K-6 social studies curriculum ready to pilot

Updating Alberta’s social studies curriculum has been a six year battle and one that could soon be coming to an end. The government says its latest version incorporates constructive feedback and sets students up for success. I think our our approach has been to take politics out of the classroom and give students a deep understanding of history to understand an evolving and complex world and give students the skills that they need to be successful. Here are some highlights of what’s changing from draft to draft. Instead of learning about taxes in grade 2, that’s being moved to grade 5. First Nations, Matey and Inuit content is being added to grades 1-2 and three, and racism and discrimination content will be taught in grades three and six. Some critics say the changes aren’t enough. The Alberta Teachers Association is asking the government to delay the roll out and make adjustments based on teachers recommendations this curriculum is absent on. Current events, except for Grade 5 and it doesn’t have any references whatsoever to the Truth and Reconciliation calls to actions to talk about and teach residential schools. The education minister said the government listened to recent criticism, reducing the content that grade four students will be expected to learn. But the ATA says there’s still too much content in grades five and six. The problem with teachers are going to encounter is they’re simply too much specificity, too much granular detail. And to use the old cliche, you won’t be able to see the forest for the trees. School boards can test out the new curriculum this fall, but they don’t have to. Catholic schools in Edmonton are planning to participate in the pilot, but Edmonton’s public school board is leaving it up to teachers to decide. And in Calgary, the public school board hasn’t yet made a decision, and nobody from the Catholic school board was available for comment. The new social studies curriculum is going to be mandatory, though. In September of 2025. Madeline Cummings, CBC News, Edmonton.