ATA review of K-6 curriculum mirrors that of local school divisions

By KENDALL KING on October 6, 2021.

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

kking@medicinehatnews.com

Last week the Alberta Teacher’s Association released an analysis and critique of the province’s proposed 2021 K-6 curriculum changes. The ATA listed 14 key findings and concluded that the proposal “does not meet Alberta Education’s overall vision, guidelines and considerations for curriculum development.”

This analysis echos what educators across the province have said since the curriculum was first drafted.

Local deputy superintendent Reagan Weeks, of the Prairie Rose School Division, told the News that when the curriculum was first proposed earlier this year, Prairie Rose was offered the opportunity to pilot it, but did not participate after teachers from their division conducted an independent review of the curriculum and came to the conclusion it did not meet the standards necessary.

“Our teachers’ conclusions were that we would not support the drafted curriculum in its current form. The teachers identified different areas in which they felt the curriculum could be significantly improved,” Weeks said. Areas like progression, continuity, deeper learning, content load and age appropriateness were all taken into consideration.

PRSD was one of 58 school divisions within Alberta that refused to pilot the program. Medicine Hat Public School Division and Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education also declined to participate.

Many of the school divisions that did not partake provided feedback to Alberta Education in the hopes the draft might be altered.

“My current understanding is that the feedback that the Alberta government has received is something that’s being considered and incorporated to refine the curriculum,” Weeks said. “It is our hope that there will be iterated versions that come forward if it is decided that we’ll move forward (with the proposed curriculum).”

The ATA stated it is “calling for the Government of Alberta to stop all work on the piloting and implementation of the draft curriculum until an independent, open and full review and rewrite can occur.”

If the curriculum is put into effect, school boards across the province will have to follow it, though educators are concerned about what effect that may have on student development and success.

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