More new curriculum a recipe for failure, says ATA president

Another layer of work has been heaped onto an already overburdened and overworked teaching force. That’s the response from ATA president Jason Schilling to the recent announcement that the second phase of the new K–3 curriculum would roll out this fall. This will include science, French language arts and French immersion language arts.

Schilling says the hasty implementation of this curriculum is the last thing teachers need on their plates right now.

“Everything, everywhere, all at once might be an Oscar-winning concept for a movie, but it’s a lousy way to release curriculum,” he added. “We’re setting up our classrooms for failure if we take the current state of our schools and the current state of curriculum implementation and pile even more demands on top of it.”

Schilling points to large class sizes, pandemic-exacerbated learning gaps and the lack of funding for curriculum supports as reasons why students and teachers are struggling right now. He’d like to see a pause in any new curriculum implementation to allow our public education system to catch its breath.

Alberta Education said it’s delivering on their commitment to provide an updated curriculum with essential knowledge and skills. 

“Curriculum renewal is essential to help prepare our students for a rapidly changing labour market,” said Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, “which is placing an ever-increasing premium on adaptability and transferable skills.” 

LaGrange said that, in the 2022-23 school year, 941 teachers across the province piloted the new draft curriculum. The province has earmarked $47 million to provide teachers with resources to support students in transitioning to the new curriculum. Alberta Education said it is working with the province’s four largest school authorities to develop science resources, but Schilling says that’s not enough. 

“Actions speak louder than words,” he said. “This government’s track record for providing resources and supports for successful curriculum implementation is severely lacking.” 

Survey highlights dissatisfaction

Schilling said a recent ATA survey of 1,000 randomly selected teachers paints a much bleaker but more accurate picture. It shows only 37 per cent of teachers are satisfied with the language arts curriculum. That rating drops to 30 per cent for physical education and wellness and 26 per cent for math.

“The government has not done a good job of asking teachers how curriculum implementation is going,” said Schilling. “They have asked superintendents and trustees. They have asked their implementation committee, but those people are not responsible for teaching and working with this curriculum on a daily basis.”

According to the study, only 16 per cent of teachers feel they have received the teaching and learning resources necessary to successfully implement the new curriculum. 

Schilling said K–3 teachers need more time to refine the language arts and mathematics curriculum before building on an already shaky foundation. He would like to see the creation of K–3 teacher working groups to review their colleagues’ feedback and provide revisions to the curriculum documents.

“The government has an opportunity to learn from their mistakes with the last curriculum redesign and implementation process,” said Schilling. “Re-engage with the Association and the profession and have this done in a way that makes sense and will support our students.” ❚