New Curriculum

New Curriculum at a Glance

Latest Update on New Curriculum: Grades 10 to 12

During the 2015/16 school year, the Ministry of Education introduced a draft new curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 9. That curriculum will be fully implemented in all public and independent schools in September 2016.

The new curriculum for Grades 10 to 12 is now coming into place. For the 2016/17 school year, teachers have the option to use the draft 10 to 12 curriculum in their classrooms. At the same time, there are also updates to the graduation program and provincial assessment. These changes will be implemented between 2016 and 2018.

For more information on the changes to the BC Curriculum for Grades 10 to 12 students, please read the following three (3) links:

Why Change?

We live in a rapidly changing world that is vastly different than previous generations. In order to ensure our children are well prepared for this deeply connected knowledge-based world they are entering, the Ministry of Education and the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation embarked on redesigning our curriculum. The new curriculum will foster the skills and competencies students need to succeed today and in the future.

What remains the same?
  • A high quality education system
  • The theoretical underpinning of the redesigned curriculum is constructivism or mean-making
  • Rigorous Learning Standards
  • A strong focus on reading, writing, and mathematics
  • Subjects such as Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies remain at the heart of every student’s education
  • Valuing applied learning
  • Development of educated active citizens
  • Provincial assessments will continue to be developed by BC educators
What is new?
  • An emphasis on depth rather than breadth of study
  • More flexibility for teachers to be responsive to student’s needs and passion
  • Increased flexibility for teacher innovation
  • Clear focus on the skills needed to be successful in the 21st Century: Communication, Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Positive Personal and Social Identity, Personal Awareness and Responsibility, and Social Responsibility
  • Aboriginal perspectives and content authentically woven into all subjects
  • A common framework for all areas of learning
  • Honouring experiential learning beyond the classroom
  • Opportunity for curriculum subjects to be linked and connected
  • Curriculum organized around “Big Ideas”
Resources

1. This video is roughly 30min long. It is a presentation by Diane Graves, District Vice Principal, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, and Neil Stephenson, Director of Learning Services. They are doing a quick overview of the new curriculum.

2. To review the new curriculum, visit: BC’s New Curriculum

3. Ministry PowerPoint – New Curriculum

4. Timeline for implementation of the new curriculum: