BC’s ministry of education wants to put the public into public education. Public forums are being held around the province this fall in connection with the development of the BC Education Plan and the ministry is asking the public to respond with what they expect from new graduates.
The forum, organized by Brooks Secondary School and School District 47, will host Greg Johnson, a member of an advisory group of experienced educators created by the ministry. Johnson was in Mill Bay for the October 15 forum, and will go to Campbell River and Victoria after visiting Powell River.
“We’re doing a lot of creative and interesting things here, so we see it as a good chance for us to talk about what we’re doing and how that fits into the direction education seems to be going,” said Rod Perrault, vice principal of Brooks.
Jay Yule, superintendent of schools for the school district, said he believes this is a valuable conversation to be having with the public. “It’s important to have all community members involved in it because it’s what we want students to learn and what kind of outcomes we’d like to see when students graduate. The public...are the taxpayers that are supporting what we do and it’s important that it’s reflective of what the majority in society would like to see as an education for their children.”
For some people it’s important for graduates to be prepared to have a job, said Yule. For others it’s to be a well-rounded academic student and be a critical thinker and others say it’s to have social responsibility.
“Maybe it’s all of these things,” he added. “But it’s how we package that into something that’s consistent across the province and then how we assess.”
The community forum is being held from 6 to 8 pm on Thursday, October 18, in the Great Hall at Brooks.
Facilitated group discussions will focus on feedback from five questions:
Question 1:
What do you think are the core or essential things all students should know, understand and be able to do by the time they leave secondary school?
Question 2:
Beyond the core, how could pathways for choice or exploration be provided?
Question 3:
Research is underway with a focus on the following five cross-curricular competencies:
a) Communication
b) Critical thinking
c) Creative thinking and innovation
d) Personal responsibility and well-being
e) Social responsibility
How do you think students could demonstrate these competencies?
Question 4:
How could student learning be communicated to:
a) Students
b) Parents/guardians
c) Post secondary institutions/employers
Question 5:
How would you design an awards program to recognize student success in a personalized learning environment?
