Schedule of Learning Outcomes for Students Receiving Home Education Programs That Do Not Follow the Alberta Programs of Study
1 A basic education must provide students with a solid core program including language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.
2 Students are expected to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will prepare them for life after high school. A basic education will allow students to
(a) read for information, understanding and enjoyment,
(b) write and speak clearly, accurately and appropriately for the context,
(c) use mathematics to solve problems in business, science and daily life situations,
(d) understand the physical world, ecology and the diversity of life,
(e) understand the scientific method, the nature of science and technology and their application to daily life,
(f) know the history and geography of Canada and have a general understanding of world history and geography,
(g) understand Canada’s political, social and economic systems within a global context,
(h) respect the cultural diversity, the religious diversity and the common values of Canada,
(i) demonstrate desirable personal characteristics such as respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, caring, loyalty and commitment to democratic ideals,
(j) recognize the importance of personal well-being and appreciate how family and others contribute to that well-being,
(k) know the basic requirements of an active, healthful lifestyle,
(l) understand and appreciate literature, the arts and the creative process,
(m) research an issue thoroughly and evaluate the credibility and reliability of information sources,
(n) demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in problem solving and decision making,
(o) demonstrate competence in using information technologies,
(p) know how to work independently and as part of a team,
(q) manage time and other resources needed to complete a task,
(r) demonstrate initiative, leadership, flexibility and persistence,
(s) evaluate their own endeavours and continually strive to improve, and
(t) have the desire and realize the need for life-long learning.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Aligned/Blended Home Education Programs in Alberta
Aligned/Blended Versus Traditional Programs: Do you know what you are signing up for?
Here is an analogy to help you decide what fits for you and your family:
Aligned/Blended Program
Imagine the aligned program is a like a school classroom. The certified teacher sits in the teacher’s chair and the children are doing schoolwork mandated by Alberta Education and covers the Alberta Program of Studies. The parent is the volunteer aide, unpaid, and under the teacher’s supervision. While the teacher is out of the classroom, having coffee, the parent volunteer sits in the certified teacher’s chair and assumes the role of the teacher while she is out. Now, imagine a child having trouble with an assignment or refusing to write an essay.
Is the government and administrators going to come and fire the parent volunteer? No. Will they hold the parent volunteer responsible? No. Do they expect the parent volunteer to document what was learned and what wasn’t? No. Will they take away the resources (funding) in the class because the child isn’t learning? No. Will they supervise the paid teacher closer and figure out what is wrong with the teaching methods? Perhaps. Will they kick the child out of the class and tell the parent to homeschool him? (Asking parent to drop down to tradional instead of aligned) Not on your life! The certified teacher will come back and assume control of the classroom and the parent volunteer aide, who has been helping the teacher will be back in the volunteer role on the side.
The teacher will continue to mark the assignments that the parent handed out and which the parent provided tutoring on. The teacher will gather the assignments that the parent volunteer facilitated on their behalf while the teacher was having coffee, and will submit them to the government as evidence of their teaching the curriculum. If there is no evidence of teaching/learning, the teacher, and school board will be answerable to Alberta Education. Not the parent volunteer aide.
When you are homeschooling on a blended or aligned program, you are the parent volunteer aide. All you do is help the paid teacher carry out her work. You are not responsible for delivery, assessment or even documentation! That belongs with the teacher, the administrator and the school board. Alberta Education funds the school to pay for the teacher,(not the parent volunteer aide) classroom, resources and administration and therefore expects all to follow it's mandated Alberta Program of Studies.
Traditional Program
In the above analogy, the parent pulls the child out of the school and takes them home or in the community. The parent and child decide which philosophy, curriculum, and goals will be met in the year. The parent can use whatever resources they choose. The parent is totally responsible to Alberta Education for meeting the targets in theSchedule of Learning Outcomes for Students Receiving Home Education Programs That Do Not Follow the Alberta Programs of Study
The School board gets some funding and has to share half the amount with the parent. The parent is responsible to Alberta Education for the planning, delivery and evalution of the Traditional program. The certified teacher is only responsible for ensuring that the child is progressing toward the goals set out in the above Learning Outcomes. No marks will be given.
Hopefully, this will help parents decide what type of program is beneficial for their families.
Here is an analogy to help you decide what fits for you and your family:
Aligned/Blended Program
Imagine the aligned program is a like a school classroom. The certified teacher sits in the teacher’s chair and the children are doing schoolwork mandated by Alberta Education and covers the Alberta Program of Studies. The parent is the volunteer aide, unpaid, and under the teacher’s supervision. While the teacher is out of the classroom, having coffee, the parent volunteer sits in the certified teacher’s chair and assumes the role of the teacher while she is out. Now, imagine a child having trouble with an assignment or refusing to write an essay.
