The world has changed drastically from prior generations. Our education system has changed to match the world that has developed. It is fast paced, and highly technical. Students must now be ready for rapidly changing skills, systems, and knowledge. The ability to invoke critical and creative thinking is valuable in creating efficient means, innovations and in finding solutions for problems.
In addition, communicative skills and personal and social skills can and should be developed along with academic learning. Healthy individuals mentally and physically help make a successful society. The focus of education has changed. It now includes acknowledgment of the individual in mind and body and the various strengths and stretches that make up each of us. This acknowledgement has been reflected in the new curriculum.
What is likely the most helpful aspect to the learner of the new curriculum is the understanding that we are not all created exactly the same. Learners do not learn the same way or at the same rate. Rather than discouraging those learners that have not met goals at a predetermined rate, the new curriculum allows for a circular learning style. This supports a positive growth mindset. We can do so much more for our students if learning is a positive experience and progress is acknowledged. My own schooling happened in 1980’s and 1990’s. I now look at my own children’s attitudes toward progress and I see first hand the benefits. A poor mark no longer indicates a person’s ability to learn but rather where they are in the learning progress.
This new curriculum reflects the idea that the individual has strengths and with the right support all learners can achieve the curricular outcomes. Understanding that each learner is unique also adds variety to the classroom as following interests, and self directed learning is encouraged. The best part of the new curriculum is that it allows room for the idea that success for each of us may mean something different.