Hist 3510
Tracy Penny Light
Nov 19th, 2017
Reading Analysis- Week 11
As school and the education system have changed drastically but why is that? Who realized that what people are teaching, had its faults and needed to change to be more acceptable. Well it’s never really been said, but it is believed a group of people decide what the kids at school should retain. These people relay this information in a pamphlet that explains what needs to be taught, but they weren’t all the same at first.
It seemed as the way of creating a curriculum wasn’t always for all the schools to teach. For instance, in the private schools of the Kootenays in BC, they felt that the curriculum wasn’t suitable for their children. This was because the people there felt that their children needed to explore their learning by being themselves, and being more connected with the land. This was done by teaching them how to garden and other things that involved outside activities. In some way this could be good as some students may not have the access to things like these, but it can also be negative as the time for learning things that the government feels are important is lessened. Although one should feel that sometimes change of scenery is good for the brain, but is it always good. This could be why many were opposed to this way of learning, as to why people choose not to send their children to the school. On the other hand those who sent their children to these schools that expressed this way of learning were in great favour of it. So does this seem the right way of learning, and who has the right to say it’s not.
Next way of learning that was observed was when the schools accepted the curriculum. They used this pamphlet like it was a guide to life. Many teacher followed it to every point. Now why was this, and was this the correct way of learning? Possibly. But there was also the teacher that didn’t follow this way of teaching exactly. They felt children should explore the way of learning in the way they want to. This helps creativity and expands each child’s mind in their own way. Now many may think that teacher who taught this way were ahead of their time and knew way too much, but really should have been listened to as they are part of the reason education is the way it is today.
It seems as time after time there has always been this curriculum placed in the schools that teaches should follow. Eventually it became mandatory for everyone to teach and learn this way. This was because the government wanted the schools to all be at the same level, making it easy for children if they had to move schools. This is much like the way the education system is today. But is this always the right way. It has been stated that the curriculum is a very strict way of learning. Where children must do certain things within a time period. This doesn’t always seem right as not everyone is the same. So should the curriculum stay? Is everyone in agreement of it, or could there be a better way of learning?
Years after year there is a curriculum put in the schools, but is this the way of learning? Who’s to say that a certain group of people that make the curriculum have the right way of thinking? As it was shown in the articles there are many diverse schools out there that are suitable for their way of living and learning. So is one way of learning for the whole country suitable? Personally I don’t think so, each community is different and should be able to learn differently to their accommodation. Yes maybe some things should be the same throughout the country’s schools but not everything. Diversity is a big part of Canada and should be expressed in the schools as well. Therefore curriculum can be necessary but not in all ways that are very strict. Everyone is different and should be able to learn differently as well. Diversity should be embraced by all especially those learning in school.
Bibliography
Wien, Carol Anne and Curt Dudley-Marling. “Limited Vision: The Ontario Curriculum and Outcomes-Based Learning.” in Sara Burke and Patrice Milewski (Eds.), Schooling in Transition: Readings in the Canadian History of Education, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2012: 400-412.
Gorham, Deborah. “The Ottawa New School and Educational Dissent in Ontario in the Hall- Dennis Era.”Historical Studies in Education 21, no.2 (Fall 2009): 104-122.
Janovicek, Nancy, “‘The community school literally takes place in the community’: Alternative Education in the Historical Studies in Education, 24, 1 (Spring 2012): 150-169.
Marker, Michael. “‘It Was Two Different Times of the Day, But in the Same Place’: Coast Salish High School Experience in the 1970s.” BC Studies 144 (Winter 2004/05): 91-113.