Major Curriculum Changes Coming to BC Schools starting this fall

[TOMapleLaughs]

Public school students in British Columbia are about to experience a new way of learning.

The B.C. government says a new curriculum is being launched, and the first phase of a three-year transition begins this fall for students in kindergarten to Grade 9.

A Ministry of Education release says 100 teachers worked together for three years to create the flexible learning curriculum to help students understand core subjects through projects related to their interests, such as music, hockey or dinosaurs.

Students will continue to focus on reading, writing and arithmetic, but the new curriculum is also aimed at building the critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills vital for higher education and the work force.

It also offers aboriginal perspectives at all grade levels, an examination of the residential school system, new content on the history of East and South Asian immigrants and a renewed emphasis on environmental sciences.

Teachers in kindergarten to Grade 9 have the option of using the new programs this year before full implementation across B.C. next fall, while a draft curriculum for Grades 10 to 12 has been developed and will be finalized during the upcoming school year.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/new-bc-curriculum-fosters-student-passion-through-projects-flexible-learning/article26183299/

My personal experience with sending kids to school out in the valley has seen a diversification of schools. Meaning more and more schools are becoming 'specialized'. There's an arts-based curriculum, traditional schools, etc. The result is more options for parents, but perhaps a growing divide among the classes, because certain parents aim for traditional schools, while others are content with regular public school, or have no choice but to send their kids to the closest school. ie. Are poorer people missing out on some conceived benefit that 'traditional' schools provide? Or are traditional schools, arts-based etc. and the amount of choice available just a bunch of bs and we need a return to a unified public schooling system? This is an ongoing debate.

Meanwhile, here's a critic on the changes to the curriculum:

When my kids were little, I took them to see the Canadian womens hockey team practise at a local rink. I wanted to show them what dedicated and committed athletes did on their days off practise.

One player in particular stood out Hayley Wickenheiser. She was the first player on the ice and the last one off. She went through drills and shooting pucks before the practice session, and stayed after for more of the same. She is one of the worlds greatest hockey players. Talent aside, it was her infinite hours of practice and hard work that got her to where she is today.

Another factor behind success comes with good coaching and management. When contrasted with Wickenheisers experience with the national team, todays coaches and managers in the B.C. education system are failing their players.

This upcoming school year will see the circulation of a math pamphlet to parents, as well as the introduction to the new B.C. Education Plan (Major school curriculum changes coming to B.C., Aug. 30). Both were created using failed learning fads that have been around for generations and tested on unsuspecting students around the world.

The latest trend is 21st-century learning, and our education leaders just love this stuff. It likes to focus on big ideas, rather than on learning multiplication tables. Their agenda seems hell-bent on dumbing down our next generation.

The B.C. Teachers Federations provincial math association, the B.C. Association of Mathematics Teachers, published a math pamphlet this summer. The pamphlet states that memorization can lead to anxiety and can be harmful for children.

This is absolute drivel. A review of their research confirms this organization prefers to cherry-pick studies that support their agenda, rather than provide solid evidence that what they are promoting is actually valid.

They also fail to acknowledge the biggest deficit in education today: a lack of foundational skills. And the proven path to mastering foundational skill teacher-led, explicit instruction, memorization and daily practice is the opposite of 21st-century learning.

In April, a parent advisory group invited University of Manitoba math professor Rob Craigen, a proponent of effective math instruction, to discuss the upcoming changes to the math curriculum. Parents, educators and others were invited. The BCAMT refused to post the flyer and they didnt allow this information to reach math teachers across the province. Given the subject content and timing, why wouldnt the BCAMT let its members know about this event?

Creators of the new Education Plan claim foundational skills will be an integral part of the new curriculum. But where is the evidence? In the new math curriculum, there are no measurable learning outcomes. The words memorize or mastery do not appear in the document. Daily practice and ongoing classroom assessment are ignored.

But most damning of all is how the arithmetic operations of fractions (addition, subtraction, multiplication and long division), have been postponed to Grade 8. Cognitive science has already determined which elementary school skills, empirically, best predict success in mathematics at the end of high school. The findings are clear: There are no better predictors known than skill in division and fractional arithmetic.

By delaying this important step, how are B.C. kids able to compete with kids globally, who have already mastered fractions four or five years earlier? In the bid to compete in a world economy, our kids will be at the back of the pack. This is not a balanced approach to education, its educational malpractice.

Some countries have already experienced the damage these learning fads have inflicted on a generation of students. And they are reacting to this abysmal failure by making positive changes.

In the U.K., this years math curriculum will include introducing more complex fractions at an earlier age, curtailing the use of calculators and insisting that teacher-led instruction be utilized with greater frequency.

