With students able to instantly search an infinite amount of information online on any topic and the average five-year-old able to navigate an iPad or YouTube with ease, it is clear that schools will have to move away from a traditional model where all students read the same book at the same time, answer the same questions and write the same test. There is a massive shift underway, and as students go back to school next week, a new optional curriculum will be in place for students up to Grade 9. It will be mandatory next year. Grades 10 to 12 are next, with a draft curriculum expected this week. Teachers have expressed concerns about a lack of training and resources to carry out the changes and some parents are concerned that the new curriculum doesn’t put enough emphasis on the basics, particularly in math. The shift will also bring in new methods of assessment that could see traditional report cards and letter grades disappear. A bit further off are new graduation requirements, which could mean the end of every student passing the same basic courses and exams in order to get a diploma. When the graduation requirements change, that could have significant effects on the post-secondary system and how it decides which kids to accept. That’s why the changes are being slowly implemented and work is being done to include post-secondary schools in the process. Education Minister Mike Bernier said the transition is happening because parents want their kids to succeed as technology and innovation reshape society. “Parents expect their kids to learn the basics — reading, writing and arithmetic. They also want them to learn the collaboration, critical thinking and communications skills they’ll need to succeed in college, university and the workforce,” says Bernier. “Personalized learning is at the heart of the changes — and teachers will have the time and ability to help kids dig into what interests them. We all know how passionate kids can be when they get into something like music, soccer, or dinosaurs. The new curriculum will give teachers the ability to tap into these passions.” Teachers, who helped create the new curriculum, like its focus on big ideas and competencies, but they are concerned about resources, funding and training. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation is calling for implementation funding, and says in an email to members that the “funding committed to date falls far short of what we know is required to make implementation successful.” Support for students with special needs is another concern for the union, as is the push to train students for trades. Bernier says teachers will be trained in how to use the new curriculum. “We’re developing just how we’re going to help teachers train to make the most of the new curriculum — and I expect we’ll have details on exactly how we are going to do that in the near future,” Bernier said. Jan Unwin, superintendent of graduation and student transitions for the ministry of education, has been heading up the changes. She wants kids to follow their passions, but to make sure they still learn the facts that are necessary to get by in life. “Having talked to hundreds of graduates, even the ones who get all the scholarships, when you talk to them, they sound more compliant than jazzed about their learning,” Unwin said. “If we keep doing it this way — which was built for a different time and a different kind of learner and a different world — what will happen if we do nothing? Will we become irrelevant.”

But there are no global examples to follow and this education transformation is untested. Some parents, like North Saanich mother Tara Houle, are concerned that the math curriculum doesn’t bring back an emphasis on the mastery of math fundamentals and direct instruction. But Unwin said the new curriculum will cover the things that every student needs to know in numeracy to be a successful citizen, while other math, like factoring polynomials for examples, can be taught to kids who really enjoy math. “Maybe having more space in the curriculum allows some students to go deep, to go faster, to go further and at the same time allows a teacher to intervene with the kids who are struggling,” Unwin said. The new curriculum is broader, more flexible and designed in a way that allows subjects to be blended together. “A bigger task now, for education, is rather than give the information, to help kids sort it and be critical thinkers about it,” Unwin said. “That’s very different now from when I was teaching, when I thought I had to know more than the kids. That shifts the teacher role now, to work with kids as a coach, a mentor or an activator, to get them able to decipher good from bad and allow them to be creative.” Squamish Elementary teacher April Lowe chose to use the new curriculum last year. She says she likes it because it is more concept-driven than content-driven, focusing on big ideas. One of the “big ideas” for Grade 4 English Language Arts is that “language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.” “What the notion of that is, is that a child should leave your classroom loving to read, loving to write, and loving all of the things that there is in English Language Arts, as opposed to learning to read for the mechanics of learning to read,” Lowe said. “Say a little guy in my class loves hockey and wants to read about hockey — it’s my job now to figure out what he is capable of reading and try to source out books that suit his interest level. “That’s what this new curriculum is doing. It’s letting everybody know there is no more one size fits all.” Of course, choice will require resources. Not every teacher has a classroom full of books to choose from, a concern that Lowe recognizes. Coquitlam teacher Tara Elie is headed to a new school this fall and she has no idea what resources will be available in her classroom. “How much technology you have varies from school to school and classroom to classroom,” Elie said. “It would be much easier if you knew you had a certain technology available. Depending on what school you are at, you may or may not be able to do certain things.”

Elie supports the shift in curriculum, as long as the resources are in place. “If the intent is going to be a more personalized approach to allow me to teach a variety of different levels, I might need another teacher in my room of 30 students,” Elie said. She described an activity called Genius Hour, which is a time for students to work on a project that is passionate to them, over time, perhaps for an hour or two each week, all year. “Doing that over context, where I’m going to be applying it to skateboards and simple machines for someone and something else for someone else, that’s a bit more daunting,” Elie said. “This student might know more than you about this particular thing. They might know more than you about a cello; in fact, I’m sure they know more than you about the cello, especially if you’ve never played it. “But do you feel confident assessing the math and using ratio in terms of string length when they’re studying the cello? Do you feel confident about your knowledge of significant composers when they’re studying the cello?” Sun Education Reporter tsherlock@vancouversun.com The New Curriculum: Grade 6-9 Science: “Students Build a Shelter” Before: Many science classes were often textbook based, with an emphasis on hard facts. After: More opportunities to see how classroom learning applies to real-life situations in their own environments. In this example, students learn the basics while working collaboratively. They solve problems and learn communications skills. The assignment: In science class, the teacher asks students, “What’s important in building a shelter to protect you from the elements?” Students are invited to design and build a shelter using only materials found on the forest floor right outside their classroom. The first day, they work independently sketching their designs. The following day the entire class brainstorms, comes up with criteria for successes and protocols for working outside. Students have a keen sense of purpose and ownership during the planning process, and when communicating and sharing their plans, and when working collaboratively to build their shelters. Grades K-9 English Languages: “We Are All Related” Before: English language classes might have involved a teacher asking students to read a book and write an essay exploring the main themes. After: More opportunities for active hands-on learning. Involved in a group project, students explore literary themes while they develop compassion. The project: When asked to explore the themes of the book We Are All Related, one school project involves students from all grade levels. Primary students work alongside a group of secondary students on an art piece based on concepts from the book. The teachers then invite students to share stories about their families, backgrounds, and favourite things. All students learn about literary devices and technique while building relationships, developing compassion and learning about other cultures. K-5 Science: “Making Own Robot”