Dalton Plan Dalton Plan oThe founder of the Dalton plan was Helen Parkhurst o(*1886 ,+1973) What is the Dalton Plan? ·Dalton is not a method or system. Dalton is the influence. ·Helen Parkhurst · ·Dalton plan proposed Helen Parkhurst in Dalton around 1920. What is the Dalton Plan? · · ·An alternative approach to teaching that focuses on development of the pupil as an individuality through the "controlled self-education" History, development oHelen Parkhurst was originally teaching at an one-class school in Wisconsin, USA - in 1905 as a beginning teacher for the first time choses the type of education adapted to individual needs of the pupil instead of a "frontal" method of teaching. o o oSince 1911 she organized classes for 8 and 12 year old pupils to deal with their individual problems. o o oDuring the years 1913-1915 she stayed in Europe. Here she cooperated with Maria Montessori from whom she gained major impetus for her own school and deepened her teacher training. This meeting influenced her a lot. History, development oThen she returned to the USA and in 1919 she founded in Dalton (State of New York) the Child university school. o oThe school was later renamed the Dalton School. o oIt was a secondary experimental school for boys and girls (High School for Boys and Girls). o oHelen Parkhurst put her perspective on youth education into practice there. This school still works together with other institutions around the world. o oSoon the teaching according to the Dalton plan spread in England and in the 20s further into China, Japan, the Soviet Union and through Canada, Australia, India and South Africa to other countries. In Europe it was tested with great success in the Netherlands, Poland. o oDalton plan got no more interest in its home country (USA). Theoretical basics and practice of her reform school the author interpreted in the book Education on the Dalton Plan - the book was published in 1923 in London and was translated into many foreign languages. Basic Principles Basic Principles oFreedom and Responsibility - it is not an absolute freedom. The pupil learns to dispose his time by himself, has the freedom to choose the method, time and place when and where he will devote to the curriculum. oIndependence - student learns to act on hos own, he shares the responsibility for his education. He is forced to independence also by a element of freedom. oCooperation - student may choose cooperation with others when solving the tasks. The school community is strengthened by cooperation between older and younger students and of course between students and teachers. o Freedom and Responsibility oFreedom allows the student to choose which task to do sooner and which later. o oChildren after a sufficient explanation organize the entire block of tasks themselves. o oChildren perform several pre-assigned tasks but they can choose the order and tempo that suits them. o oThey decide what to accomplish as soon as possible and what in the end and how much time they devote to each task. o oThey choose the place for their work and aids, they think about with whom to collaborate. o oThe teacher passes part of the responsibility to the pupil. This means that the pupil is also responsible for the final result, but also for the way how it will be achieved. o Independence oThrough this principle, children learn to rely on themselves. o oThe possibility to work independently affects the motivation of students. (Students like to be active themselves) o oIndependence is also an important didactic and organizational factor. (If students can work independently, they do so at their own level and the teacher has more time to help those who need his help.) o oPupils must decide themselves, not to require teacher´s assistance to teachers whenever they are unsure, not to rely always on classmates around. o oInitially, all of this is difficult for children because they have to manage their tasks without outside help, but gradually they begin to be led to independence as well as to self-control. Cooperation oCooperation is the possibility to consult, if children do not know where to find the information they need. o oBy learning to cooperate pupils create their social and democratic consciousness. o oThere are two forms of teams cooperation : o o1) Cooperative Teams – the pupils fulfill the task together in pairs or in groups of three or four. o o2) Support Teams – the pupils complete the task individually, but if they do not understand something, they can ask a classmate. o Five key points of cooperation (Ebbens) o1) Positive Interdependence – to achieve a good result at a task students need each other. o2) Individual Responsibility – each group member is responsible for their own benefit and for the overall result. o3) The Ability of two-way Communication – content assignment calls for collaboration and supports mutual communication. o4) Social Emergency – mutual cooperation