Continuing student learning
By Janet Kanters, Editor
The Alberta government has released guidelines to direct how students will learn while in-school classes are cancelled due to the COVID-19 health emergency.
For all kindergarten to Grade 12 students, school authorities will offer at-home learning opportunities, either through online means or through other accommodations, such as course packages and telephone check-ins. This includes students in public, separate, Francophone, charter and independent schools, and Indigenous students attending provincial schools.
According to a news release, to identify what content needs to be delivered, teachers will evaluate curricular outcomes that have not yet been covered, prioritize remaining outcomes based on what is manageable for students working from home, and will plan specific tasks and projects for students.
Content delivery for each grade is broken down as follows:
Kindergarten-Grade 3
Education content will focus on language/literacy and mathematics/numeracy outcomes of the provincial curriculum. Teachers will assign an average of five hours of work per student per week, and will be expected to work with their students and parents on the delivery of these materials.
Grades 4-6
Education content will continue to focus on language/literacy and mathematics/numeracy outcomes, and there will be opportunity to incorporate science and social studies outcomes through cross-curricular learning. Teachers will assign an average of five hours of work per student per week, and will be expected to work with their students and parents on the delivery of these materials.
Grades 7-9
Education content will focus on core mathematics, language/literacy, science and social studies curriculum outcomes. Teachers will assign an average of 10 hours of work per student per week, and will be expected to work with their students and parents on the delivery of these materials.
Grades 10-12
Education content will focus on specified and core courses required for high school graduation requirements, including language (English, French and French language arts), social studies, mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics. Content from other courses will be delivered where possible, and accommodations for students unable to complete courses are in place. Teachers will assign an average of three hours of work per course per week, and will be expected to work with their students and parents on the delivery of these materials.
Grade progression
and report cards
Every student will receive final grades and will receive a report card, appropriate to their grade level. Teachers will be responsible for assessing a student’s progress and assigning a final grade.
School authorities will ensure parents are consulted and kept informed of how assessment will be determined in this unique circumstance. All students who were on track to progress to the next grade will.
Where possible, schools will work with high school students to complete their courses to the best of their ability, providing a final mark and awarding credits. If a student is unable to complete a course that would have allowed them to progress to the next grade, principals have the ability to award credits to ensure student progression.
High school diploma
criteria
Students on track to receive 100 or more credits will still be eligible to graduate and receive a high school diploma. Principals have the ability to award up to 15 credits to students in Grade 12 whose program has been negatively impacted by class cancellations. For any courses that are started, schools will complete them with the student to the best of their ability, provide a final mark and award credits.
If the student is unable to complete a course that would have led them to achieving a high school diploma, such as a work experience or a career and technology studies course, principals have the ability to award credits to ensure the student graduates.
Provincial assessments
All Grade 6 and 9 provincial achievement tests and Grade 12 diploma exams are cancelled. Under special circumstances, students can request to write a diploma exam. Students wishing to do so should speak to their teacher and school administrator.
Resources for parents
Parents may want to supplement student learning by providing their children with additional resources, such as www.learnalberta.ca and www.learnalberta.ca/content/mychildslearning/.
Funding continues to flow to school authorities for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. This will help school authorities deliver at-home learning to their students.
The government of Alberta worked with the Alberta School Boards Association, the College of Alberta School Superintendents, the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges of Alberta to identify how to continue teacher-directed learning for students across the province.