Dalton as the measuring instrument for modern education
Since August 1998, in our country we were confrontated with a new school law.
The former basic school and parts of the special education are under a common, so called “Law for Primary Education”.
Don’t think of Dalton, when I speak about special education.
In primary schools, we have to integrate some children with light handicaps, with a need to give them special attention.
Of course there will stay the special schools for the group of children with big mental or physical handicaps.
For the organization of the education in the our schools, it means how to handle all the differences between children.
In other words, the question is more and more how to create an adaptive education. An education organized from the proposition that children differ from each other.
In primary education it is not possible to select at the entrance. It means that we are confrontated with very heterogeneous groups.
These differences between pupils make a strong appeal to the professional skill, the expertise of the teacher.
Their level of teaching-strategy and educational ability, their skills to organize the educational process are conditional.
Characteristic of the pedagogical relation is that teachers promote the self reliance and the responsibility of pupils.
Taking differences into account, the teacher is constantly searching for a balance between giving security and challanging the children.
The basic condition to motivate children is to recognize and to tune in the aspects of development.
Helen Parkhurst wrote in her book “Education on the Dalton plan” :
In the old days the student went to school to get what the school had to offer him ; now he goes to school to satisfy a definite need for self-development.
He is no longer disposed to learn just what the teacher proposes to teach.
(page 3)
In a brochure, made by the Dutch Process-management for Pimary Education,with the title “Characteristics for Quality-development”, is the aim to help school in finding their way to handle differences.
This brochure is at this moment a basic instrument for primary schools to analyse the development in schools. It is an instrument to work out the new challange.
And for Dalton schools it is again a provement how actual the ideas of Helen Parkhurst still are.
In my speech I try to combine both elements.
In that brochure there are mentioned seven characteristics to handle differences in a group.
And I have the opinion that these charactaristics can give us the impulse to realise education that will do justice to differences between pupils.
As an introduction first a common characteristic:
The teacher gives all the children the security and the challange they need,
so that they can develop themselves and their independance and responsibility
are promoted.
The main point here is that children has to develop themselves.
Adults can’t take over that process. Children must be stimulated to a higher level of independance and may not stay dependent of the constant help of the teacher.
It seems to be a contradiction, but it is charactaristic for the pedagogical relation.
Every teacher recognizes it daily :
-you give structure, but you also leave space for initiatives
-you give help, but you have to challange them to be independent
And now 7 characteristics for the process in groups.
First 3 basic needs :
1.Children must have the feeling to be safe and respected.
It is very interesting to have a look in Helen Parkhurst’s book again.
The secret of education lies in respecting the pupil. Wait and see the new product of nature. Nature loves analogies but not repetitions.
Respect the child.
(page 24)
2.Children must have the feeling to be competent
Teachers has to strengthen the confidence of all pupils.
The brochure is written in 1998, but Helen Parkhurst seems to give a direct answer :
On this point I can but say that the curriculum of any school should be vary according to the needs of the pupils.
The curriculum is not the chief problem of society. We shall, I fear, continue to handicap our youth by viewing it through the wrong end of the telescope.
(page 27)
3.Children must have the feeling to be independent
Teachers has to promote self reliance and responsibility by all children.
Lets play the game again, and have a look in Education on the Dalton plan.
The Dalton plan elicts a new response from the child’s nature by inviting him to undertake the job in a way that appeals to his natural desire to learn things in his own way and even in his own time (=tempo /R.R.).
(page 32)
Secondly 3 characteristics about the teaching-learning process.
How the pedagogical relation can colour that process.
4. The content of education
Teachers bring all pupils in contact with different contents of education which stimulate active learning
Helen Parkhurst again:
It diagnoses the child’s dislike for his studies as not due to the studies themselves, but to the methods used in teaching him.
It is the fault of the educational process to which he is forced to submit which embitters his young soul against any or all subjects.
5. The teaching method / instructional design
Teachers try by various instructional design to stimulate an active participance of all the children by the teaching-learning process.
It shows the way, and I firmly believe the only way, to make the school as attractive, and as educative as play…
(page 26)
6. Classmanagement
Teachers shall organize the work in such a way that children individual and in cooperation with others can work independently and play.
He studies on his own responsibility in the company of his fellows, all pursuing the same adventure. He forms the same kind of relationship in his school life that he will afterwards get in his business or professional life. He is learning by trying.
Finally there is the important characteristic mentioned :
7. Reflection
Teachers have to think individual, and together with others, about handling the differences in their groups.
This can be done in the own school, but perhaps even better together with other schools.
And in such a situation are you now.
The third Dalton conference here in the Czech Republic is a demonstration that schools will cooperate to develop their quality.
The chain is stronger than each of the parts.
Cooperation between schools can create conditions which are necessary for a structural renewing of education.
Within all countries is that a growing attitude.
The ideas of Helen Parkhurst give us the chance to cooperate even outside of our boarders.
The Czech Republic and The Netherlands, Utrecht and Brno, didn’t wait for your official participation in the European Community.
Dalton education was a possibility to exchange educational experiences.
With the help of the Daltonplan, we can meet professionals in different countries, speaking the same language
In February we enjoyed the stay of 21 teachers in Utrecht. The children were proud to show them their schools. We can be proud that in the contact between the two cities, education has an enormous impact in the meantime.
We were very happy that the director of Skolsky Urad, mr. Pavel Vlach, was able to visit Utrecht two weeks ago.
And I am jalous on the “Dalton-maffia” here in Brno.
But I have to explain that to you.
Since 1979 the Dutch Dalton Association tries to make official contact with the mother of all Daltonschools : the Daltonschool in New York.
We succeeded to buy 200 new copies of Helen Parkhurst’s book, because the school in New York celebrated in 1994 teir 75th anniversary as Dalton school, and
reprinted the book for the second time.
(By the way, my school in Utrecht celebrate this year the 65th anniversary as Dalton school.)
Two years ago Elisabeth Krents , teacher of the school in New York, visited almost by accident, our school in Utrecht.
And today mrs Judy Sheridan is your official guest.
Hans Wenke and I are very pleased to meet her here in our second hometown.
I hope that there will grow a Dalton relationship between the three of our cities.
Dear collegues and frieds,
I wish you a very interesting conference.
And if you want to eat more Dalton, come to the Dutch Dalton conference next month.
Roel Röhner,
chairman Dutch Dalton Foundation
basic needs
1.relation
2.competence
3.autonomy
teaching-learning
process
4.content of education
5.teaching method
6.class-management
7.reflection