House: Acts as a home-like classroom and a social community where students belong and receive guidance from a House Advisor. It helps build a sense of community and belonging.
Assignment: A contract or commitment between the student and teacher focusing on individualized learning goals. It promotes independence and responsibility as students plan and complete their tasks.
Laboratory (Lab): Provides students opportunities to study specialized subjects more deeply, engage in inquiry, research, and collaborative work with teachers or peers. It encourages experimentation and hands-on learning.
These three components together form the core structure designed by Helen Parkhurst to promote student autonomy, cooperation, and personalized learning in the Dalton education system.