More time sought for new math curriculum
Teachers unions call province’s two-month timeline ‘unrealistic’
Ontario teachers are asking the provincial government to phase-in the new elementary math curriculum over two years — instead of implementing it in the next two months — saying the tight timeline will be a problem for students and educators.
“The reality is, whenever you bring a new curriculum forward, it’s always best to have some lead time,” said Liz Stuart, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, one of four unions to issue a letter to Education Minister Stephen Lecce about the updated math lessons that are to be in place this fall.
“In the best of times, releasing a curriculum in June and saying we’re implementing in September would be foolhardy, but especially at this time, it’s just nonsensical,” she said.
Given schools were shut down in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with classes abruptly moving online until the end of June, the unions say their members will need to focus on figuring out how far students have fallen behind, as well as their mental health and wellbeing when everyone returns in September.
Stuart noted that it still remains unclear if children will actually be in school or learning online at home, or a combination of both.
In their letter sent Friday, the unions called the short timeline “unrealistic and counterproductive,” and said while they “are committed to the success of our students and are open to changes to our curriculum that improve learning outcomes … the changes to the math curriculum are substantial and will require significant time, collaboration and new resources to be properly implemented.”
In releasing the new lessons last week, Lecce said the curriculum — which includes coding and financial literacy in Grade 1 and more rote or recall of math facts — is “relevant to the job market and actually relevant to the skills needed for our students. We’re going to be teaching math in September to students in one way or another.”
The current math curriculum has been in use since 2005, and a lot has changed since then, he added.
The new curriculum also focuses on student attitudes and stress about math, and ways to build their confidence in the subject — which has been identified as a huge problem as math scores in standardized testing continue to decline.
Lecce said the government prefers to “proceed with reform that actually gives young people an opportunity to graduate and ultimately get into post-secondary with a pathway to get a job, a good paying job.”
While aware of the complications because of COVID-19, Lecce said, “we also appreciate there’s an imperative globally and provincially for us to move forward with a plan that reflects that modernization.”
There will be training for teachers and the government has pledged additional funds for boards to hire math leaders for schools. Lecce has also cancelled standardized testing for elementary students for the 2020-21 school year.
Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, said “we’re not opposed at all” to the new curriculum, and “in fact, there are parts of that new curriculum that are great and much needed.”
However, he said, “when you look at implementing it by September, after five months of school closure, there is a learning gap and with the reopening of schools there are challenges that all of our members and students will have to deal with ... It’s just not the right time to be implementing” such a critical piece of learning for kids.