Dalton
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The Dalton Plan, named after a village in Massachusetts, USA, was developed by Helen Parkhurst in the years 1916–1919. It was introduced to Ascham by Miss Margaret Bailey, then Headmistress, in 1922 and has been the method of instruction at Ascham ever since.
There are four main principles of the Dalton Plan, including Independence, Responsibility, Collaboration and Reflection. In order to fulfil the principles of Dalton, there are three structural aspects that will enhance your learning:
The Assignment: Each new week begins on a Tuesday. At the beginning of each topic an Assignment for each of your subjects will be given to you by your teacher in that subject. The Assignment gives a list of all work to be covered as part of that topic, at school in Lessons and Studies, and at home.
Lessons: In Lessons, topics referred to in the Assignment will be covered, along with group work activities and discussion.
Studies: Studies are times set aside for you to work on your Assignments in the subject of your choice, provided your classroom for that subject is open. There is a Study Timetable which tells you which teachers are available. The main purpose of the Study is to enable you to spend time talking to your teacher and peers to obtain help where required.
Planning Weekly Work
The Ascham diary is structured in such a way that space is provided on the right side of each double page to list, subject by subject, everything that needs to be done in the Dalton Week. This should be completed before leaving School on Tuesdays. Form Teachers will expect students to stay after school on Tuesdays to complete this if it has not been done by 3.30pm roll call.
On the left hand side, space is provided to insert which Studies are to be attended and specifically what needs to be achieved in that Study. This planning is most sensibly done the evening prior to each day. Students must plan carefully where they intend to go and what they intend to achieve in the Study.
Below is an example of what a typical plan would look like. After each item is completed it should be ticked off and the time spent is recorded. Thus at any time the student, teacher or parent can see the tasks that have been completed and the tasks awaiting completion.
How to use Studies
To make the best use of a Study, you should plan in advance what you will do there and what questions you would like to ask your teacher.
Examples of things to do in Studies:
• corrections on Assignments that have been marked
• showing draft essays to your teacher
• ask questions about things in the Assignment you were unable to do
• ask questions about points taught in the lessons that you would like explained further
• continuing to work on your Assignment if you are able to do so and have no questions.
What to include in weekly planning
Weekly planning is done on Tuesday in Form time, guided by the Form Teacher.
| Action Item | Advice |
|---|---|
| Write down the specific Assignment tasks of each subject | This is done on the right hand side of the weekly planning page |
| Plan and write down how you are going to use Studies each day | Studies may vary week to week due to tasks, student or teacher absence |
| Plan and write down what will be done for homework each night | Doing two or three different tasks is usually more effective than spending the whole night trying to finish one subject |
| Write in test dates and plan and write down revision sessions | It is recommended at least three different revision and learning sessions leading up to each test date |
| Put in the dates your corrections are due and identify the Study you will show your teacher | Corrections are usually due within one week of getting the marked Assignment back |
| Record how much time you spend working on each task and tick it off when completed | Use a √ to represent ½ hour and one √ for a study. Homework hours can be recorded √√ |
Items to be included in hours recorded and reported each week by students
• reading, thinking about and discussion of Assignments
• writing and correcting Assignments
• learning and revision work
• set reading (other than first reading of English texts)
• Music practice hours for elective students but not for non-elective students.
What is Dalton Extra?
Dalton Extra is the system we use at Ascham to support students who were unable to submit their weekly Assignment on time.
A Dalton Extra will be given to a girl if her Assignments are not handed in by 8.20am on Tuesday morning, if the Assignment is incomplete, or if the corrections due that day have not been done. (Girls whose work is complete but who need further help with their Assignment requirements will be put on Dalton Extra). Attendance at Dalton Extra is compulsory.
All teachers are available in their classrooms every Tuesday from 3.45pm to 4.30pm for girls on Dalton Extra, to help students catch up work, or to
help girls who are having difficulties with their work. Girls should not make appointments on Tuesday afternoons so that they are available for Dalton Extra if required.
What is the purpose of Dalton Extra?
The purpose of Dalton Extra is to ensure that the Assignment element of the Dalton Plan is achieved. The Assignment is critical to a student’s learning as it provides feedback of their understanding to the teacher, which in turn enables more effective feedback and corrections to be given to the student.
This individual feedback is critical to learning.
How does a student know if she is on Dalton Extra?
When a student is placed on Dalton Extra it is visible for both the student and parents on the Hub by 1.45pm each Tuesday. A student will remain on Dalton Extra until the work is satisfactorily submitted and her teacher signs her off.
Students are also given a slip of paper listing all Dalton Extras by their Form Teacher on Tuesday afternoon.
