Pedagogical and Didactic Principles and Tools
Principles
The Accelerated Gap Reduction Method (“Educational Operation”) is a minimal “structural change” implemented through the creation of a small, new organization within the school, directly subordinate to the school principal. It operates “holistically” according to the following principles:
- Goal and Curriculum: Extremely challenging, pygmalion-like, upward-moving within the visible and hidden structures of the school, relevant for future status mobility, agreed upon by all partners and participants.
- Educational Goal: Measurable and time-bound.
- Focus: One subject or a small number of subjects.
- Curriculum, Educational Goal, Structure, and Learning Duration: Agreed upon by all partners and participants: students, parents, learning team, and school management.
- Small Learning Groups.
- Learning Group: A social group, where learning is an integral part of the group process.
- Leadership: A leader (coordinator) who leads the entire process and manages the students, parents, teaching team, and works under the school’s leadership — the school principal.
- Continuous Emotional Support: Provided by the coordinator and the learning team.
- Incorporating All Significant Others.
- Accelerated Learning.
- Reducing “Anonymity”: Within the activity structure, with attention to emotional needs, by the coordinator and the learning team.
- Outcome-Oriented Thinking.
- Visibility, Feedback, and Emphasizing Educational Achievements.
- High Motivation Development: For specific periods, before and during the learning process, in a systematic and structured way.
- Change as a Norm: Changing the learning environment, breaking routines, and creating drama.
- Determination.
- Teamwork.
- Personalized, Flexible, and Differentiated Learning Time.
- Systematic and Continuous Personal Monitoring: Tracking each student’s achievements.
- True Academic Success Chain.
- Achieving Educational Goals with Every Student: No reopening of educational gaps.
- Learning, Processing, and Practicing Until Mastery: Simultaneously, together, as part of the learning process during the implementation of the Accelerated Gap Reduction Method (no homework in the first phase to avoid creating new gaps).
- External Monitoring of Student Achievements.
- Multiple Opportunities for Success.
Pedagogical and Didactic Tools
- List of Pedagogical and Didactic Tools in the Method (Partial)
- Principles of the Accelerated Gap Reduction Method
- The School-Based Classification Model – Schema from 1992
- The School-Based Classification Model – Extended Schema from 1992
- The School-Based Classification Model – Updated Schema from 2012
- Pygmalion Effect - Slide
- Weiner’s Attribution Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs - Slide
- Motivational Models and Motivation Problem Solving - Slide
- Learning for Mastery - Slide
Tools for High Schools – Accelerated Gap Reduction Method
Tools for Elementary Schools – Accelerated Gap Reduction Method