Is the government and administrators going to come and fire the parent volunteer? No. Will they hold the parent volunteer responsible? No. Do they expect the parent volunteer to document what was learned and what wasn’t? No. Will they take away the resources (funding) in the class because the child isn’t learning? No. Will they supervise the paid teacher closer and figure out what is wrong with the teaching methods? Perhaps. Will they kick the child out of the class and tell the parent to homeschool him? (Asking parent to drop down to tradional instead of aligned) Not on your life! The certified teacher will come back and assume control of the classroom and the parent volunteer aide, who has been helping the teacher will be back in the volunteer role on the side.
The teacher will continue to mark the assignments that the parent handed out and which the parent provided tutoring on. The teacher will gather the assignments that the parent volunteer facilitated on their behalf while the teacher was having coffee, and will submit them to the government as evidence of their teaching the curriculum. If there is no evidence of teaching/learning, the teacher, and school board will be answerable to Alberta Education. Not the parent volunteer aide.
When you are homeschooling on a blended or aligned program, you are the parent volunteer aide. All you do is help the paid teacher carry out her work. You are not responsible for delivery, assessment or even documentation! That belongs with the teacher, the administrator and the school board. Alberta Education funds the school to pay for the teacher,(not the parent volunteer aide) classroom, resources and administration and therefore expects all to follow it's mandated Alberta Program of Studies.
Traditional Program
In the above analogy, the parent pulls the child out of the school and takes them home or in the community. The parent and child decide which philosophy, curriculum, and goals will be met in the year. The parent can use whatever resources they choose. The parent is totally responsible to Alberta Education for meeting the targets in theSchedule of Learning Outcomes for Students Receiving Home Education Programs That Do Not Follow the Alberta Programs of Study
The School board gets some funding and has to share half the amount with the parent. The parent is responsible to Alberta Education for the planning, delivery and evalution of the Traditional program. The certified teacher is only responsible for ensuring that the child is progressing toward the goals set out in the above Learning Outcomes. No marks will be given.
Hopefully, this will help parents decide what type of program is beneficial for their families.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Argyll Edmonton Public School Board
Argyll offers grades 1 to 12 and supports traditional and blended programs from grades 1 to 12. Also offers online classes for junior and senior high.
What I like...
Argyll offers on-site classes to cover outcomes and has a huge resource library on it's Calgary site so home educators and peruse materials before purchase.
What needs improvement...
The school board needs to provide greater support and unlimited teacher help in the blended program when students and parents require it.
What this board does well...
Argyll is unique in offering an Alternative High School Program for marks and credits. Home educators can design their own high school course that is geared for personalized learning that takes into account the individuals' interests and desired outcomes.
What I like...
Argyll offers on-site classes to cover outcomes and has a huge resource library on it's Calgary site so home educators and peruse materials before purchase.
What needs improvement...
The school board needs to provide greater support and unlimited teacher help in the blended program when students and parents require it.
What this board does well...
Argyll is unique in offering an Alternative High School Program for marks and credits. Home educators can design their own high school course that is geared for personalized learning that takes into account the individuals' interests and desired outcomes.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Vermillion School of Hope
School of Hope offers a full curriculum program from Grade 1-12. They offer online classes for the older grades and fully support traditional programs.
What I like...
They offer on-site, one-day classes in Calgary and plenty of field trips. They have been supporting homeschoolers for decades and their facilitators are truly supportive and encouraging. They offer special needs and IPP testing and provide special ed funding and resources.
What Needs Improvement...
Greater communication methods need to be encouraged between administration, facilitators and parents. Currently, parents can only contact the school inside the school website. Funding receipts are intensely and overly scrutinized in a needlessly bureaucratic manner.
Something this school board does well...
School of Hope offers a lot of flexibility in terms of teaching styles, learning styles and curriculum/resource choices in their blended/aligned programs. Ideal for parents who are starting and need structure/intense support in their program with a basic curriculum to start with.
What I like...
They offer on-site, one-day classes in Calgary and plenty of field trips. They have been supporting homeschoolers for decades and their facilitators are truly supportive and encouraging. They offer special needs and IPP testing and provide special ed funding and resources.
What Needs Improvement...
Greater communication methods need to be encouraged between administration, facilitators and parents. Currently, parents can only contact the school inside the school website. Funding receipts are intensely and overly scrutinized in a needlessly bureaucratic manner.
Something this school board does well...
