Educational concept

What are the criteria on which the teacher is chosen?
There was a time that my colleagues analyzed the criteria on which
I made choices : the female teachers had to be blond and beautiful.
It was not easy to explain to them it was a pure coincidence.
I was lucky that this beautiful collection happened to be a great
team of Dalton professionals. Top talent !
My real criteria were based on the Dalton concept and I was searching
for people who dared to experiment. Young teachers must get that
opportunity.
But what we all share is the educational concept.
The principles of the 'Dalton Laboratory Plan' are the binder.
The team of teachers can be stronger, they feel more involved in
the educational process, if we share the formulated principles.
Without an educational concept pupils are at the mercy of any group
of individual professionals.

The conflict of instruction

Why are teachers so focused on instruction?
Isn't it better to teach skills and attitude, to arouse interest
instead of explaining.
For some teachers it's the daily routine to demonstrate their own
particular knowledge, while it would be better to create space for
students to experiment.
Albert Einstein said:
"It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the
modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled
the holy curiosity of enquiry".

Just looking back

New Year's Eve is celebrated at many different moments in the world.
Time zones may be different but some things unite us.
From New York to Sydney, from Senegal to Warsaw the fireworks will
be lit and people wish each other Happy New Year.
It is good to realize that under the Dalton flag we have met so many
friends, from so many different cultures.
They are all in our hearts this evening.

Contract

In Dutch Dalton schools the weekly program of assignments
is listed on a form. And it is obvious that these forms got
the name 'WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT FORM'.
The selection of work the student has to perform is made by
the teacher.
The student is responsible for the production of the work,
has to make all the assignments within the agreed time.
The 'ASSIGNMENT FORM' seems to be top-down constructed.
Only in strong Dalton schools also the sudents are involved in
composing the tasks.
Reading "The Dalton Laboratory Plan" more accurate I come to
the conclusion that the influence of the student himself on
the assignment has to be stimulated.
Therefore in many different publications from that period
several authors are speaking about CONTRACT.
I would like to encourage we start to use 'WEEKLY CONTRACT'
instead of 'WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT FORM'.

The characteristic of a contract is that it can't be drafted
unilaterally. There has to be influence from both sides.
To fulfill a contract both partners are responsible.

Good intentions for the New Year

What a great idea to bring flowers after Christmas Holidays for
all the children in your classroom.
They will be surprised with your kind initiative.
And as a good teacher you realize that instead of bringing cut
flowers it is necessary to learn them how to grow their own plants.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays.

International impact of The Dalton Plan

We have reports from hundreds of schools using the Dalton Plan
in Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Holland,
Russia, China and Japan.
In each of the last three countries there are now over 1000 schools
which have put the Dalton Plan into operation, and in Great Britain
a much larger number.
from:
An explanation of the Dalton Laboratory Plan
by its originator Helen Parkhurst - 1926

The international impact of The Dalton Plan was huge during the
time of educational reform.
Already more than 10 years Dalton International is stimulating a
network of innovative initiatives. Sharing good practice and
exchanging brilliant and creative ideas.
The number of Dalton schools in Europe is growing exponentially.
But it is not that quantity but the quality of the education
that counts.