Philosophy and Goals

Let us think of school rather as a sociological laboratory where the pupils themselves are the experimenters, not the victims of an intricate and crystallized system in whose evolution they have neither part nor lot. Let us think of it as a place where community conditions prevail as they prevail in life itself.

~HelenParkhurst,1922

The Dalton Plan in the First Program

The mission of the Dalton School, as articulated by Helen Parkhurst, the school’s founder, has remained a constant inspiration since it was founded in 1919. At every age level within the First Program, an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning is coupled with special consideration for each child’s individual interests as well as the importance of community responsibility. The positive feedback given to the children - based on their own efforts, ideas, and accomplishments, as well as the developmental understanding on the part of the educators about each child’s social and emotional needs - helps all First Program youngsters to meet challenges with the persistence and optimism necessary for developing competence, confidence, and self-esteem

House

The First Program views House, the first component of the Dalton Plan, as the basic organizational unit for all children, a gathering place that serves as each student’s home base. Following the guidelines established by Helen Parkhurst, the school’s founder, and articulated in Dalton’s K-3 Curriculum Guide, the House Advisor and Associate Teacher in each House create a stimulating, academically rigorous curriculum in the language arts, mathematics, and social studies disciplines, in conjunction with specialists in Spanish, chess, dance/theater, science, music, art, physical education, and library In addition, reading and math specialists work with students individually or in small groups to provide support and enrichment. While academic work is paramount, the purpose of House is to provide a safe, secure learning environment that encourages risk-taking and promotes community building. House at the First Program is comprised of students in the same grade The House Advisor and Associate Teacher in each First Program classroom maintain close, ongoing contact with parents, informing them about the students' social, emotional, and academic growth throughout the year. They also meet formally with parents on designated conference days in the fall and winter terms

Assignment

The Assignment is the second component of the Dalton Plan and offers children a range of choices for exploring and learning concepts, activities, and skills within a subject area. Students learn to structure and plan their work time and receive frequent feedback from their teachers. The Assignment provides practice of foundational skills and allows students to pursue lines of inquiry of their own design

Lab

The word “Laboratory” best describes the educational atmosphere that Dalton strives to create, which combines study, research, and collaboration. “Lab” refers to the one-to-one and small group sessions between students and teachers, augmenting classroom experiences At the First Program, children are presented with opportunities to make educated choices about their learning and in the process discover how to identify their interests and take responsibility for pursuing them. Over the years, Dalton students learn how to budget their time, seek out faculty and take responsibility for their own education

Within a defined but flexible curriculum, the First Program faculty cross lessons that are accessible for children and different levels of development.