is urgently needed and will be evaluated. o5) Attention to Team Work – after completion of the task, which is designed for collective processing, carry out the final interviews given to both content and process of cooperation. o Ways of Working oLong-term Tasks oHouse oLaboratory oExtended Attention oMany other partial methods... o Long-term Tasks oOne of the most important parts. Pupil gets a long-term task. oThe goal is to set and to get to it, pupil must develop a careful scheduling. oThe task is not just a set of activities, but an educational project, in which teacher is also involved. One of the meanings of the basic principle of cooperation. oThere is one basic material and a set of possible methods for each task that pupil can choose (principle of freedom). oAnother part of the task are extra activities for other pupils (handier). oThe task is closed up by a test or an exam. Only after the completion of one task may pupils make a contract for next task. o House oThis feature strengthens the community of pupils and helps them obtain better social skills. oPupils are grouped into a "tribal" class. Every day at the beginning of classes pupils discuss together the school issues and their own problems. oIn Dalton, this element is supported a lot. At the lower degree of children of the same age put together. On a higher degree the pupils of different ages are associated according to the same orientation. At the secondary school (high school) they live together. oThe class teacher is a trainer as well. A teacher changes into a coach and transfers responsibility for education to the pupil. o Laboratory oDo not imagine a chemical laboratory. oIt is a special predetermined time at which pupils pay attention only to their projects. They work at their own pace and by their own method. oThese lessons need to be well planned ahead, because it serves as a tutorial. oThe teacher enters the process only on request. o Extended Attention oCzech version of Laboratory. oIt is by a teacher appointed during the normal lesson when the teacher is "not available" oStudents must work independently. At the lower degree, there is something on his table (a stuffed toy, a ball, ...) and that symbol means that „its not allowed“ to work with the teacher Teacher oDalton plan is not for everyone. oThe teacher is crucial for the Dalton plan. oSuits to creative teachers. oDalton is essential for communication between teachers and between the teacher and the pupil. oThe teacher must give up his dominant position in the classroom. o The teacher performs the following tasks oTogether with pupils preparing a work plan, tests and exams oWorks closely with other teachers and parents oCommunicates with pupils about the curriculum both in classes and outside oHelps pupils with further choices of study The teacher's role oteacher deals with only one subject oplays the role of a consultant, a technician and the evaluator oprepares tasks for pupils oenters monthly plans oacquaint the pupil with the task and highlights specific problems odirects the work of students omaintains essential social contact oensures the collective work of pupils ocontrols the working conference oleads a personal chart for each pupil and classes graph okeeps detailed records of individual pupils progress ochecks mastering the curriculum o Distinctive Features I. o oclassroom is divided into subject corners according to year and equipped them with necessary tools o othe traditional system of lessons is abolished as well as the organization of pupils in the age-homogeneous classes, which enables the pupils to advance at a rate above or below o oteaching is based on individual work of pupils using appropriate tools and libraries o opupilss work in laboratories on their individual plans with the advisory assistance of the teacher Distinctive Features II. othe curriculum is not cancelled, its given by the sylabus and its divided into 10 lots to be mastered during the school year (10 months) o oeach pupil closes a deal (contract) with the teacher and confirms it with his signature → gets work program for one month (for each item separately) o oat the beginning of the year the program for individual pupils is establishedon the base of talen and knowledge of each child as it is found out thanks to the test This work program includes tasks that the student has to complete and instructions how to work ointroduction (getting to know the task) oobject (determining curriculum, which refers to the task) oproblems (issues and challenges for the pupil) owritten work (tasks, which must be passed in writing process) omemory tasks oconference (topics and dates of collective meetings of pupils and teachers) oreferences (specific references to books, journals and other academic sources oequivalents (how many points a student receives while working for solving certain tasks) ostudy bulletin boards (notifies pupil what to have to notice