MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMMING OPTIONS REVIEW Presentation to Staff and - - PDF document

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Presentation to Staff and Public Consultations

October 30, November 1, November 2, 2017

MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMMING OPTIONS REVIEW Why?

• Concerns raised by students and School Leaders

regarding meeting student programming needs

• Concerns with the level of truancy we are seeing in

some of our Middle Years program options

• Concerns with lost instructional time due to travel time
• f students, and the time we are committing to certain

programming which exceeds the Provincial time allotments

2017‐11‐03 2 Middle Years Subject Area Time Allotment

Subject Areas Grades 1 to 6 Grades 7 and 8 Compulsory Language Arts (English) 35% 27% Mathematics 15% 17% Science 10% 13% Social Studies 10% 13% Physical Education/Health Education (mandated time) 11% 9% Arts Education 10% 8% Optional e.g., French*, Other Languages, Aboriginal Studies, Technology, etc. 9% 13% Total 100% 100%

Challenges

• Changes to the existing Middle Years program options

will have implications that need to be carefully considered

• It will be important that everyone understands the

impact that these implications will have on the Brandon School Division’s ability to meet the needs of students, School Leaders, and parents in the community, as well as on the Division’s ability to address current research findings

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Student Feedback

• All students expressed that changes need to be made to the

Grade 7/8 options programming

• Specific feedback includes:
• Request for more exposure to a variety of options
• Band is important to have as an option
• French instruction should be based more on conversational skills
• Students should have an opportunity to participate in more arts
• ptions, such as dance and theatre
• Options should be more cluster‐based throughout the year, where

students choose among technology, arts, and sports

School Leader Feedback

• All School Leaders believe that changes are required to the

current optional programming for grades 7 and 8

• Optional programming should be based at the student’s

designated school where possible, and there should be a minimum of offsite programming

• Any offsite programming provided must be supported by Division

transportation

• Schools should have decision‐making authority regarding the

types of optional programming delivered at their school, and students should have choice in the options they take

• A wider variety of options should be available for students over a

shorter period of time, with a focus on personalized and relevant learning

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Middle Years Programming Research

• In 2010, the Association for Middle Level Education

published a book entitled, “This We Believe: Keys to Educating Young Adolescents”. The research in the book describes that an increasing number of Middle Years educators are turning their attention to the question of how to best meet the needs of Middle Years learners

• Locally, nationally, and internationally, Middle Years

educators are generally in agreement that early adolescence is a unique and special time in students’ lives and that change is needed to transform Middle Years education to meet the needs of Middle Years learners more effectively

• Students who are more fully engaged in school are more

likely to stay in school, to attend school regularly, and to discover and reach their full potential

• According to researchers, student engagement reflects the

meaning students give to tasks and activities that their teachers encourage them to undertake (Schlechty)

• With improved engagement comes improved learning, and

with improved learning comes improved self‐esteem and commitment to school and community

2017‐11‐03 5 2017 Consultant Recommendations:

1. That the Brandon School Division aligns Grade 7 and 8 school timetables to meet the recommended subject area time allotments for Compulsory and Optional programs. 2. That the Brandon School Division removes the current mandatory status of Home Economics and Industrial Arts programming and that the delivery of these programs be integrated into a more comprehensive and varied list of optional program offerings. 3. That the Brandon School Division considers developing a framework for the delivery of arts and optional programs for Grades 7 and 8 that provides schools with flexibility regarding local school‐based options based on student needs and student choice. 4. That the Brandon School Division provides Division transportation to all

• ffsite programming for Grades 7 and 8 students.

5. That the Brandon School Division considers a model for the delivery of specialized programs where staff with specific certification and/or expertise are itinerant. 6. That the Brandon School Division maintains Band as option that students can select in the “arts” option category and that participation in the program is available to all students, regardless of socioeconomic status. 7. That the Brandon School Division maintains French as option that students can select in an “optional languages” category of programming.

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Scenarios are designed to reflect four broad possibilities and do not represent specific recommendations. Each scenario also has a summary of the implications. All four scenarios reflect the required change in the time allotments to align with the Provincial requirements. Manitoba Education has two categories of subject areas.

