reform pedagogics: principles dalton

DALTON SCHOOL

The Dalton school is not merely an educational system or an educational influence. Dalton education is "a way of life". Individual Dalton schools, therefore, are distinctive; they do not resemble each other closely. Each Dalton school has great freedom to work out the three pedagogic principles (see following chart) to fit to its special characteristics.

These three principles are:

Freedom	This is not meant as an unattached freedom, but instead as is expressed in the word *liberty*. Freedom is also to be understood within a social context. You have to consider "the other", other individuals who share and make up this context. "Freedom makes the child responsible for the way he is getting on with his freedom."
Independence	The child should not be passive as is usual in a classically organized school. The child must be self-responsible for the task he is working on. "Independence in regard to the freedom principle must promote the learning-process." Looking for solutions to problems, developing ways of thinking concerned with productive and reproductable skills are central to the principle of independence. The role of the teacher is crucial for succes or failure in working out this principle.
Cooperation	Here Parkhurst puts the accent on working together. The pupils complement each other, they are dependent on each other, whether strong or weak. Parkhurst meant by this principle to stimulate the "true way of life" in education, anticipating its effects on society. In her educational vision, the class was more a "unit of organisation" than an "unit of teaching". The inter-connection of children within the class is more important than the sum of the individual pupils.

The connection between the principles are fundamental and are realised in the so-called "task system" characteristic for Dalton. An important character of this task system is differentiation. In the class there are several ways to consider the differences between the children."Inside the Dalton system there is the possibility to differentiate in interest, development-level and tempo."

Student Task II
1.	Where do you see the principles feedom, independence, cooperation, and of differentation in your own practice?
2.	Choose one principle, for example cooperation. Compare the way it is worked out in a Jenaplan, Freinet, or Montessori school.
3.	Write a short article in which you explain your choice for one of the schoolsystems in this matter (principle).

THE PRACTICE OF DALTON PRINCIPLES: FREEDOM
"Freedom makes the child responsible for the way he is getting on with his freedom".

video clip

If you walk in a Dalton classroom you see a lot of activity. The children are occupied with different tasks, walking around in and outside the classroom, confering with each other. This does not mean that they can do what they like. There are certain boundaries, concerning:

The Boundaries:
working free in or outside the classroom	choosing there next task
getting material	asking for help from other pupils or the teacher
using the library

Boundaries are needed because, in particular, smaller children need more coaching than the elder ones. And, of course, there is a difference in the way children can cope with freedom. The teachers have to consider this. In the task system, developed by Helen Parkhurst, you find the structure in which this vision finds its best basis
Sometimes you wonder if this system is making life too easy for the children. On the contrary though, this system is aiming to teach the children to use their freedom and responsibility well. When the exercise of this freedom is getting too hard for the individual child to manage alone, the teacher is there to help.


Rules made by the children with their teacher. The rules are written out, hanging at the wall	Children working indepented.

THE PRACTICE OF DALTON PRINCIPLES: INDEPENCE
"Indepence (self-motivation) in relation with the freedom principle must promote the learning- learning process".

It is well known, that everything you find out by yourself is better remembered than most of the lessons you get from a teacher. A lot of the iniative from children is lost by too much explanation.

To begin with, the teacher tries to find out how much explanation is really necessary in order to achieve as much room as possible for the child to work independently. In the first grades instruction is most often given as the teacher judges to be needed by the child and so is more individual then in the higher grades. In the higher groups new subject matter is discussed in so called "instruction-hours". After instruction pupils are supposed to try to find out their own answers to learning problems. Depending on the results the teacher decides to give more direction and support or not. The pupils have been occupied for some time on the tasks. By this working method they learn, consciously or unconsciously, what went wrong and what went well with their problem solving. There is the possibility of classical instruction, direction to a group or by individual instruction.


Pupils are supposed to try to find out their own answers.	An task board in de 2² group (5 years old). The children can see what they have to do this week.

From the youngest to the oldest children there is a strong appeal to responsibility, consistent with their age and intellectual development. The children are responsible for their tasks or assignments, for the material they are using, for keeping the classroom clean, and responsible for each other. In short, they are directly responsible for many of the daily school events.The school building and classrooms are specially equipped so the children and their teachers can realise this way of working.


Almost Christmas time: a few children bussy with 'versieren' the tree.

THE PRACTICE OF DALTON PRINCIPLE: COOPERATION
"Unit of Organisation".

The cooperation between the pupils is an important element of Dalton education. Research and practice show that explanation by fellow pupils is sometimes more effective than instruction by a teacher. The child is addressed on his own level and in his own language. However, it is not the intention of Dalton education that one child should be merely the helper of the others.
Cooperation as a pedagogic principle is possible in almost every play and learning area. For example, playing in the building corner in Group 2 or testing a grammar task at Group 7. Not only the learning effect is improved by cooperation , but the relations between the children is, as well. The children have experienced doing something for each other without them necessarily being friends.

Cooperation depends on the development level of the children involved. A child of 4 years in Group 1 is much more individualistic than a child from Group 7. Cooperation must be taught and practised through education. It is considered as a good preparation for later social life.


Working together, when you have problems you can ask an other child to explain!!

CHARACTERISTIC FOR THE TASK SYSTEM: DIFFERENTIATION
"Inside the Dalton system there is the possibility to differentiate in interest, development level, and tempo".

1.	Differentiation in interest When the children are ready to commence with their tasks, they can choose for it any subject they are interested in.
2.	Differentiation according to development level The children are working and playing on different levels corresponding to their potentials. For example, one child can work on a relatively high level for arithmetic where as his level for language may be lower. The teacher, of course, is very attentive to support and progress this child's needs in both areas and at both levels.
3.	Differentiation in tempo Children are different in their working tempo. Therefore, all children get their own task. The teacher has considered the potentials of each child. On the other hand, he will stimulate the child to finish a task. The child must have a special reason if he didn't succeed in this task completion.

The task system of Dalton education makes it possible to realise these forms of differentiation. Of course, the recording and monitoring of outcomes to learning and its promotion are very important. Even here though the children have their own responsibility to record their work.

TASK SYSTEM

The principles of the Dalton system are realised in the so-called task system. The age and capabilities of the child are considered in relation to the specific scale, purpose and composition of the task.

A.
The purpose of the task can be:

An introductory task in a new subject area or topic
Tasks which are common to all children, because it contains the essentialism or core of that part of the subject matter
Revision tasks for the children who lack sufficient practice
And extension tasks for children who can do more on this matter.

B.
The size of the task

This can vary from a small task for the infants' class (4 and 5 year old) to a day-, week- even a month or termly quarter task. The choice for which is made depends on the age of the pupil and the amount of subject matter the child can cope with. And, of course, the children need to practice in this way of working in order to be confident and competent with it.

Group Example Video

group 1 Infant tasks

group 2 Taskletter Map

group 3 Taskletter Tasks

group 6 Taskletter

group 8 Taskletter

You will notice that there are different subject matters on every task cart. In this, the principle of freedom and indigence is worked out. The children are free to work in their own tempo, sequence and are free to decide how long they need or want to work on every task.

C.
The compilation of the task

There are some general and specific demands in every task:

an introduction
the purposes of the task
a specification of the time needed for completion
the discription of the subject matter
the questions to be answered, the learning tasks set etc.

The specific demands are concerning the way the pupils are stimulated in solving the problems, and in working together.

Student Task III

Develop a week task for children of 10 years old.

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Last review 14/12/1999