School of Hope offers a lot of flexibility in terms of teaching styles, learning styles and curriculum/resource choices in their blended/aligned programs. Ideal for parents who are starting and need structure/intense support in their program with a basic curriculum to start with.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
CBE Learn
CBE Home Education offers grade 1-9 traditional, and blended programs. Blended is truly delivered through correspondance, online and classroom. No home education high school program is currently available if one desires marks and credits.
What I like...
Excellent online junior high and senior high courses that are interactive, organized and current.
What Needs Improvement...
Administration needs to provide more support to families in terms of handholding, curriculum choices, and approval of different home education approaches such as individualized learning.
Something this school board does well...
CBE-Learn takes the Teacher directed portion of the aligned and blended programs seriously and actually plan, deliver and evaluate those portions according to the Alberta Learning School Act regulations. The parent doesn't have to provide anything on the Teacher directed Blended and Aligned portion, except to nag the children to do their homework.
What I like...
Excellent online junior high and senior high courses that are interactive, organized and current.
What Needs Improvement...
Administration needs to provide more support to families in terms of handholding, curriculum choices, and approval of different home education approaches such as individualized learning.
Something this school board does well...
CBE-Learn takes the Teacher directed portion of the aligned and blended programs seriously and actually plan, deliver and evaluate those portions according to the Alberta Learning School Act regulations. The parent doesn't have to provide anything on the Teacher directed Blended and Aligned portion, except to nag the children to do their homework.
Centre For Learning @ Home
The Centre for Learning at Home, in Okotoks, Alberta, offers Kindergarten to grade 12and provide traditional home education support, as well as online and correspondence classes.
What I like...
Centre for Learning at Home offers a conference for parents every year that has a curriculum fair, speakers and plenty of resources. Also offers a parent support group that meets face-to-face.
What Needs Improvement...
Must offer greater flexibility in allowing parents choice of curriculum, teaching methods and evaluation, if they expect parents to deliver the aligned/blended program on their behalf.
Something this school board does well...
Offers print, online, and Traditional programs from K-12. Are very experienced and have many facilitators that have homeschooled their own children and can offer resource suggestions and ideas for organization and implementation of curriculum.
What I like...
Centre for Learning at Home offers a conference for parents every year that has a curriculum fair, speakers and plenty of resources. Also offers a parent support group that meets face-to-face.
What Needs Improvement...
Must offer greater flexibility in allowing parents choice of curriculum, teaching methods and evaluation, if they expect parents to deliver the aligned/blended program on their behalf.
Something this school board does well...
Offers print, online, and Traditional programs from K-12. Are very experienced and have many facilitators that have homeschooled their own children and can offer resource suggestions and ideas for organization and implementation of curriculum.
What to Look for in a School Board?
Choosing a Supervising School Board
Considering home education? A simple checklist of questions to ask school boards is vital for parents considering home-based education
Programs
What programs does your board offer for my children? Do you offer Traditional, Blended, Online, Correspondence, Christian, Kindergarten, Special Education and High School Programs?
Who is responsible to Alberta Learning for the planning, actual delivery and evaluation of the curriculum and program that I’m choosing? (Traditional is parent responsible. Blended are a portion of Parent and a portion of Teacher, and Fully Aligned is totally Teacher responsible. Online and correspondence courses are 100% Teacher accountable, not parent.)
Funding
What are the parent discretionary funding amounts and my requirements for various programs?
Is there a School Fee charged for the Blended or Aligned portion of the program?
Is there a registration fee or deposit charged for the Traditional program?
When does the parent discretionary funding arrive for parents? Fall or Fall and Spring? In one lump or spread over the year?
Will the board reserve the right to take back items bought with parent discretionary funding?
Is there a charge for marking student assignments on the Traditional High School program for marks/credits?
Will the board offer Purchase Orders?
When is the parent discretionary funding claim deadline for the year? (Some boards forfeit the unclaimed funding.)
Do items or private lessons considered for purchase require facilitator approval first? What are items that will not be reimbursed?
Does your board receive infrastructure funding for my child’s registration and how is that funding allocated to buildings and facilities for my child’s education?
Are board financial records available for parents to inspect?
Resources
Are resources such as curriculum, equipment and computers provided free, rented, or will they be purchased from parent discretionary funding?
Is there a rental or library fee for online or correspondence resources?
Are there additional fees such as registration, postage and shipping of resources, etc?
How big is your lending library? What types of curriculum do you loan out?
Do you offer Alberta Program of Studies outcome checklists for parents that are written in layperson’s language?
Do you carry popular brand names (Abeka, Saxon, Math-U-See, Sing Spell Read and Write, Rodeo Chaps, etc) or do you have house brands?