• Compulsory arts curriculum is currently addressed

with Band and visual arts.

• Optional curriculum is currently addressed with

Home Economics, Industrial Arts, French and non‐ French School based options.

2017‐11‐03 7 Student transportation only refers to the requirement for students to attend different sites. Currently Brandon School Division provides transportation for the Compulsory Arts Subject Area that occurs offsite. Currently it is the parents’ responsibility to provide transportation for the Optional Subject Area that occurs offsite. City of Brandon provides Transit passes to Grade7/8 students.

Scenario 1: Status quo (with changes to meet Provincial time allotments)

Compulsory Arts

• Students choose visual arts or Band.
• Band would be taught in central locations.

Optional

• Students choose one of the following: French, or Home

Economics/Industrial Arts or School Based option.

• Home Economics/Industrial Arts would be taught in

central Locations.

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Scenario 1: Status quo (with changes to meet Provincial time allotments)

Implications

• Students cannot take French and Home

Economics/Industrial Arts or School Based option.

• The Optional courses offered at a school would be

dependent on the teachable areas of staff that are at each school.

• Student transportation would be required for students

choosing Band or Home Economics/Industrial Arts. Scenario 2: Students stay on site

Compulsory Arts

• Band is taught by itinerant teachers in schools where school

numbers warrant.

• Where numbers are sufficient, school could offer one of the

following: visual arts, choral, music, dance or drama. Optional

• Students choose one of the following: French, Home

Economics/Industrial Arts or School Based option.

• Home Economics/Industrial Arts programming would only be

available in schools with current labs or in schools where numbers warranted a mobile lab (if there is facility space).

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Scenario 2: Students stay on site

Implications

• Schools with space issues would have difficulties in
• ffering Band or Optional courses that require labs even

if numbers warranted.

• Students from small schools are disadvantaged as it will

be difficult to have enough student numbers for Band or Optional courses, resulting in limited choice.

• The number of options available at each school would be

dependent on the size of the school.

• Transportation is not required for any schools.

Scenario 3: Wide variety of student choice

Compulsory Arts

• Students choose visual arts, band, choral, music, dance or drama.
• Schools with sufficient numbers and available space in their facility could offer
• nsite Compulsory Arts courses.
• To ensure sufficient numbers, schools with low numbers would access courses

taught in a central location. Optional

• Students choose one of the following: French, other languages, Aboriginal studies,

technology (including Home Economics/Industrial Arts) or other options.

• Schools with sufficient and available space in their facility could offer onsite

Optional courses.

• To ensure sufficient numbers, schools with low numbers would access courses

taught in a central location.

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Scenario 3: Wide variety of student choice

Implications

• Student choice would lead to high levels of engagement.
• Students could explore a variety of options.
• To ensure appropriate course numbers in the options,

groups of schools would need to schedule compulsory arts and optional courses at the same time.

• Where courses are offered would be dependent on

facility space.

• Transportation would be required for many of the

courses.

Scenario 4: Hybrid

Compulsory Arts

• Students choose Band or Arts Exploration.
• Band is taught in central locations
• Arts Exploration is taught onsite by itinerant teachers.
• Arts Exploration would be rotating 3 month blocks including 3 of the following

courses: Visual Arts, Choral, Music, Dance and Drama. Optional

• Students choose one of the following: French, Home Economics/Industrial Arts or

Option Exploration.

• Home Economics/Industrial Arts is taught in central locations.
• Option Exploration is taught onsite by itinerant teachers.
• Option Exploration would be 3 month blocks. Possible courses could include

technology courses, languages, Indigenous studies or others.

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Scenario 4: Hybrid

Implications

• Student could explore a variety of options.
• Some student choice but Arts Exploration and Option

Exploration would be a defined set of courses decided by the school and available staff.

• Transportation would be required for some courses.
• To appropriately schedule itinerant staff, groups of

schools would need to coordinate schedules.

• Arts Exploration and Option Exploration course

possibilities would be dependent on facility space.

Table Discussion 1) Why are we reviewing Middle Years programming options? 2) What are students and School Leaders telling us? 3) What does the research tell us about Middle Years programming? 4) Which scenario do you think best meets the needs of our Middle Years students, and why?