Minister of Education, Adriana LaGrange. (Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Three Subjects

Province says updated draft K-6 curriculum ready for piloting

May 17, 2022 | 10:58 AM

Alberta’s education minister says school authorities can pilot three updated draft K-6 subjects with students in classrooms across the province this fall.

Adriana LaGrange says Alberta’s government is continuing to take a balanced, phased approach to kindergarten to Grade 6 (K-6) curriculum renewal based on advice from the Curriculum Implementation Advisory Group. In September, classroom piloting for updated draft K-6 curriculum will begin with Science, French First Language and Literature, and French Immersion Language Arts and Literature.

“We have updated the draft K-6 Science, French First Language and Literature, and French Immersion Language Arts and Literature curriculums with insights we heard from this year’s classroom piloting process and engagement with Albertans, including our francophone education partners and their communities. School authorities will have the opportunity to pilot these subjects with teachers and students to help us understand how the updated curriculum transfers to classrooms,” said Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Education.

“I’m pleased that Minister LaGrange and Alberta Education have worked closely with francophone stakeholders, including Alberta’s four francophone school authorities, to ensure that francophone identity and perspectives are authentically reflected in the new draft K-6 curriculum,” added Dan Williams, MLA for Peace River and parliamentary secretary for la Francophonie.

Classroom piloting

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The government says it is providing maximum flexibility in how school authorities participate in optional classroom piloting of the updated draft curriculums. The piloting experience will include:

• supporting teachers with professional learning opportunities
• information and tools to work with the updated subjects in classrooms
• collecting feedback from teachers piloting the draft curriculums

By June 6, school authorities will identify their intent to participate in classroom piloting, including how many teachers are involved, the subjects and grade levels they will pilot.

While classroom piloting is underway, Albertans will also be able to provide feedback on the updated draft K-6 subjects. In spring 2023, the feedback from classroom piloting and Albertans is expected to inform final updates to the three curriculums prior to province-wide implementation during the 2023-24 school year.

“The College of Alberta School Superintendents is appreciative of the opportunity for teachers to pilot draft curriculum. We are pleased that the government continues to seek feedback from experts in the field and believe that piloting not only provides the government with valuable information but better prepares teachers for implementation,” shared Wilco Tymensen, president, College of Alberta School superintendents and member of Curriculum Implementation Advisory Group.

Content updates in the three subjects

The government says the draft K-6 Science, French First Language and Literature, and French Immersion Language Arts and Literature curriculums were updated by considering all feedback from classroom piloting and engagement activities between March 2021 and March 2022. The content was also said to be aligned with top-performing jurisdictions within Canada and internationally, as well as those jurisdictions with knowledge-rich curriculums. Updates included:

• Revisions and additions to the draft K-6 Science content to integrate scientific methods and hands-on activities, emphasize connections to nature and address digital literacy and ethics.
• Enhancements to the draft K-6 French First Language and Literature content is expected to support the development of francophone identity through inclusion of francophone perspectives and cultures.
• Enhancements to the draft K-6 French Immersion Language Arts and Literature curriculum to strengthen francophone perspectives and culture, provide logical learning progressions, develop effective and meaningful communication, and support critical thinking and language skills.
• Changes across the three K-6 subjects to address instances of concern with content load, age appropriateness, wording clarity and First Nations, Métis and Inuit content.

“Starting in September 2022, the four francophone school boards in Alberta will pilot this updated French first language and literature program,” said Tanya Saumure, president, Fédération des conseils scolaires francophones de l’Alberta. “The Fédération des conseils scolaires francophones de l’Alberta (FCSFA) and the francophone school boards appreciate the openness shown by Alberta Education in recent months regarding the update of the curriculum. Teachers and educational consultants from the four boards had the opportunity to analyze the curriculum and to provide recommendations to Alberta Education.”

“We’ve been anticipating the modernization of the curriculum,” remarked Nadine Morton, president, Fédération des parents francophones de l’Alberta. “The fact that the four francophone authorities are ready to pilot the subjects mentioned is reassuring. Learning French as a first language is of primary importance to parents and we are willing to work with the ministry, through school authorities, for implementation.”

Alberta government quick facts

• In 2022-23, the Alberta government has allocated $59 million for the K-6 piloting and implementation process. This includes a $6.5-million investment to support piloting and provide teachers release time to plan for piloting and participate in regular feedback sessions throughout the piloting process.
• Alberta Education has provided the Fédération des conseils scolaires francophones de l’Alberta with a $250,000 grant that may be used for engagement with teachers to review and recommend resources.
• Between March 2021 and March 2022, Albertans provided feedback on the draft K-6 curriculum by:
  • completing more than 34,000 online surveys
  • sharing diverse viewpoints at 31 virtual engagement sessions held in five regions across the province
• About $1 million in grants supported 12 partner groups to engage with their communities.

“While teachers across the province continue to say they feel unsupported and ill prepared for the implementation of math, language arts, and physical education and wellness, the education minister and UCP are asking teachers to do even more,” said NDP Education Critic Sarah Hoffman.

“Everyone is asking the UCP to slow down and address the stress and trauma students, staff and families have had to deal with these past two years, instead the UCP is forging ahead and forcing more change on Alberta students and teachers.”

“Albertans deserve a government they can trust and a curriculum that will prepare students for higher learning, the world of work or how to be engaged citizens. Families deserve a government they can trust and have confidence that teachers, cultural leaders, academics and employers are fully involved in the curriculum,” Hoffman said.

“The only way to truly have a curriculum Albertans can have confidence in is to change the government. An NDP government led by Rachel Notley will work with families, educators, community leaders and academics to build a curriculum all Albertans can be proud of,” Hoffman said.

“This government continues to rush through curriculum changes without gaining much-needed buy-in from the public or the teachers who will be expected to use and implement the curriculum,” said Jason Schilling, President, Alberta Teachers Association. “In addition to implementing—on very short notice and without adequate supports—new curriculum in three subjects, schools will be expected to take on piloting of new curriculum in up to three more subjects. Schools are being inundated with added expectations next year, and students will suffer as a result—something that teachers, school leaders and parents do not want to see.”

“There is a complete lack of trust in this government, and on this file in particular,” added Schilling. “The minister is asking Albertans to trust her when she says that feedback has been incorporated into new drafts of the curriculum, yet she has not released any feedback publicly. When will the minister release the complete results of her so-called consultations? Finally, I must correct one thing said by the minister today: no curriculum has been implemented in Alberta in living memory without a full pilot. Her statements otherwise are just not true.”