Projects in which I'm using TAGteach to enhance education, promote self-assessment, and to achieve low-frustration learning.

1. For Laura VanArendonk Baugh

2. Thriller dance for group
 Explaining TAGteach
principles to participants
 Teaching (and being
taught) dance movements
using TAGteach
 Breaking down movements
into potential TAGpoints
before meeting (I did these
3+ years ago; I might do
some differently now)

3. Finished Product
 Click to watch 7 minute video, The Thrill of TAG

4. More Mileage!
 Offered “How to Dance  Almost entirely “non-
THRILLER” workshops at dancer” participants, blank
Gen Con (35,000 slates with low
attendees) expectations of success
 Took clickers at first, but  First year had over 100
didn’t need them! (Focus participants, 1 with
Funnel & backchaining previous THRILLER
primary tools) experience: “I’ve done this
 In this venue, memory & before, but yours is so
confidence over much easier!”
competitive precision
 Have offered 6 hours of
workshops so far, more
coming!

5. Participants Wanted to Do A Video!
 Click to watch video at Gen Con 2010
 Note the comments at 2:30
 Note that the dancers aren’t watching one another for
guidance – they know the dance!

6. I’m using TAGteach in many ways
 Organizing masquerade
participants
 Teaching others to shoot
 Teaching myself to shoot
 Teaching KPA
workshops
 In everyday sessions with
training clients
 Everywhere!

7. Masquerades & Conventions
 I use TAGteach-style
phrasing regularly in
organizing participants
 TAGteach saved one day
from utter disaster! “You
were the best stage
manager ever” – and I
wasn’t even on staff

8. Teaching KPA workshops
 Using the Focus Funnel
and TAGteach language
to instruct students in
mechanical skills and
concepts
 Teaching students
concepts and uses of
TAGteach

9. Self-tagging
 Started with social  Now self-tagging for
outings skiing and ice shooting
skating, converting
instructions to internal
TAGpoints
 Sometimes with
external assessment
(skiing)
 Sometimes with
internal assessment (ice
skating)

10. Self-tagging
 Now self-tagging for
shooting
 Very little audible
“tagging,” but lots of
Focus Funnel!

11. Focus Funnel Example
The problem was that the officer held his finger off the trigger with the finger straight alongside the frame, the way taught in
most academies. I found four bad points with this technique. First, the extended finger can snag on the trigger guard when
coming in to the trigger if it does become necessary to fire, and this can slow your response just enough to cost you your life
at the hands of a suddenly emerging, armed opponent. Secondly, when you bring the finger to the trigger from this
position, in a state of great stress, the fingertip is moving backward and impacts on the trigger. This can cause an
unintentional discharge of the weapon.
Third, the extended finger can press too hard on the slide stop stud of some auto pistols, loosening the part and causing the
pistol to jam or disassesmble when the first shot is fired. Fourth, the extended finger in this position will be bent backward
and probably broken if someone grabs the gun and twists it, leaving you unable to hold on long enough to execute a weapon
retention technique.
For the StressFire system, I developed a “trigger finger-off” hold that eliminates all problems. The trigger finger is out of the
trigger guard, and BENT, with the tip of the finger touching the frame just under the cylinder (on revolvers) or just behind
the latch or button of the slide stop (on autoloaders).
Because the bent finger’s tip is located directly above the trigger, it doesn’t snag on the trigger guard when you do have to go
for a fast shot, as happens with the finger is extended forward. Also, because the finger is coming in from the side instead of
from the front, it slides across the trigger instead of slamming into it. This goes far toward preventing premature discharges.
In class demonstrations at Lethal Force Institute, most students find that they can go from that StressFire position to an
immediate shot almost as fast as they can fire starting with their finger on the trigger, and much faster than with the finger
off the trigger and extended.
With this technique, pressure on the slide stop stud is eliminated. Also, the bent index finger can withstand great pain and
torque without sympathetic opening of the hand, helping you to hang onto the gun in a grappling situation.
– Massod Ayoob, StressFire, pp 42, 46

12. Focus Funnel Example
Because the bent finger’s tip is located
directly above the trigger, it doesn’t snag
on the trigger guard when you…
Directions: In the ready
position and on target, hold
your trigger finger indexed
in the bent position rather
than straight.
TAGpoint
is, Fingertip on frame

13. Focus Funnel Example
TAGpoint is, Fingertip
on frame
Directions: In the ready
position and on
target, hold your trigger
finger indexed in the bent
position rather than
straight.
Lesson: Because the bent
finger’s tip is located
directly above the
trigger, it doesn’t snag on
the trigger guard when
you….

14. TAGged behavior in action
(For space, video not available in this online version)
Second match, 5 months of shooting.
Note finger indexed on frame and muzzle pointed downrange.

15. TAGpoints for shooting
 Do not allow the non-dominant hand to cross in front of the muzzle as
the hand races to join the freshly-drawn gun. –> TAGpoint is, weak
hand on navel.
 Extend both arms equally to form an isosceles triangle, with weight
balanced for maximum movement and pivoting. –> TAGpoint is, arms
rigid.
 Competition target shooting can be upright and controlled, but if
you’re ever in a defense situation, your body’s going to naturally
curl, plus you want to duck to make yourself less of a target. Get
low, get your weight forward, put the gun out in front of you, widen
your feet both laterally and front-to-back for balance. –> TAGpoints
are, weight on toes, and, ichimonji.
 (Note that these are the points which work for me; it’s not a
true ichimonji stance, and “weight on toes” might not be enough to get
someone else into a fighting crouch, but they’re all I need to trigger the
rest.)

16. With Training Clients
 Lots of Focus Funnel
organization of
information
 Mostly for mechanical
skills (treat hand still
during click, word before
hand signal)
 Emphasis that “we don’t
put shock collars on
you, either” – mistakes
happen, dog will still
learn, just fix it 

17. TAGteach in Mexico!
Incidental interest! Just a couple of days later….
 Our interpreter in  Note how fast behavior
Mexico, not a trainer, was changed
amazed at the silence during  Note how enthusiastic kids
shaping with novice dogs & were!
handlers
 She was also interpreting for
Jesus Rosales-Ruiz’ talk on (For space, video not available
poisoned cues in this online version)
 She asked Alena and me
about using this technology
at home with her kids!

18. TAGteach everywhere!
 I incorporate TAGteach
everywhere now, often
“translating” for myself
 Zip-lining in the Smoky
Mountains, some of the (For space, video not available
in this online version)
highest and longest lines in
the continent – and I get
twitchy with heights 
 Internal TAGpoints helped TAGpoints: “starfish” and “pose like
me hold correct form and Gourry” (personal costuming
overcome nerves (I didn’t reference to help with pelvis angle)
puke! = success!)

19. TAGteach everywhere!
 Challenge: the daunting  TAGpoint is, “Send query
process of selling writing this month”
 Start with point of success  Even if rejected, my
 I can’t control actual sale; behavior was still correct
if an agent or editor is and can still be reinforced!
having a bad day or simply And thus repeated!
has lousy taste, that is out
of my control 
 TAGpoint must be set for
*my* behavior, not theirs

20. TAGteach everywhere!
Working out TAGpoint achieved = success!
 TAGpoints for form (“heels
down” for keeping knees
behind toes during squats)
 Once I had trouble with a
challenging jump (see it
here)
 TAGpoint is, Heels forward
 When I then overshot and
landed on my butt, I just
laughed – I’d achieved my
TAGpoint!