This new Dalton school in Austria is participating in a Comenius project with the title:
Pleased to meet EU.





A group of schools from different countries created a very nice website.

Click on:  Pleased to meet EU

The Dalton Audit of the "Sternschule" in Deutschlandsberg - Austria was a very positive experience.
This school is the dream of every teacher, but also the children are convinced that this school is the best choice of their parents.
The small but inspired school community realized their ideal.

Jürgen Peters and I were pleasantly surprised by what we have seen in this school.
Not only the building and school environment, but also the educational level with an authentic visualization of  the Dalton structure, make this school a diamond in the crown of Dalton International.

This week on October 24. and 25. an audit will take place at this school in Deutschlandsberg - Austria.
This audit will be performed by Jürgen Peters, senior Dalton Consultant in Austria and Roel Röhner, senior Dalton Consultant in the Netherlands.

From the website of this school:

Die Sternschule Deutschlandsberg ist eine reformpädagogische Privatschule der Diakonie de La Tour Steiermark für Schüler/Innen im Pflichtschulalter und orientiert sich an den österreichischen Lehrplänen für VS, HS und AHS-Unterstufe.

In der Sternschule werden Kinder unabhängig von ihrem sozialen, kulturellen und konfessionellen Hintergrund aufgenommen.

 Der Unterricht in der Sternschule beruht auf den drei Prinzipien des Daltonplans nach Helen Parkhurst: Freiheit, Kooperation und Zeitmanagement.

Zur Philosophie der Sternschule gehören das Wissen um die Einzigartigkeit der Kinder und das Annehmen dieser als Basis der pädagogischen Arbeit. Um der Individualität der Schüler und Schülerinnen angemessen zu begegnen, werden Erkenntnisse aus der (Hoch)Begabungsforschung in den Schulalltag integriert.

 Wir wünschen uns, dass sich Kinder und Jugendliche der Sternschule zu verantwortungsvollen, sozial kompetenten und lernfreudigen Persönlichkeiten entwickeln.

Day of Kindergarten in Poland

This message was sent by Anna Wróbel from Poland.
Anna is the Polish President of the worldwide organization of Kindergarten teachers OMEP.
Together with many colleagues in her country she founded the Polish Dalton Association.
The development of Dalton education in Poland is the strongest in Middle Europe.

Upon the motion of the community connected with the kindergarten education from the whole country, the Polish OMEP Committee, acting upon the Article 63 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, has filed a petition with the Marshal of the Sejm to start the legislative initiative to constitute the day of 29 September as the Polish Day of the Kindergarten Education. This day is to celebrate the certain idea of the people connected with the kindergarten education and it is to solemnly visualise the importance of the kindergarten education in the society.

On 13th of September Sejm of the Republic of Poland adopted a resolution on the establishment 20 of as the Polish Day of the Kindergarten Education (Kindergarten’s Day).

Poland has DAY OF THE KINDERGARTEN EDUKATION in the polish calendar!

25 of September in Royal Łazienki in Warsaw Polish OMEP Committee were celebrating the first nationwide Polish Day of the Kindergarten Education.
The Honorary Patrons of the Conference are: Minister of National Education and Ombudsman for Children.

Anna Wróbel

Prezes Zarządu Krajowego
Polskiego Komitetu Światowej Organizacji Wychowania Przedszkolnego OMEP

Official presentation new Dalton book

The latest book about Dalton education, written by Roel Röhner
and Hans Wenke, was officially presented to the chairman of the Dutch Dalton Association : Willem Wagenaar.

This event took place at the KPZ University.

Several colleagues were invited to express the gratitude for the inspiration both authors got in their schools.

This Dutch version of the book can be ordered at:
www.daltonmedia.nl 

What is collaborative learning?

Collaborative learning is an umbrella term for a variety of educational approaches involving joint effort by learners. Collaborative learning activities vary widely, but most centre on the learner’s exploration or application of the curriculum, not simply on the teacher’s presentation of it. The teacher’s role is to create an environment where young people are willing and able to work collaboratively, where there are plenty of opportunities and stimulating contexts for learners to work with others, and where they feel safe to share their emerging ideas and understandings. 

Usually, learners are working in groups of two or more, searching mutually for understanding, solutions, meanings, or creating a product. Group challenges often require learners to produce a product for a specified audience and purpose. Collaborative learning programmes also place great emphasis on assessing the contribution of individuals within the group and of the performance of the team. 

In collaborative learning situations, pupils are not simply taking in new information or ideas - they are creating something new with the information and ideas.

American researchers David and Roger Johnson have done more than anyone to popularise the concept of collaborative learning. Their research identified 700 studies relating to cooperative, competitive and individualistic efforts to learn and they identified five defining characteristics of cooperative learning. 

1. Groups work together to accomplish shared goals. Group members buy into a mutual goal. They seek outcomes that are valuable for themselves and the group. They believe they sink or swim together. 

2. Group members are hard on themselves and each other - they make each other accountable for producing high quality work and achieving goals. 

3. Group members work face to face and support each other to produce joint products. 

4. Group members are taught social skills and are expected to use them to work together to achieve their goals. 

5. Group members analyse how effectively they are working together in achieving their goals.

Johnson and Holubec (ASCD, 1994)

Interesting ans useful material. Go HERE to the website.