A new Social Studies curriculum for Alberta elementary school students will be given another two years to be ironed out, Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced Monday.
Teachers and the public will have the opportunity to comment on a revamped Kindergarten to Grade 6 Social Studies curriculum after backlash on a draft plan released in 2021.
The province said an online survey and discussion guide will be online until Oct. 16 that will be used to find out what Albertans want students to learn about in Social Studies.
This fall Alberta Education officials will meet with teachers and multicultural and language groups to continue discussing the curriculum. The public will be able to comment on a draft Kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum by the spring of 2024. By the 2024/25 school year the curriculum will be available for schools to pilot.
The Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) is pleased the government is giving teachers the opportunity to give their input.
“Teachers must play a key role in curriculum development in order for implementation to succeed. Comprehensive, thoughtful and authentic engagement with teachers, education partners and the public are critical to the process,” said ATA president Jason Schilling.
Similar consultation is needed in other subject curriculum that is already implemented in the classroom, said Schilling.
“Concerns remain around some of the new curriculum currently being implemented. Math, in particular, needs to be given a second look, as students are struggling given the excessive number of outcomes and the poor sequencing of them. I’m hopeful these issues can be discussed and resolved.”
