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Click here to go straight to the BC Ministry of Education Curriculum page
Overview of the Curriculum
Overview of the Curriculum
The Ministry of Education sets out the curriculum that all students are expected to follow, where ever they do their learning. The current curriculum was updated in 2016 to be more more flexible and learner-centred! It aims to be more concept-based (understanding big ideas, rather than memorizing isolated facts) and competency driven (emphasizing what you can do, not just want you know).
The curriculum is available online and is searchable by grade and subject areas.
The Curriculum and SPIDER
The Curriculum and SPIDER
SPIDER families are expected to work to meet the curriculum set out by the Ministry of Education. The SPIDER teacher consultants assist families in this by helping them to develop Learning Plans, by running curriculum based Learning in Community days, by providing feedback at the twice yearly Three Way Conferences, and by being available to answer questions or provide resources as needed.
The SPIDER Learning Plan templates were built based on the curriculum, so if you plan your year using them you will be on track. However, the BC Curriculum website has useful elaborations and examples throughout and we recommend families spend time visiting it each year.
Parts of the Curriculum
Parts of the Curriculum
(information taken from the BC Ministry of Education "Curriculum Orientation Guide")
The online curriculum includes lots of examples and elaborations to make it clear what is meant by these. Sheena also made this handy TUTORIAL you can watch that walks you through SPIDER-relevant learning on the Renewed Curriculum: https://youtu.be/zm6maX28Ke4
1. Core Competencies
Core Competencies are at the centre of the curriculum redesign in BC.
Core Competencies are sets of intellectual, personal, and social and emotional proficiencies that all students need to develop in order to engage in deeper learning. The Core Competencies include thinking, communication, and social and personal competencies.
The Core Competencies
2. Big Ideas
These are what students are expected to UNDERSTAND.
By checking out the Big Ideas for each subject area and grade, you get a quick snap shot of what a student should understand by the end of the year. They can help you identify topics you have already covered and ones that you still need to focus on.
3. Learning Standards
a. Curricular Competencies
These are what students are expected to DO. They are skills and abilities that build upon each other year by year. They include developing scientific, mathematical or artistic thinking skills such as estimating, hypothesizing, working safely with materials, taking risks, and including others.
b. Content
These are the things students are expected to KNOW. These are the details and specific pieces of knowledge required to fully understand the concepts laid out in the big ideas.
Assessment
Assessment
1. SPIDER
Learning Plans and Three Way Conferences are the main form of assessment in SPIDER. The Learning Plans outline the ways families plan to meet the curriculum. Then, twice per year students, parents and a SPIDER teacher meet to review what has been accomplished, set goals for the time to come, and address any areas that have not yet been met. Report cards are generated based on these meetings.
2. Performance standards
The Ministry of Education has put together documents called Performance standards which help us all to see examples of student work that meet expectations for READING, WRITING, MATH, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY and HEALTHY LIVING. They are very handy to look at when you ask yourself the question "What level is my child's work at?" It is all online and the link is here: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/
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