Curriculum Transformation
Moving towards the Reality
Where are we today?
Making the Shift
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Covering curriculum
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Engaging students through an
inquiry approach, deep learning
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Subjects and courses
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Flexible approach
Interdisciplinary and disciplinary
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Learning outcomes
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Learning standards, Big ideas,
relevant and meaningful
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Measuring and assessing
student work
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Descriptive feedback,
developing competencies
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Evaluation and grading
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Learner profiles, communicating
student learning
“The change and transformation
is really not about curriculum. It
is actually about how we engage
students in learning and what we
do in classrooms with our
students”
Quote from a teacher through the review process
A Solid Foundation
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Clear principles established to guide the
transformation and innovation efforts;
discussion papers on innovation posted on
website
Advisory Groups, Stakeholder Groups and
Focus Groups provide guidance and
direction
Consultation occurring widely and broadly
throughout the province
Involving all in the process and creating a
sense of transparency
A collaborative partnership with the BCTF
Developing Clarity
Curriculum is competency driven, concept
based giving teachers more flexibility and ability
to shape learning experiences
 Big Ideas are an important aspect of the
Learning Standards that support teachers in
planning for interdisciplinary and cross cutting
themes
 Competencies ( Thinking, Communication,
Personal/Social) defined and work continuing on
developing profiles
 Curriculum drafts developed in key areas of
learning K-9
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Renewed Curriculum K-9
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Language Arts (including English, French
Immersion, Français Langue Première)
Mathematics
Social Studies
Science
Arts
Health and Physical Education
Core French (in progress)
Applied Skills and Career (under discussion)
Competencies
Districts and teacher groups developing
profiles of Creative Thinking, Critical
Thinking, Communication, Personal
Culture and Identity
 Illustrative samples and examples
gathered from classrooms to support
teacher’s understanding of the
development of the competencies
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Website
• New curriculum and competencies work
posted on an ongoing basis
• Provides additional resources and
support
• Ongoing updates and information about
the transformative work
• A vehicle to gather feedback from a
wide audience
• Vision is for the website to be
interactive to support flexibility
What are the Next Steps?
Feedback – What were the themes?
Overwhelming support for the general
directions
 Appreciation for the flexibility, focus on
big ideas and competencies
 Supports interdisciplinary and
personalized learning
 Further in depth analysis of feedback
occurring in each subject/discipline area
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Feedback – views on the process
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“Love that there is no timeline for
implementation - and instead waiting to
ensure that all voices have been heard.”
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“Get the rest of the links up and
running!”
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“Give us some ideas as to what the
reporting piece will look like. Also,
timelines... what are we thinking?”
Feedback on Curriculum
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Social Studies
◦ Need to further address Geographical thinking
◦ Support for the explicit inclusion of Aboriginal
worldview
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Science
◦ Provide more support for the specificity of the
concepts
◦ Too much content
◦ Environment needs more attention
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English Language Arts
• Need support for beginning stages of literacy
development
Feedback on Curriculum
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Math
◦ Need to ensure Aboriginal worldview is
evident
◦ Ensure the covering of the basics
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Health and PE
◦ Support for inclusion of overall health and
healthy behaviours
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Arts
◦ Integration options with other disciplines is
positive
◦ Need to consider having specialties after
grade 8
Questions Being Asked?
Do we have the right balance between
flexibility and specificity?
 What support materials will be provided
to support the transformation efforts?
 Are there illustrative examples,
elaborations of concepts that can outline
level of specificity?
 How will we ensure the foundational
skills in literacy and numeracy are
addressed?
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What lays Ahead?
Continued Work this Fall
Core French curriculum teacher team
established including a field facilitator (Claire
Guy)
 Development and refinement of
Competency Profiles to continue in fall
 Grade 10 – 12 prototype and development
of draft curricula to begin this fall and
beyond
 Revisions to K-9 according to feedback and
to align with the Grad Program
requirements
 Determine how to address Applied Skills and
Career Education
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Supporting Transformation Efforts
Grad Program – continued consultations,
work with post secondary, G6 providing
guidance, Jan Unwin working with Post
Secondary and K-12 Ministry
 Assessment Framework – identifying and
clarity on Large Scale Assessment ( AGPA
recommendations), Exam program,
reporting and communicating student
learning and classroom assessment
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How do we as District
Leaders Support the
Transformative Efforts?
 Develop
and encourage different
planning constructs for curriculum
delivery and make examples available
to teachers (Planning for big ideas
through inquiries, themes, interdisciplinary, etc)
 Encourage and reinforce innovative
classroom practices such as (problem
based/project based, genius hour,
maker spaces, community
connections, service learning)
 Focus
on competency development for
students in Thinking, Communication
and Personal and Social Competence
 Involve teachers in conversations on
how to “activate” the competencies in
their classrooms – For example, “What
does it look like in a classroom when
students are creatively, critically
thinking?”
 Encourage Principals and teachers to
become familiar with the Competency
profiles and examples on the Ministry
website
 Insist
on effective Assessment for
Learning practices
 Challenge the practices associated
with Assessment of Learning and
achievement levels
 Encourage different school
structures and move away from
structures and approaches that
impede innovation
 Change the “Ya Buts” into “Why
nots”
Develop networks of innovative practices
to inspire and motivate and create
momentum throughout your district
 Shift thinking from implementation date
to transformational process
 Encourage hubs of innovation and identify
your teacher leaders
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Websites and Documents
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https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculu
m.gov.bc.ca/files/pdf/curriculum_redesign_
update.pdf