Theos-Talk Archives (August 2004 Message tt00683)

Hello Anton and all,
Thanks for your comments and review.
I concur with you that the TS or any other group can gain greatly in
embracing some of these 'technologies' that help facilitate group
cohesion and growth and can work with difficult situations seeing them
as opportunities rather than things to avoid. 
Aversion and desire are just 2 sides of the same coin..

We generally seek comfort and try to avoid pain at all costs, however
the things we find difficult to face are generally the things we most
need to examine and understand .
Otherwise we become like the Ostrich with its head in the sand.

The TS leadership by seemingly avoiding and ignoring these issues and
through apparently not supporting the critics of neo-theosophy in
presenting their challenges in the official publications of the TS (as
HPB recommended) are in this case not only going against the principal
of freedom of inquiry but also missing a great opportunity to allow
the society to evolve as a group.
Excluding genuinely researched critisim is dangerous.

I have seen no evidence of inclusive pro-active encouragement of
critical analysis of these teachings of CWL and AB.
WHY?

For some unspoken reason these writers seem to be off limits, and the
silence on this is deafening.

How can the society expect to be taken seriously by free thinkers and
students interested in Socratic methods of debate when this is
glaringly apparent.

The processes of group dynamics require open and free challenging and
exchange of ideas.

Without that the process will not work, instead it will stagnate in a
glamor of denial.
So here in lies the problem as I see it.

A problem has to be acknowledged before any process can start to be
worked with.
I really hope the leadership of the society considers these challenges
in the spirit they are given which is out of a genuine wish to promote
the cause of freedom.
An Occult society should be acutely sensitive to this and aware of its
effect in Universal Mind. 