New Zealands latest independent education study has examined the failures of its math program. Overwhelming evidence suggested 21st-century learning the same learning fad B.C. education leaders are promoting was responsible for poor math skills in their students.

If these learning strategies have already been dismissed globally, why does B.C. insist on promoting them? I have seen the research, Ive reviewed it, its horrendous.

Every child does not have to become a math genius, but they all deserve to have a firm grasp of arithmetic. Get back to work, and fix this. Our children are worth it.

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-failed-fads-resurface-in-new-b-c-curriculum-1.2046243

In: "Big Ideas" and "Flexible Learning"

Out: "Math fundamentals", "Memorization" and "Daily Practice"

imho This is in-line with 'traditional' school thought. That fundamentals, memorization, daily practice are enforced, because that's what the parents went through and there's a perceived benefit. ie. It gets them into college easier. Is this true? Is our public education system worsening? Dumbing down our kids?

I know one thing, we shouldn't let our schools dictate our kids' education 100% no matter what our public schools do. My wife and I have hounded our kids all summer long with learning activities including old core values like memorization. It can't hurt. It seems that in this day and age, public schools are getting fluffier, and less inclined to get kids up to a higher standard. Citing hurt feelings and anxienty. Anxiety? From grades K-9? Hah! Wait until adulthood. When you're underprepared for life, that's going to cause plenty of anxiety.

At the end of the day every teacher is different though. Their effectiveness will impact your child's learning experience more than curriculum change will.

[Armada]

but Jesus says DINOSAURS AREN'T REAL

[BCNeil]

I am not a fan of all the specialty schools. Parents making these important decisions that will change their kids lives.

A lady at my office had her daughter go to some school where she could just do dance and drama.

The girl was apparently very good. But the mom was certain she was going to be a star and earn a living as some sort of entertainer. Her grade 11-12 had all those fluff courses. So fast forward 3 years later. Daughter is not a famous entertainer. She works part time at a clothing retain store. She is taking a couple courses, so that she can get into college next year.

But I know another kid who graduated with me decades ago. His dad owned an auto garage. So the son took all shop courses. After high school he worked for his dad, and took courses at BCIT. Then after 4 years decided he wanted to be a school teacher instead. These kids need to keep a wide range of option available for as long as possible. Even in college most of my buddies didn't even have a major the first couple years.

[TOMapleLaughs]

What I don't get is we're not instilling the virtues of practice in our kids, but ask any pro what kind of practice it takes to become an expert at something, they'll say around 25,000 hrs of practice.

We're talkin' 'bout practice, y'all?

[Down by the River]

Specialized curriculums would have the safe effect as telling a kid whose good at hockey that they can't play baseball in the spring and summer or lacrosse because they need to concentrate on hockey year-round.

Sometimes learning a new skill in an area outside your main interest, and then applying that new skill to your main interest is better.

[thejazz97]

but Jesus says DINOSAURS AREN'T REAL

Guess this is fake then

[thejazz97]

My college is kinda doing the whole specialization thing as well. After the business certificate, instead of a Marketing diploma or Accounting diploma, it's now a Business diploma specializing in marketing or accounting or what have you.

[Kazmanian Devil]

As a music, hockey, and dinosaur lover I'm very disappointed to have missed out on this.

[HerrDrFunk]

Guess this is fake then

Nah, that's from the original Aramaic text.

[aGENT]

If I didn't have to move or commute (my kids) to Maple Ridge...I'd send them here in a heart beat:

http://es.sd42.ca/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro_PYIOXirk

...and before anyone asks:

Will the school follow the BC curriculum? Yes, as a public school it will meet all the requirements of the School Act. However, concepts and subject areas will be embedded in themes, projects and activities stretching across the curriculum.

[RonMexico]

This sounds disastrous.

[Mr. Ambien]

This sounds disastrous.

That would describe North American education nowadays.

[jdatb]

is homeschooling legal in Canada, BTW?

[etsen3]

I'm personally in favour of teaching people the ability to think critically at higher levels rather than just spout memorized facts. Teaching people how to think, not what to think. The best courses I took in high school were the ones were ones with very intelligent teachers who challenged the class to really think about issues rather than just memorize certain facts and formulas. I disagree that foundational skills are lacking moreso than the ability to grasp complex concepts and think at higher levels, especially with technology increasingly taking over menial "thought-tasks".

Take social studies class as an example. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what day a certain historical event occurred. If you really need to know, you can Google that information. What's important is understanding how these events affect society. Understanding a concept can also help you remember small facts because you know why these details are important and how they can be related to the big picture.

In the workplace and in the world, the most successful people (the ones who become CEO's and hold other influential roles) are the smart people who can really think actively and innovate. There are plenty of people that can follow a routine or procedure perfectly, but these skills are better suited to entry level jobs or middle management.

