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