Regards

Perry




--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anton Rozman" <anton_rozman@y...>
wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Perry,
> 
> 
> I found your initiative very interesting and tried to somehow 
> elaborate it further for theosophical purposes using abridged quotes 
> from your and some other sources.
> 
> 
> Though we can't deny the presence of conflicts (in and between
> the 
> theosophical organizations) which your source defines as
> 
> -----
> 
> Quote from: http://www.co-operation.org/pages/conflict.
> 
> Conflict exists whenever incompatible activities occur. An activity 
> that is incompatible with another is one that prevents, blocks, or 
> interferes with the occurrence or effectiveness of the second 
> activity.
> 
> A controversy occurs when one person's ideas, information, 
> conclusions, theories, and opinions are incompatible with those of 
> another and the two seek to reach an agreement.
> 
> A person experiences conceptual conflict when incompatible ideas 
> exist simultaneously in his or her mind or when information being 
> received does not seem to fit with what one already knows. An 
> individual experiences conceptual conflict when engaged in 
> controversy as ideas and arguments are presented that are 
> incongruent with one's original position. 
> 
> Interpersonal conflict occurs when the actions of one person 
> attempting to maximize his or her goals prevent, block, or interfere 
> with another person attempting to maximize personal goals.
> 
> -----
> 
> and that the results of constructively managed conflicts include,
> 
> -----
> 
> Ibid.
> 
> - greater quantity and quality of achievement, complex reasoning, 
> and creative problem solving; 
> - higher quality decision making; 
> - healthier cognitive, social, and psychological development by 
> being better able to deal with stress and cope with unforeseen 
> adversities; 
> - increased motivation and energy to take action; higher quality 
> relationships with friends, co-workers, and family members; 
> - a greater sense of caring, commitment, joint identity, and 
> cohesiveness with an emphasis on increased liking, respect, and 
> trust; 
> - heightened awareness that a problem exists that needs to be 
> solved; and 
> - increased incentive to change.
> 
> -----
> 
> I believe that we need different approach, for I suppose that the 
> following necessary recognition
> 
> -----
> 
> Ibid.
> 
> The constructive resolution of conflict in an ongoing relationship 
> requires disputants to recognize that their long-term relationship 
> is more important than the result of any short-term conflict. In 
> order for long-term mutual interest to be recognized and valued, 
> individuals have to perceive their interdependence and be invested 
> in each other's well-being.
> 
> -----
> 
> among theosophists already exists and because
> 
> -----
> 
> Ibid.
> 
> When mediation fails, the teacher or administrator arbitrates the 
> conflict.
> 
> -----
> 
> we have not such authority. Therefore I am more inclined to propose 
> the approach of co-operative learning which is
> 
> -----
> 
> Quote from: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/cooplear.html
> 
> … a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with 
> students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning 
> activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Each member 
> of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but 
> also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of 
> achievement.
> 
> -----
> 
> with following methods
> 
> -----
> 
> Ibid.
> 
> Group Investigations are structured to emphasize higher-order 
> thinking skills such as analysis and evaluation. Students work to 
> produce a group project, which they may have a hand in selecting. 
> 
> Student Teams-Achievement Divisions is used … to study what has
> been 
> initially taught … to help each reach his or her highest level of 
> achievement.
> 
> In Jigsaw II … each team member is responsible for learning a 
> specific part of a topic. After meeting with members of other 
> groups, who are "expert" in the same part, the "experts" return to 
> their own groups and present their findings. Team members then are 
> quizzed on all topics.
> 
> With more detailed overview on pages:
> 
> http://www.co-operation.org/pages/overviewpaper.html
> 
> Cooperative Learning, Values, and Culturally Plural Classrooms
> http://www.co-operation.org/pages/CLandD.html
> 
> Co-operative learning
> http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm
> 
> ACTIVE AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING
> http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Cooperative_Learning.html
> 
> The Co-operative Learning Network
> http://www.sheridanc.on.ca/coop_learn/cooplrn.htm
> 
> -----
> 
> and the collaborative learning which in the following source is 
> defined as
> 
> -----
> 
> Quote from: 
> http://www.city.londonmet.ac.uk/deliberations/collab.learning/panitz2
> .html
> 
> … a personal philosophy, not just a classroom technique. In all 
> situations where people come together in groups, it suggests a way 
> of dealing with people which respects and highlights individual 
> group members' abilities and contributions. There is a sharing of 
> authority and acceptance of responsibility among group members for 
> the group actions. The underlying premise of collaborative learning 
> is based upon consensus building through cooperation by group 
> members, in contrast to competition in which individuals best other 
> group members. CL practitioners apply this philosophy in the 
> classroom, at committee meetings, with community groups, within 
> their families and generally as a way of living with and dealing 
> with other people.
> 
> With some more sources on pages:
> 
> THE CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
> http://tecfa.unige.ch/tecfa/research/CMC/colla/iccai95_14.html
> 
> Dimensions of Collaborative Learning
> http://www.cs.usask.ca/grads/vsk719/academic/890/project2/node4.html
> 
> Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning: Issues for Research
> http://www.cs.usask.ca/grads/vsk719/academic/890/project2/project2.ht
> ml
> 
> ONLINE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
> http://clp.cqu.edu.au/
> 
> And with an example:
> COLLABORATIVE LEARNING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
> http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/social/
> 
> -----
> 
> Some ten years ago I had an opportunity to participate in a working 
> group moderated by Tran Thi Kim Dieu (TS Adyar). Her way of work in 
> certain degree used methods included in these two mentioned 
> techniques. It was a wonderful experience for all participants, and 
> for me it represented the answer to the question how to realize path 
> to new recognitions in a theosophical group work. I think that 
> classical theosophical literature doesn't give us appropriate
> answer 
> how to successfully organize group work, how to resolve conflicts 
> rising between theosophical workers. It says how the things should 
> look like but not how to achieve that. On individual level yes, on 
> collective level not. If the things would be different there 
> wouldn't be so much disagreements and conflicts in the history of 
> the theosophical movement. So, I believe that we must adopt in our 
> work that knowledge and that technology which science is perpetually 
> producing. Then maybe we will also learn why the knowledge that 
> theosophical workers possess can't express itself more
> efficiently 
> in daily life.
> 
> Regards,
> Anton
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Perry Coles" <perrycoles@y...> 
> wrote:
> > Perhaps a way the TS can develop as an organisation is by the
> > implementation of some of the techniques used in `group dynamics' 
> and
> > conflict resolution.
> > This would be a very powerful and pro-active way of negotiating 
> these
> > areas.
> > However group co-operation is required and autocratic systems 
> challenged.
> > Some very good information and techniques on the following link, 
> it's
> > aimed at schools but still the principles apply to any group
> > interested in inclusion rather than exclusion.
> > 
> > http://www.co-operation.org/pages/conflict.
> > 
> > Perry
> > 
> > "Using Academic Controversy In The Classroom (see Creative
> > Controversy: Intellectual Challenge In The Classroom, Johnson &
> > Johnson, 1995c): In order to maximize student achievement and 
> complex
> > reasoning, students need to engage in intellectual conflicts. The
> > procedure for doing so is for members of a cooperative group to (a)
> > research and prepare different positions, (b) make a persuasive
> > presentation of their researched position, (c) refute the opposing
> > position while rebutting attacks on their own position, (d) view 
> the
> > issue from a variety of perspectives (i.e., reverse perspectives), 
> and
> > (e) synthesize/integrate the opposing positions into one mutually
> > agreed upon position. Frequently structuring academic 
> controversies in
> > the classroom allows students to practice their conflict skills 
> daily."
> > 
> > Quote taken from above website :
> > http://www.co-operation.org/pages/conflict.html#teaching