TRAINING DALTON ORGANIZATION

The implementation of the Dalton plan is a structural process for the whole team of teachers.
In the Netherlands this process is organized in 12 modules of three seminar/workshop hours during a period of two years. In these workshops the teachers discuss many aspects of Dalton education and they make practical material to use in the classroom.

All teachers who participate in this process make an own 'teacher portfolio'. This portfolio is an obligatory tool and is used at a team presentation during the final seminar.

In schools abroad Dalton International stimulate the implementation during seminars and workshops and later local consultants are taking over the process.

To give an impression of basic Dalton topics:

1. TRAINING SELFRELIANCE
• a process in 20 agreements
• handling responsibilities
• visualization
• training of 'delayed attention'

2. DALTON CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
• day colours
• household – assignment
• day rhythm structure
• signal for the period of 'delayed attention'
• work– assignment boards/papers
• registration system
• arrangement furnuture
• class-management
• visualization of processes

3. HOW TO MAKE ASSIGNMENTS
• selecting subjects and material
• daily or weekly
• planning
• self correction
• registration models / contracts
• integrated free choice assignments
• handling differences
• testing and reports
• portfolio’s

4. EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION
• what do we instruct
• what is the effect of instruction
• balance with independent learning
• focus on the 'delayed attention'
• which kind of interaction
• model for strategic action

5. CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING
• mate model – mentor – tutor
• which criteria for cooperation
• training procedure in development levels
• using roles for the members of a team

6. DIFFERENTIATION
• what is the effect of independent work
• recognizing different learning styles
• taking different levels into account
• working with multiple intelligences
• action guides as a school model
• scoring system

7. THE VALUE OF EVALUATION
• techniques
• systematicly
• self reflection

Roles during cooperative learning

When children are working in a team (never use the boring word 'group') it has been proved that they are more active when they have a special role during the activity.
Only mentioning the roles to each of the children is less effective, therefore I stimulate to make buttons with these logo's. Children are proud to wear it and it makes the roles very clear.
Of course you change roles during a next activity.
If you like to have these logo's seperately, please write me an email.

Visualizing Dalton

With these posters I am just challenging Dalton schools to do the same.
Visualize your interpretation of the three pillars of Dalton.
Every Dalton school has a singularity and special aspecs to be proud of.
Your "way of living" can be flamboyant with statements and photos from the daily practice.
Make a presentation in a common area of the school, a place where many people can see it.
And if you have made such posters, please send me a photo to publish here in this blog.

Blogging in Europe

The next meeting of the participants in the Comenius project
"Blogging in Europe" will take place in week 22.
The host this time is the Loch an Iúir school in Ireland and they expect the guests from Basque Country, Czech Republic, Northern-Ireland and Poland to arrive on 18/19 March 2012.
Dalton International is supporting this Comenius project.

ASCHAM, Dalton school in Sydney

In October 2001 and November 2003
I visited the outstanding Dalton school Ascham. It was a great inspiration for me to observe educational processes and to speak with many teachers and students about the effects of Dalton. The school is mentioned in this blog several times.

The reason to bring here their statements about the Dalton philosophy, is the planned visit of two heads of the school to Holland in May.
The new head of the Junior department Mrs. Elizabeth Neil and the head of the pre school department Mrs. Judy Butcher will visit some Dalton schools in our country.
They are the guests of our Teacher's University KPZ and both will participate in the International Dalton Meeting on May 9. 2012.

From the website of Ascham:
Ascham’s teaching rests on the Dalton Plan, a philosophy of learning developed in the USA and introduced to Ascham by Headmistress, Miss Margaret Bailey, in 1922. The Dalton Plan is used in schools in the USA, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany and Japan.
The Dalton Plan’s key objective is to develop independent learners who take responsibility for their work and their time management. Through training and practice, girls develop skills to help them meet academic and professional challenges with confidence.

The Dalton Plan requires girls to complete weekly assignments for each subject. The weekly timetable provides lesson times and study periods, in which girls complete their work in individual teachers’ rooms under supervision, where they may seek assistance. All teachers have their own classrooms and girls have easy access to every subject teacher.

Students have considerable flexibility to decide how and when to complete assignments by a deadline. This teaches self-motivation, time-management skills and personal responsibility. A close follow-up and support system also assists the students with the completion of their work. In recent student surveys, some of the key features of the Dalton Plan most appreciated by students, are the flexibility and learning advantages provided by the study periods.

Tweedaagse Dalton en Management

De afgelopen 5 jaar hebben wij in samenwerking met collega's uit het werkveld een jaarlijks terugkerende tweedaagse 'Dalton en Management' verzorgd.

Het uitgangspunt hierbij is dat de directie plus de daltoncoördinator gezamenlijk de tweedaagse volgen. Ieder jaar staat er een inhoudelijk thema ten aanzien van leidinggeven centraal. Daarnaast is er ruimte voor de actualiteit en het leren van elkaar via het laboratorium.

In 2012 vinden de volgende tweedaagsen 'Dalton en Management' plaats:
- Renesse: 12 en 13 april, docenten: Roel Röhner en Paul Bruijn
- Zwartsluis: 19 en 20 april, docenten: Annemarie Wenke en Hans Wenke
- Renesse: 19 en 20 april, docenten: Roel Röhner en Paul Bruijn
- Soesterberg: 24 en 25 mei, docenten: Annemarie Wenke en Hanneke Drost

Neem voor aanmelding, meer informatie of vragen gerust contact met ons op via dalton@kpz.nl of 038-4257620 .