Do the resources you carry accommodate all learning styles or are they mostly workbooks and textbooks?
On the Blended and Aligned programs, do I have the option to choose curriculum/resources that is customized for my child, for the Teacher delivered portion, if it meets Alberta Program of Studies Learning outcomes? (This should be “yes”, otherwise the school board needs to teach the program.)
Does the board have a regular newsletter? Monthly, quarterly or yearly?
Does the board have an email list?
Does the board collaborate, endorse and support all the major home education support groups?
Does the board offer the opportunity for home educating families to participate in board sponsored talent showcases, science fairs, spelling bees, debating and other community organized events?
Facilitator
Can I choose my facilitator?
Does the facilitator attend professional development training in the culture of home education philosophy and best practices?
What is the procedure should a difference of opinion arise between parent and facilitator?
How long does it take to receive help or callbacks from my facilitator?
Will my facilitator mark my child’s work or is that the parent’s responsibility on the program I choose?
How often does my facilitator request visits?
How many other families does my facilitator need to accommodate?
Do your facilitators have knowledge of, and fully support all forms and philosophies of home education: Classical, Traditional, Waldorf, Reggio, Montessori, Un-schooling, Thomas Jefferson, Charlotte Mason, Eclectic, etc?
Is there a charge for facilitator visits?
Are they at my home or your center? (You have the right to insist upon your home.) If the visits are at your center, what accommodations for younger siblings do you offer? (Some boards provide toys and play centres so you can concentrate on the meeting.)
Are visits phone-based, or in person?
How are the expectations/agendas of the visits communicated to me beforehand?
Will they need to speak with/see the children? Will the facilitator need to orally test the children in my presence? (You have the right to be present.)
What records/portfolio requirements will the facilitators wish to see? (Traditional program only.)
Does the facilitator help write the educational plan in the beginning of the year and offer leads and recommendations for resources if they are not available with the board library?
Field trips, Classes and Workshops
What field trips/classes do you offer?
Are they mandatory attendance? (May be on the Blended/Aligned program)
Are the core program classes free in order to help parents meet Alberta Program of Studies outcomes? If not, is there a charge? (Teacher delivered classes under the Blended/Aligned Program should be free.)
Are siblings allowed to participate in family orientated classes? If not, how are they accommodated?
Are my child’s friends not registered with your board allowed to participate with payment?
What social (non-academic) programs such as dances, free time, do you offer?
Do you offer music, art, drama, choir, team sports, dance, gym time, second language, math and language arts tutoring, computer studies, food science and other options?
Does the non-resident board have a Calgary site for offering programming?
Are the workshops, classes, taught by Alberta Certified Teachers or under the supervision of Certified Teachers?
Does the board offer a free parent support group? Is the parent support group facilitator trained in adult education, home education, and small group facilitation?
Does the board offer regular workshops, conferences, etc, for parents to support their preferred teaching style? Is there a charge? Are their specialists available to offer workshops on specific learning problems? Is there a charge?
School Board Policies
What is the organizational structure of the school board? Who or what organization is the highest responsible person?
Can you refuse any students/families for any particular reason?
Can the school board insist on a student’s change of program from Traditional to Aligned or reverse? (No.)
Does the school board have a Parent (School) Advisory Council that parents can provide input on important topics of funding and policy? Are parents appointed, or elected to be on the PAT?
Does any of your funding come from gambling sources such as bingos, lotteries, or casinos?
What is your board’s policy on grade retainment if my child covers less than half the Alberta Program of Studies outcomes on a blended, fully aligned or on-line program?
Does the board have a code of conduct policy? What is the enforcement procedure?
How do you accommodate parents that refuse school board and Provincial Achievement Tests? (Any parent can refuse PATs) What alternate methods of evaluation will you accept?
Can I get refunds for classes that I cancel with minimum notice?
Does your board have a Special Needs facilitator and resources available to help parents with special needs? Is there extra cost for those resources? Can the facilitator do a special-needs Individual Program Plan?
By Judy Arnall, Copyright jarnall@shaw.ca March 2005, Updated June 2010, www.attachmentparenting.ca Judy is author of the Canadian bestseller, “Discipline Without Distress: 135 tools for raising caring, responsible children without time-out, spanking, punishment or bribery.”
May be reproduced without permission if entire byline is included as credit.
Considering home education? A simple checklist of questions to ask school boards is vital for parents considering home-based education
Programs
What programs does your board offer for my children? Do you offer Traditional, Blended, Online, Correspondence, Christian, Kindergarten, Special Education and High School Programs?
