Curriculum Framework
Pedagogies
A pedagogy is an approach to educating others – it is how an educator teaches. There is no formula that will guarantee learning for every learner in every context but there is well-documented evidence about the kinds of instructional approaches that consistently have a positive impact on learning.
This evidence tells us that learners achieve the most when educators promote:
HOLDING EACH LEARNER IN THE HIGHEST REGARD
A culture of learning and growth involves sharing the expectation that all learners will reach or exceed their full potential. All learners have strengths and activating those strengths enhances the learning experience for all.
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SAFE AND POSITIVE SPACES FOR LEARNING
Safe and positive learning environments respect multiple ways of knowing and being, recognize caregivers as a learner’s first educator, and are inclusive and protective of the rights of the learner. Creating positive learning environments involves honouring treaty relationships, nurturing sense of belonging, and celebrating home languages, cultures, and identities.
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DIRECT INSTRUCTION
Direct instruction supports concept and skill development in content areas across curriculum. High-impact practices such as prior knowledge activation, foundational skill building, gradual release of responsibility, modelling, formative assessment, and targeted intervention/acceleration ensure learners grow their knowledge and varied skill sets efficiently and in developmentally appropriate ways.
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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Experiential learning is learning through experience, trial-and-error, and reflection. Learners practise perseverance in the learning cycle through taking learning risks, making mistakes, and applying corrective feedback. Learning through experiences can be community-based, grounded in skill building, and a part of career preparation and development (i.e., the journey through life, learning, and work).
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PLAY AND INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING
With the learner at the centre of this pedagogy, play is meant to be voluntary, spontaneous, and intrinsically motivated. It supports knowledge development and critical thinking through engagement, experimentation, and joyful discovery. Play opens a world of curiosity for learners and educators. It sets the stage for inquiry, which involves learner-led questioning and investigation of interests and information. Play and inquiry help learners connect to the world around them, inspiring wonder and reflection which leads to deeper, more critical thinking and problem-solving.
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RELEVANT LEARNING
Learners enter school with a vast amount of knowledge and experience. Relevant learning involves activating joy and excitement for learning by connecting to each learner’s fund of knowledge. Providing relevant learning opportunities helps learners set personal learning goals, connect their knowledge to the world around them, and sets them up to achieve their goals in school and beyond.
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