9 Aspects That Made TCI- Workshop Different

Image used under CC license, for representational purpose only

The two workshops I mentioned in the previous post were part of a programme called ‘Disasoochi’, implemented by the National Service Scheme (NSS) of Vocational Higher Secondary Schools in Kerala. 

Disasoochi literally means the mariner’s compass, representing the objective of the programme, to help teenagers find their way in life.

The ‘input’ in Disasoochi was through a series of workshops, altogether six days. Four days for students, one day for teachers and another one day for parents. 

As mentioned in the previous post, the methodology was Theme Centred Interaction which is a form of applied humanistic psychology. Humanistic psychology is promotive psychology, the other side being clinical psychology which is corrective in approach.

Humanistic psychology states that if approach is good, the response in good. Lets explore the elements that went into TCI workshops that proved to be ‘good approaches’.

• 1.       We insisted that the number of participants must be restricted to 25 or 26. More than this would result in lesser involvement.
• 2.       All of us – students and TCI leaders – sat in a circle, on the same type of chairs. This suggested that we are all learners together, and that we are equal.
• 3.       We gave equal importance to thought and feelings. At times, feelings had the upper hand.
• 4.       The theme was life-based. It was “I change, I become an instrument of change at home and in my school”. The theme necessitated a lot of introspection and retrospection.
• 5.       We used a wide variety of structures in the workshop for different sessions. In addition to the plenum where all sat together, there were occasions when they sat in twos, threes, fives etc.
• 6.       We as leaders were willing to honestly share from our lives. This created an atmosphere of trust. The students started opening up.
• 7.       We gave importance to each participant. Each participant’s uniqueness was accepted and appreciated. We listened keenly to whatever they shared, as well as to their non-verbal communication.
• 8.      We were not judgmental. We never brought in a question to which the answer from the student could have been wrong
• 9.      We always upheld what was positive, and never made fuss about whatever was negative or less desirable.

To conclude, I must say that in the TCI workshops we offered to the students, there was a clear deviation from the class-room style they were used to and bored with. There is more to Disasoochi that I would like to share, but perhaps in another post. Till then, take care!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Looking through the TCI lens

Used under CC License for representative purpose

What Theme-Centred Interaction (TCI) has given me is a pair of glasses. When I look at situations in my life as well as in the lives of those around me, I seem to be influenced by the TCI axioms and attitudes.

In this post I would like to share with you my recent experience of interacting with a small group of students from a Vocational Higher Secondary School in Kottayam district, Kerala. They had already attended two TCI workshops of two days each under the theme “I change, I become an instrument of change at home and in my school”. It was I who led these workshops with support from Vengelji, a senior engineer-turned-counsellor and trainer, and a youngster by name Lalu Buoy, also a counsellor and trainer.

The objective of my interaction with students was to hear from them about the changes they could see in themselves as well as at their homes and schools after the workshops. Let me share with you a few of their experiences.

Shifad, one of the students, had a friend who used to smoke. Apparently he once even smoked 65 cigarettes in one sitting, to win a smoke-up contest which he and his friends had entered into. Today, thanks to the positive influence from Shifad, his friend has quit smoking.

Another student, Harishankar, shared something more personal. He was a shy and irritable boy. But through TCI workshops he gained confidence, and started giving tuition to students of lower classes at a nearby tuition centre, earning a decent pay.

Nafi confessed that he was a part of an eight-member gang known as “Avengers”. He had become a constant nuisance to teachers and his classmates. After TCI workshops, he became one of the most positive leaders in his class. The whole class decided that no one would come late to school. The first hour of school starts at 9:00 AM and the whole class would be present by 8:55 AM. They even started a “Time Register” on their own. The students, would sign this register when they reach, along with their time of arrival. Nafi became the leader in charge of the Time Register.

Harvis shared a small change that happened in his home. His parents and siblings never had meals together. Each one had his or her time and most of them ate in front of the television. Harvis brought a change to this, and now dinner time is ‘family time’ spent together around the same table.

TCI is transformative. The workshops obviously touched the lives of these students. That is because the environment in the workshops was favourable to change. I shall write more about these favourable elements in my next post. Till then, take care.

Thomas Abraham