Edouard Claparede's 'school made to measure',

In Europe, over the past hundred years or so a range of 'new schools' has appeared, that is movements for school and teaching reforms as a counter-attitude towards traditional school. Those were efforts to make school much closer to students, more respectful for students' needs and interests, their abilities. Of the many attempts to create a new school Claparede's plead for 'school made to measure' stands out. The present paper deals with this idea of his. First, consideration is given to Claparede's view of abilities and his interpretation of individual differences in abilities, and then his arguments in favor of needs for school to pay attention to those differences i.e. to conform its work to child's nature to take into account his abilities. Attention is called in particular to the solutions offered by Claparede, to proposed changes, so that differences in abilities are respected and 'school made to measure' can be arrived at. The following possibilities are considered: (a) parallel classes (grouping of students according to their abilities - separate classes for more capable students and separate classes for those less capable); (b) moveable classes (a student attends instruction in one school subject together with students from one class and in another subject with students from the other class) (c) parallel departments (classical, general, technical etc. a student can choose, depending on his abilities); and (d) a system of choice, a system of options (provisions are made for a student to choose for himself among classes i.e. courses)