The Dalton Plan

At the heart of our philosophy: The Dalton Plan

Let us think of a school as a social laboratory where pupils themselves are the experimenters, not the victims of an intricate and crystallized system. . . . Let us think of it as a place where community conditions prevail as they prevail in life itself.” Helen Parkhurst in Education on the Dalton Plan, 1922

nspired by the intellectual ferment at the turn of the last century, educational thinkers such as John Dewey began to cast a bold vision of a new progressive American approach to education. Helen Parkhurst caught the spirit of change and created the Dalton Plan. Aiming to achieve a balance between each child’s talents and the needs of the growing American community, Helen Parkhurst created an educational concept that captured the progressive spirit of the age. Specifically, she had these objectives: to tailor each student’s program to his or her needs, interests, and abilities; to promote both independence and dependability; to enhance the student’s social skills and sense of responsibility toward others. Parkhurst developed a three-part plan that continues to be the structural foundation of a Dalton education—the House, the Assignment, and the Laboratory.

“ I The House is home base in school for each Dalton student and the House Advisor is the parents’ key contact with the school. In the First Program and Middle School, House is comprised of students of the same age. In the High School, each House includes students from every grade level, a microcosm of the larger school community. In all divisions, the House Advisor is considered to be a faculty mentor, sponsor, and friend who guides and assists each student in the learning process. The relationship that develops is a close one that supports students throughout their Dalton years. For the children in the First Program, the House Advisor is also the classroom teacher. In the Middle School, the Advisor sees the student through the transition into more departmentalized classes. In the High School, the House Advisor serves as a coach and counselor, helping to guide and

advise students as they negotiate Dalton’s rich and multi-faceted curriculum.

The Assignment represents a contract between student and teacher. It is introduced in the First Program, increases in centrality in the Middle School, and becomes the focus of work in the High School grades. Designed by each teacher for each subject area, the Assignment is a printed or electronic document that introduces the unit, makes suggestions for study and research, and defines common obligations as well as opportunities for individual projects. The Assignment provides the thematic focus for daily class and homework and may be individually tailored to meet specific needs and develop particular strengths. The Laboratory is also integral to the educational culture of The Dalton School. The word “Laboratory” best describes the educational atmosphere that Dalton strives to create, combining study, research, and collaboration. “Lab” refers to the one-to-one and small group sessions between students and teachers that augment the traditional classroom instruction. Students and teachers schedule Labs at specified times throughout the school day when they meet as individuals and in small groups to discuss Assignment projects, expand upon questions of interest that arise in class, clarify issues, and explore new directions about a topic to pursue. In the High School, there are special rooms for each subject area that give emphasis to this independent interaction between faculty and students. Students at Dalton begin working with the three elements of the Dalton Plan from a very young age. At the First Program, children are presented with opportunities to make educational 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. Dalton graduates frequently comment on how well prepared they were for college because the Dalton Plan taught them how to take control of their own educational destinies.

Today, as in the early years, Dalton is committed to educating students in accordance with the Dalton Plan developed by Helen Parkhurst. This unique philosophy of education, along with fine facilities and a dedicated faculty, continues to enhance Dalton’s reputation as one of the nation’s most innovative and successful educational institutions.