Education and Child Care
The world is changing and parents expect government and teachers to work together to make sure students have the skills they need to succeed.
That’s why the government has partnered with more than 100 teachers to develop new curriculum being introduced to classrooms over the next three years.
And it is why Minister of Education Mike Bernier and B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker today announced a wide-ranging support plan so teachers get the information and training they need to bring B.C.’s new curriculum to life in their classrooms. The support plan includes $1 million to fund targeted training this school year, as well as dedicated time worth $100 million over three years so public school teachers can prepare for the curriculum.Bernier and Iker were joined at the announcement by representatives from the wide range of education partners dedicated to student success – including the British Columbia School Trustees Association, the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the Federation of Independent School Associations British Columbia, the B.C. Principals’ and Vice-Principals’ Association, and the British Columbia School Superintendents Association and the BC Association of School Business Officials.
(flickr.com) The support plan includes:
- learning sessions for teachers at the provincial and local levels
- webinars, videos and district-level teams in place so teachers can learn first-hand what is working in the classroom
- extra time set aside throughout the three years so districts and teachers associations can collaborate on training for teachers
- dedication of two existing professional days to the new curriculum in 2016-17 and 2017-18
The new K-12 curriculum maps out what teachers teach and what students are expected to learn. While it focuses on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic the new curriculum teaches them in a way that students also learn the collaboration, critical thinking, and communications skills needed to succeed after high school.
The curriculum will be phased in over three years. K-9 is available for teachers to use this year on a trial basis before being fully implemented next school year. By 2017-18 the entire K-12 curriculum will be used throughout the province.
Mike Bernier, Minister of Education –
“In our changing world parents expect us to make sure kids have the skills they need to succeed. The new curriculum was designed by teachers for teachers and these training supports will make sure they can bring the new curriculum to life in the classroom. It’s really encouraging to work collaboratively. The BCTF and its members have been key partners in building the new curriculum and this support plan. It’s my hope we build on this work together for an even more collaborative relationship moving forward.”
Jim Iker, president, BC Teachers Federation –
“The BCTF has been very supportive of the collaborative process involved in developing B.C.’s new curriculum and we are very proud of the hard work more than 100 of our members put into the redesign teams. The new curricula are streamlined and flexible –qualities teachers will appreciate – while remaining rigorous and engaging for students. Today’s announcement of 10 hours of in-service time for B.C. teachers to work together, learn, discuss, and share strategies about the new curriculum is a very welcome first step in ensuring a successful roll out. Teachers want to see the new curriculum succeed. Going forward, the BCTF will continue to advocate for the funding needed to ensure teachers have the resources and learning conditions to support our students’ learning.”
Teresa Rezansoff, president, BC School Trustees Association –
“The BC School Trustees Association supports the Ministry of Education’s decision to fund and facilitate opportunities for teachers at all levels to engage in and explore the new K-12 curriculum. The co-construction of this initiative by the BCTF and the ministry is positive and recognizes the value of all parties in the education sector working together. Boards of education will be looking forward to the local discussions on how best to structure the use of the 10 hours and accompanying resources to best meet the needs of teachers while minimizing any impact on student learning time.”
Sherry Elwood, president, BC School Superintendents Association –
“District superintendents and their senior leader colleagues will be pleased to work with our educational partners to design and plan for the implementation of the new curriculum. This is an exciting opportunity to create experiences for our students which will engage them in meaningful learning for the 21st century. Working together with teachers, educational support staff, principals and vice-principals, we can continue to focus on the skills that our students will need to be positive and contributing members of a future that we can only imagine!”
Dr. Peter Froese, executive director, Federation of Independent School Associations BC –
“Independent school teachers are pleased to have participated in the development of the new curriculum for K-12 students. To assist teachers in curriculum implementation strategies, the five associations of FISA BC will join our education partners in providing ten hours of professional development this year to better prepare teachers in strengthening communication, personalized learning opportunities, collaboration and critical thinking skills for students.”
Tyrone McNeil, president, First Nations Steering Committee –
“Professional learning is essential to effective implementation of the new curriculum, particularly when it comes to increased Aboriginal content. We celebrate opportunities for teachers to increase their capacity to meet the needs of Aboriginal students and integrate Aboriginal content across the curriculum.”
Nicole Makohoniuk, BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils –
“We are encouraged that all partners in education were consulted to create the new curriculum for students and that teachers will be supported as the new curriculum is being rolled out. This is an exciting time for students in education.”
Gordon Li, president, BC Principals’ and Vice Principals’ Association –
“Educators are hopeful about the possibilities of the new curriculum framework and its promise to engage students in personalized and inter-disciplinary learning and critical thinking. Successful implementation requires that principals and vice-principals work with our partners to develop common understanding and share successful practices. The opportunities the Ministry are providing will greatly increase the prospect of successful implementation for the benefit of all students.”
Kelvin Stretch, BC Association of School Business Officials –
“We appreciate the recognition by the Province of the need for additional resources to support the implementation of initiatives such as the introduction of new curriculum.”
Quick Facts:
- The ministry is working directly with more than 150 teachers on 20 curriculum teams to develop the new curriculum.
- Draft K-9 curriculum was posted online for review in October 2013 and garnered more than eight million webpage views and more than 1,200 pieces of feedback from teachers, experts, parents and the general public.
- Draft curriculum for grades 10-12 is now being developed and posted for review.
- Aboriginal culture and perspectives have been integrated throughout all grade levels.
- The curriculum also includes the history and the contributions of the Asian and South Asian community to the development of our province – and the injustices they experienced.
Learn More:
New curriculum: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
B.C.’s Education Plan: http://www.bcedplan.ca/
B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: https://www.workbc.ca/skills