on bulletin boards - maps, pictures, etc.). othe program contains the minimum, maximum and standard procedures, which is required to achieve in a certain time opupil starts any suobject in its sole discretion and proceed at his own pace osome subjects continue to be taught in a bulk form (eg. physical education, music, religion) ono homework oon a daily collective meetings (30-40 minutes conferences) the pupils talk about the results of their work For the pupil is available: ostructured working instructions obibliographic data oinstructions oprofessional working office (pupils can move from one office to another) Pensum othe most visible sign olearning contents which should be processed in a certain period or in which they should be able to orientate themselves. opupil meaning has a complete overview of all the teaching content for clearer ultimate goal of teaching. ohas to clearly establish requirements and defines the possible difficulties. ocan have different forms - practical exercises, teaching, drawing, separate treatment of the topic Pensum oIt is posted on a special board, which may have many graphic designs ocolor system symbolizing the days of the week othe color shows the day when the child has successfully dealt with a certain subject o oDalton teaching does not interfere with school bell o Sense of Dalton plan opermanent modernity and actuality, very good and functional preparation for the civic life in a community of other people oway of life or an offer for a conception of life o oadvantages in the sphere of omoral (sense of responsibility for their own progress) osocial (rejection of envy, learning cooperation, refusing uniformity) oeducational (activation of pupils, change of relationships at school ) odidactic (development of pupils´ self-learning, not blocking good or weak pupils, increased motivation to learn) Criticism of Dalton Plan olack of repetition onon systematic acquisition of knowledge opreponderance of book knowledge acquisition olack of activities that teach students to listen and communicate ocurriculum is little discussed with the pupil olack of teacher educational activity ostudents have few opportunities for team activities opupil's volitional qualities, activity and interest are overestimated Pros and cons oVariability of Teaching oEducation to Freedom oEducation to Accountability oEducation to Cooperation oInsufficient repetition oUnsystematic oOver-reliance on students' independence . o How does Dalton class looklike? o oThe benches arrangement should allow movement around the classroom, team and individual work. oSomewhere benches are relocated for the necessary period of time. o How does Dalton education work? oIn Czech schools it is taught only in Dalton blocks eg. three times a week for one lesson. oThe section is devoted to practicing and repeating the subject. Children choose which course to deal with and they fulfill the tasks required, optional and so called extra tasks. oThey rely on literature or classmate for help. oThe task solutions are posted in the classroom for easy self-control and the task accomplishing children record on boards (thanks to which the teacher can see how much and what work remains to whom). Dalton resources in higher classes (3rd class and above) oweekly tasks assignment ofor the entire week there must be offered many variations of the curriculum, so that every child can fulfill in at an agreed time, at their own pace and according to their own choice the task order onumber of tasks to accomplish is three tasks a day oeveryday children fulfills language and mathematical tasks, another subject or task is up to their choice CDA – Czech Dalton Association, List of Dalton schools in Brno oZŠ Brno, Husova 17 oZŠ Brno, Chalabalova oZŠ Brno, Křídlovická oZŠ Brno, Mutěnická 3 oZŠ Brno, Staňkova 14 – first grade oZŠ Praha 5, Mohylová 1963 - only 1 to 3 classroom oGymnásium Slovanské Náměstí. Brno o oA total of about 25 other schools applying elements of the Dalton Plan. oDue to our RVP not fully Dalton schools! ZŠ Chalabalova, Brno oCollaborates with Dutch colleagues in Utrecht oImplements a three-week cycles, one lesson a week - maths homework, Czech Language and Nature Science oChildren pre-select the tasks order from singular subjects and suscribes themselves into the prepared forms oThere are specialized classrooms for mathematics, nature science and Czech language, literature, they use alternative coursebooks oTasks are divided into daily tasks and extra tasks. The emphasis is on independence and self-control. Extra task can be registered into a separate workbook that is permanently stored in the classroom. o oTeachers explain beforehand what tasks is compulsory. Pupils ask teacher and then rely only on their strengths. At the end of work a test can be used. o oDalton way of work allows the teacher to focus on weaker pupils. Above all, it creates more space for more doted children. o