Helen Parkhurst’s Dalton Plan: when pedagogical ideas meet with the N.E.F. Principles

Résumé En

Back in 1916, the American educationist Helen Parkhurst (1887-1973) triedout new educational forms in her Dalton School (Massachusetts, United Statesof America). Her approach was imprinted not only with John Dewey’s thoughtsbut with Maria Montessori’s, whom she vowed a great admiration to, as well.Within a few years, her educational proposals met with success throughout theworld, as many of her fellow teachers found there a way to differentiate theirpedagogy. The translation of her book about Education on the Dalton PlanParkhurst, 1922) into 17 foreign languages give evidence of this worldwidespread (Guisen, 1930; Kimmins & Rennie, 1932).In the context of this paper, we intend to revisit Helen Parkhurst’s path,especially the bounds she tied with various New Education Fellowship (N.E.F.)members. We will especially examine the hypothesis according to which hertaking part to 1929 and 1936 N.E.F. Congresses contributed to the quickspread of her educational ideas as well as it broadened the large collection ofpedagogical proposals advocated by the N.E.F.