Higher education values these skills as well. The further you go along, from high school to undergrad to masters to doctorate programs, the more important it become to be able to think, not just know.

[Ghostsof1915]

You mean like.....

[Fanuck]

The most comprehensive study ever completed on education related to K-12 aged student achievement was done by a researcher named John Hattie. He is based in Australia, but is very knowledgeable about education in Canada having done his PhD here. Anyone directly working in the education field should already know of his study, but from my experience here, a lot of people like to comment on education from a point of view of 'I went to school so I know all about it' or 'I have/had kids in school so I know all about it' rather than 'I work/volunteer in the field and receive professional training in it'. Not that personal experiences aren't valid because they are, but how many people have actually spent meaningful amounts of time in a BC public school since they themselves graduated? I am an engineer by trade and have been volunteering in my nephews classroom two hours per week for about 2.5 years now and I can tell you that it's [public school system] not like it used to be when I was attending.

Anyway,John Hattie's research is extensive and takes time to fully understand. Perhaps not entirely fair, an infographic sums it up best imo:

http://visible-learning.org/2013/02/infographic-john-hattie-visible-learing/

Essentially, the MoE should be focused on promoting the top 5-10 factors, but are they?

Thankfully the school that I volunteer at gives all volunteers some 'basic training' so to speak (offered free by volunteering teachers I might add) and this is where I learned about Hattie. Is his research the be all end all on education, of course not. But he is highly regarded in the field by both educators and administrators and should be given credence.

Now, if only our government would stop trying to run public education like a private business. ........okay, rant over, sorry for that.

[John Tortorella]

Garbage attempt.

Still running for premier in 7 years

Education needs:

Financial education

Nutritional/human function education

Personal planning / goal setting

Coding

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/new-bc-curriculum-fosters-student-passion-through-projects-flexible-learning/article26183299/

My personal experience with sending kids to school out in the valley has seen a diversification of schools. Meaning more and more schools are becoming 'specialized'. There's an arts-based curriculum, traditional schools, etc. The result is more options for parents, but perhaps a growing divide among the classes, because certain parents aim for traditional schools, while others are content with regular public school, or have no choice but to send their kids to the closest school. ie. Are poorer people missing out on some conceived benefit that 'traditional' schools provide? Or are traditional schools, arts-based etc. and the amount of choice available just a bunch of bs and we need a return to a unified public schooling system? This is an ongoing debate.

Meanwhile, here's a critic on the changes to the curriculum:

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-failed-fads-resurface-in-new-b-c-curriculum-1.2046243

In: "Big Ideas" and "Flexible Learning"

Out: "Math fundamentals", "Memorization" and "Daily Practice"

imho This is in-line with 'traditional' school thought. That fundamentals, memorization, daily practice are enforced, because that's what the parents went through and there's a perceived benefit. ie. It gets them into college easier. Is this true? Is our public education system worsening? Dumbing down our kids?

I know one thing, we shouldn't let our schools dictate our kids' education 100% no matter what our public schools do. My wife and I have hounded our kids all summer long with learning activities including old core values like memorization. It can't hurt. It seems that in this day and age, public schools are getting fluffier, and less inclined to get kids up to a higher standard. Citing hurt feelings and anxienty. Anxiety? From grades K-9? Hah! Wait until adulthood. When you're underprepared for life, that's going to cause plenty of anxiety.

At the end of the day every teacher is different though. Their effectiveness will impact your child's learning experience more than curriculum change will.

[Baer.]

Guess this is fake then

Are you kidding? That's so photoshopped! If Jesus were to ride ontop of any dinorsaur, it would be a T-Rex. Everybody knows that!

[Ghostsof1915]

One thing I noticed when I went to college, is I learned more about English and math in 1 semester in English 100 and Math 100 than I did in my entire time in school. The textbooks were written in practical terms, explaining how apply in real life terms the steps on English structure, punctuation, etc. For the first time I understood why you would want to know this in every day work and home life.

I was making mistakes in high school math, and it frustrated me that no one would bother to tell me what I was doing wrong.

In college my instructor took the time to show me I had the right idea/steps, but pointed out where my errors were coming from.

Then it was like the lightbulb going off. It all made sense. There was none of this Math is a science we must understand the glory of numbers. It was see the challenge, here's how you tackle it, there's the solution. Totally different attitude and way of teaching.

[Fanuck]

Totally different attitude and way of teaching.

College/University profs are teaching students who, for the most part, chose to be there; their students have a career/financial stake in their own success/failure. Completely different than K-12 education. Not even the least bit fair to make comparisons imo.