I recently read a new article titled “New high-school math curriculum starting next fall in Alberta: Students get extra year to decide on career prospects.” It a fairly new article that was put in the Calgary Herald on November 30, 2009. At first glance of the title, I knew it would be interesting to see what this new curriculum would be and whether or not it would benefit future students or not. My first thought was that it would be a good thing because how many people honestly know what they want to do by grade 9.
This new curriculum is scheduled to start changing by next fall. Over the next three years, the curriculum will change to help students be better prepared for their careers. Students who are planning to go to college or university will take a class in Grade 10 called Mathematics 10C, and then in Grade 11 and 12, they will take math courses that are more designed towards the post-secondary program that they want to enter into. Again, how many not only don’t know if they want to continue with school, and even more, how many know exactly what program they want to enter? Then the article became clearer and addressed this question. There are two streams: 20-1, 30-1 and 31 will be taken by people who want to pursue careers in math subjects. And then 20-2 and 30-2 will be taken by students who will not need “higher-level math training” in university/college. So, as long as they know that math isn’t their main interest, which they probably will, they will be able to make their decision. I really like the idea of this because how many times have you heard in your own classes as a student or as a teacher, “when will we ever use this?”, or “what is the point of this?” where the teacher tries to desperately come up with an answer. Maybe this more directed approach will help students understand the relevance of what they are learning.
There is also another stream for “teens considering entering the trades.” They will learn specific skills that are required on the job. I find it really interesting that high schools are working with apprenticeship people in order to assist these students. This curriculum is trying to meet the need of students, which is awesome!
The article states “students who aren’t clear on what they wish to pursue after high school, or who change their career goals before graduation, will have the chance to switch streams to ensure they have the math needed to continue their studies.” What about after grad? What does the student have to do then? What are their options? This would be interesting to know.
At the end of the article, it says that the U of C and University of Alberta have been consulted about these changes. What about t U of L or other Universities or colleges that would be affected by it? What are their views?
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
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I'm dubious. My questions: Why is curriculum focused so much on career training? Why do students have to start making career choices so early (echos of the 11+ exam in England?)? Alberta used to be the system that allowed the most 'second chances', the most opportunity to change streams. Students who started out in the nonacademic stream had lots of opportunities to change their minds and switch. This appears to no longer be the case.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say lots of people know they know they don't like math by this age, what the research tells us is that most of those 'students' are girls. In middle school, girls preference for and performance in math nose dives. But why? Because they are being taught that girls don't like math, that boys wont accept girls who beat them in math? Or is it that girls are so focused on relationships and community at this age that math is too low a priority to compete with the urgency of 'fitting in'? Or whatever. So why are we setting up a system that is going to make 'students' chose whether to pursue math at the exact moment when girls hate math? This would be another example of what we talked about in the course -- on the surface, sensible decisions that have not in fact been thought through for latent dysfunctions.