Winnetka-Plan

The Winnetka Plan is a Carleton Washburne in Winnetka, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, carried out educational plan. It considers the social education but also the individuality of the student. Because of the work is divided into individual work and group work. In addition, the age classes are replaced by power groups in which students have the freedom to choose their work areas. The teacher has only the helper's role here. Students are judged according to their performance also how they integrate into the community.

Historical classification

The Winnetka Plan is based on three principles and models of education reform, which were summarized and elaborated by Carleton Washburne.

• The first " source " of the Winnetka Plan can be found in 1912 in Winnetka. Here wanted to set up a private school a group of men, since they themselves, as business men, such a visit. Edwin Fetcher then suggested to improve the public schools so far that no private school is required. This proposal was initially rejected, but Fetcher was elected President of the teaching authority later and brought many changes in public schools (eg the introduction of art classes and home economics ). In addition, many observations and analyzes of the learning behavior of children were employed.

• The second source is found, about the same time, in San Francisco. There was Frederic Burk Director of the San Francisco State Normal School, in which primary school teachers a two -year training course in history, philosophy, psychology and teaching techniques as well as a short practical training at the institute belonging to primary school. Frederic Burk was known that he thought very progressive and innovative and that graduates of the State Normal School enjoyed a very good education. By observing the elementary students in an experiment it became clear that there were large fluctuations in the performance of students. Some were quick to learn and the others were overwhelmed. This brought Burk to submitting the students an individual teaching program. He then wrote a monogram, in which he at present exerts very sharp criticism " military" school system.

• The third source is Carleton Washburne himself in 1912, he was director of a rural school and noticed in a 6th grade large differences in the performance of students in the applied mathematics. So he divided the class into smaller groups in which students were now with the same learning behavior together and learned together. Each child received as the work that suited him. Washburne noticed that students learn better in this group than in the large class. 1914 brought Frederic Burk Washburne to California to present his theory there. Burk was enthusiastic and gave Washburne a job for the next four years. Now Washburne went from two sides of learning. On the one hand he tried to figure out what general skills the children need, and on the other hand he tried to ask the children what they would like to learn. After four years refining his theory, he moved to Winnetka to conduct a school, according to this model.

Instructional design

The classes consist of two components of learning:

Evaluation or diagnostic arches

It is worked with three different evaluation forms:

Phases of the assessment process

• Clearly define the knowledge and skills necessary
• Practical approach to life (What needs to know every child )
• Requirements much smaller than that of a normal school course

• Individual basic knowledge and skills appropriate
• Performance in the "individual work" constant, here the time variable factor
• Performance by " real tests"
• Time in the "group and creative activities " constant, individual performance is based on the group members

• Teachers recedes into the background (self -teaching and working material be corrected )
• Subdivision of the students in " self-reliant -group" and " supervised -group"
• "Real tests " for the diagnosis ( " where help is needed " ) but also by:
• Self-control of students

• Teaching diagnosis arches
• Evaluation forms at the end of the school year
• Sheet describing the teamwork

• Needed by error correction task
• Teacher reserves decision on progression and non- progression of the student
• Be considered as delivered when it is properly

• Verbally and in writing at the end of the school year
• Views and experiences of parents and students are taken into account
• Transfer of benefits in the basic subjects depending
• Cognitive, subject-specific tasks that are either processed in written or oral form, while in the "individual work" diagnostically assessed
• Social, emotional, practical and personal services are based on the other hand, if the teacher on the "development of the child as a member of the group " comes in ( growth as a group member)

Reference Standards

Mostly designed individually. The individual assessment is based on the " percentage of completion " to make the students, the basis for assessment in this case the " periods ( 6 weeks )" and the performances in the "real tests " are. Based on the diagnosis arches can be seen how far the social skills are advanced. Central function of the assessment is here to provide guidance.

Quality criteria

The theoretical test quality criteria are not objectively observed here, as always, the student will assess his social behavior. But they can be reliable and judgmental, as the assessment can via a very short period of time, a good prognosis can be entered and are still engaged even in eventual weaknesses. Here the educational motivated quality criteria are important, since students participation is very high and give them a high degree of personal responsibility is created.

Models

The mission statement of this teaching system based on the independent learning of students ( work and correct independent ). The technical and substantive areas can be edited in the morning and at noon, the social-communicative By separate morning and afternoon classes. This gives students develop self -confidence, which helps them to help the other students.

Criticism

• Looks like concrete design of the first two years of school?
• Role of the teacher contradictory: on the one hand, only " subsequently helping ", on the other hand, he tells students to be "responsible " ( self-reliant ) and " monitored" ( supervised ) pupils.