCI Principal Director; TOC Certified