Procedures for Tuesday afternoon Dalton Extras
• Following lunch on Tuesday, girls should check the Hub to see if they have been placed on Dalton Extra. Girls should attend all their Dalton Extras in their subject teachers’ rooms in the order in which they appear online.
• Dalton Extra starts at 3.45pm and finishes at 4.30pm.
• If a student completes her work any time prior to 4.30pm on Tuesday, she is permitted to leave. If she is unable to complete her work by 4.30pm she will leave School and remain on Dalton Extra. If the work is not submitted by Wednesday afternoon she is required to remain after School to continue working and this continues on Thursday and Friday until the work is completed.
• On the completion of each Dalton Extra the teacher will sign off online.
• Dalton Extras are completed when all teachers have signed off online.
• A girl who does not fulfill her Dalton Extra commitment by Card signing will be given a Saturday (mid-term) or a Dalton detention on the first day of holidays and will remain at School until her work is completed.
Please note that no appointments outside of School should be made for Tuesday afternoons between 3.45pm and 4.30pm.
Dalton Extra is compulsory and takes precedence over Sport, Music and other scheduled lessons/appointments.
Procedures for Dalton Extras for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
• Girls not signed off remain on Dalton Extra until all teachers have signed off online.
• Students must see their Year Coordinator each afternoon, straight after School, if they are still on Dalton Extra.
• Girls who are not signed off stay for Dalton Extra from 3.45pm to 4.30pm on: Wednesday with their Year Coordinator; Thursday with the Director of Studies and Friday with the Deputy Head.
• Girls will not be excused from Dalton Extra because of Co-curricular activities.
• Failure to attend Dalton Extra will result in a penalty detention.
Appointments made prior to 4.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday should be made with the understanding that if a student has not completed all of her work she will miss the appointment.
Girls absent on Tuesday
Teachers will place students on Dalton Extra if they are absent on a Tuesday. This is to make sure all work is handed to the teacher once the student returns to School. A student will be removed from Dalton Extra if the work is completed and handed to the teacher. The student will not have to stay back after school if she has been signed off from all of her Dalton Extras. Students who have not completed all their work should stay for Dalton Extra until the work is completed.
Extensions
Extensions will only be given in extenuating circumstances, such as prolonged illness. These extensions will be given by the Year Coordinator in conjunction with subject teachers.
Sample scenarios
Situation 1: Annabelle is absent from School on Tuesday due to illness. She has completed all her Assignments, however, is too unwell to come to School to submit them.
Response: Annabelle’s teachers will place her on Dalton Extra with the expectation that she will submit her Assignments upon her return to School. She is not expected to attend Dalton Extra on an afternoon when she is not at School nor is she or a parent expected to come into School just to submit the work when she is unwell. If Annabelle has some subjects where the work can be submitted through Canvas, she may find it helpful to submit those Assignments from home. When Annabelle submits her Assignments upon her return to School she will be removed from Dalton Extra.
Situation 2: Evie does not complete her Assignment by 8.30am as she was finishing off other work on Monday night. During the day on Tuesday she has multiple Studies and is able to complete the work.
Response: Evie will have been placed on Dalton Extra by her teacher as the work was not submitted by 8.30am. Work cannot be submitted to teachers during 8.30am–3.45pm on a Tuesday so Evie will need to see her teacher at 3.45pm to submit the work. If the teacher is satisfied, Evie may go home but if it is incomplete she remains on Dalton Extra. Please note: work can be submitted to the classroom teacher for sign-off in Lessons and Studies on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Situation 3: Gemma had a very busy weekend celebrating her brother’s wedding and did not complete Assignments for Science, English and Art.
Response: Gemma will be placed on Dalton Extra for all three subjects. She should attend Dalton Extra for all three subjects in the order that they appear on her list on the Hub. She will remain on Dalton Extra until the work is submitted for all three subjects. As Gemma’s brother’s wedding would have been planned well in advance, she should have managed her time to accommodate this.
Situation 4: Jillian has a basketball game at St Catherine’s on Wednesday afternoon at 4.30pm. She is still on Dalton Extra for English as she hasn’t yet finished her comprehension task.
Response: Jillian will remain on Dalton Extra and is required to stay after School until 4.30pm unless the work is completed prior. In this situation, Jillian should notify the Head of Sport on Wednesday morning that it is possible she may still be on Dalton Extra that afternoon and be late/miss the game. Hopefully she can complete the Assignment in time to make the game.
Situation 5: Daisy is still on Dalton Extra for Mathematics on Thursday afternoon and she has an external commitment such as sports coaching, music lesson, tutoring or a part-time job that starts immediately after School.
Response: Daisy is required to remain at School for Dalton Extra and miss the commitment. If this is likely to happen regularly Daisy may want to reconsider this commitment or make an effort to change the time to prevent missing it in the future.