In the Land of Possibilities The Educated Citizen: From a vision to a reality
Nov 11, 2014
In the Land of Possibilities
The Educated Citizen: From a vision to a reality
An Opportunity To:O Transform curriculum and create flexibility and choice
O Build a common framework for all curriculum
O Design curriculum in a coherent and aligned way
O Base curriculum on recent evidence, research as well as global and national trends
O Create the opportunity for teachers to shape curriculum and learning experiences in response to their students and their context
Phases of SchoolingO Organize according to the developmental stages of development
O K-5, gr. 6-9, gr. 10 -12O Courses, but not necessarily courses
O Create a learning environment at the early years (K-2) that reflects what we know about early learners
O Push up the primary program
O Identify the specific needs of the middle years child and be more responsive
Profile of a learner based on Competencies
O CommunicationO Creative Thinking &
InnovationO Critical ThinkingO Social ResponsibilityO Personal Responsibility &
Well Being
Conceptual Curriculum (Based on Concepts)
O Abstract ideas – often formed by mentally combining characteristics e.g. cycles, diversity, interdependence
O requires a deeper level of understanding than facts
O allows us to categorize concrete or factual examples and create mental constructs
O contains the following attributes: timeless, abstract, apply broadly
Why Concept Based Curriculum?
O raise the intellectual bar, focusing on big ideas and essential understandings (theories, principles, generalizations).
O Topics and facts become the foundational support for the deeper understandings.
O Concept-based curriculum fosters deeper understandings, supports making new meanings and facilitates the transfer of learning.
O Human minds are natural meaning makers and pattern finders.
Presently we have an “outcome” based curriculum design. O How is a conceptual style
of curriculum different to what we have now?
O What possibilities does it provide?
O What kind of support will teachers need?
Big Ideas:
O are generalizations based on concepts implicit and explicit in the curriculum.
O identify the “enduring understandings” or “essential ideas” within an area of learning.
O go beyond discrete facts or skills to focus on larger concepts, principles, or processes.”
O will be based on the key concepts identified by groups of BC educators.
Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Understanding by Design (1998), p. 10
Why Big Ideas?
O Topics and facts do not transfer – they are locked in time, place or situation.
O Generalizations and concepts can transfer across time, cultures, and situations.
Transfer of Learning is . . .
O taking the understandings learned in one subject and apply them in another
O using learned knowledge or skills to solve a never-before-seen problem
O applying knowledge learned in the classroom to solve a new, more realistic problem
Learning StandardsO Learning standards present the required
learning experiences and outcomes for students in each area of learning.
O Rather than prescribed narrow outcomes, learning standards invite exploration, integration inspiration, and innovation
O Shifting from using behavioural verbs (e.g., list, explain, describe, demonstrate) to including experiential verbs (e.g., engage, explore, create, experiment, appreciate) gives license to perceive the art of teaching in a different and freer way
In the land of possiblities:
O What do you think? Talk with a partner about how these changes might transform teaching and learning?
O In what ways are teachers already approaching teaching in this way?
Communicating Student Learning
O Competencies will be a focus for communicating how students are meeting the goals of schooling
O A continua will be developed to assist teachers in understanding how the competencies develop over time
O The reporting order in it’s present form will change and be revised
O Practices that provide parents with information that clearly helps them understand their child’s learning, in a timely fashion will be a focus (student-led conferences, parent, student conferences, negotiated goal setting conferences . . . . .)
O Letter grades for specific grades to be determined
O Percentages???O Specific formats???O Graduation requirements to be
determined
CreditO Created by Pat Horstead, Assistant
Superintendent, School District #36.
O Prepared for Surrey Schools Helping Teachers.