Who is responsible to Alberta Learning for the planning, actual delivery and evaluation of the curriculum and program that I’m choosing? (Traditional is parent responsible. Blended are a portion of Parent and a portion of Teacher, and Fully Aligned is totally Teacher responsible. Online and correspondence courses are 100% Teacher accountable, not parent.)
Funding
What are the parent discretionary funding amounts and my requirements for various programs?
Is there a School Fee charged for the Blended or Aligned portion of the program?
Is there a registration fee or deposit charged for the Traditional program?
When does the parent discretionary funding arrive for parents? Fall or Fall and Spring? In one lump or spread over the year?
Will the board reserve the right to take back items bought with parent discretionary funding?
Is there a charge for marking student assignments on the Traditional High School program for marks/credits?
Will the board offer Purchase Orders?
When is the parent discretionary funding claim deadline for the year? (Some boards forfeit the unclaimed funding.)
Do items or private lessons considered for purchase require facilitator approval first? What are items that will not be reimbursed?
Does your board receive infrastructure funding for my child’s registration and how is that funding allocated to buildings and facilities for my child’s education?
Are board financial records available for parents to inspect?
Resources
Are resources such as curriculum, equipment and computers provided free, rented, or will they be purchased from parent discretionary funding?
Is there a rental or library fee for online or correspondence resources?
Are there additional fees such as registration, postage and shipping of resources, etc?
How big is your lending library? What types of curriculum do you loan out?
Do you offer Alberta Program of Studies outcome checklists for parents that are written in layperson’s language?
Do you carry popular brand names (Abeka, Saxon, Math-U-See, Sing Spell Read and Write, Rodeo Chaps, etc) or do you have house brands?
Do the resources you carry accommodate all learning styles or are they mostly workbooks and textbooks?
On the Blended and Aligned programs, do I have the option to choose curriculum/resources that is customized for my child, for the Teacher delivered portion, if it meets Alberta Program of Studies Learning outcomes? (This should be “yes”, otherwise the school board needs to teach the program.)
Does the board have a regular newsletter? Monthly, quarterly or yearly?
Does the board have an email list?
Does the board collaborate, endorse and support all the major home education support groups?
Does the board offer the opportunity for home educating families to participate in board sponsored talent showcases, science fairs, spelling bees, debating and other community organized events?
Facilitator
Can I choose my facilitator?
Does the facilitator attend professional development training in the culture of home education philosophy and best practices?
What is the procedure should a difference of opinion arise between parent and facilitator?
How long does it take to receive help or callbacks from my facilitator?
Will my facilitator mark my child’s work or is that the parent’s responsibility on the program I choose?
How often does my facilitator request visits?
How many other families does my facilitator need to accommodate?
Do your facilitators have knowledge of, and fully support all forms and philosophies of home education: Classical, Traditional, Waldorf, Reggio, Montessori, Un-schooling, Thomas Jefferson, Charlotte Mason, Eclectic, etc?
Is there a charge for facilitator visits?
Are they at my home or your center? (You have the right to insist upon your home.) If the visits are at your center, what accommodations for younger siblings do you offer? (Some boards provide toys and play centres so you can concentrate on the meeting.)
Are visits phone-based, or in person?
How are the expectations/agendas of the visits communicated to me beforehand?
Will they need to speak with/see the children? Will the facilitator need to orally test the children in my presence? (You have the right to be present.)
What records/portfolio requirements will the facilitators wish to see? (Traditional program only.)
Does the facilitator help write the educational plan in the beginning of the year and offer leads and recommendations for resources if they are not available with the board library?
Field trips, Classes and Workshops
What field trips/classes do you offer?
Are they mandatory attendance? (May be on the Blended/Aligned program)
Are the core program classes free in order to help parents meet Alberta Program of Studies outcomes? If not, is there a charge? (Teacher delivered classes under the Blended/Aligned Program should be free.)
Are siblings allowed to participate in family orientated classes? If not, how are they accommodated?
Are my child’s friends not registered with your board allowed to participate with payment?
What social (non-academic) programs such as dances, free time, do you offer?
Do you offer music, art, drama, choir, team sports, dance, gym time, second language, math and language arts tutoring, computer studies, food science and other options?
Does the non-resident board have a Calgary site for offering programming?
Are the workshops, classes, taught by Alberta Certified Teachers or under the supervision of Certified Teachers?
Does the board offer a free parent support group? Is the parent support group facilitator trained in adult education, home education, and small group facilitation?
Does the board offer regular workshops, conferences, etc, for parents to support their preferred teaching style? Is there a charge? Are their specialists available to offer workshops on specific learning problems? Is there a charge?
School Board Policies
What is the organizational structure of the school board? Who or what organization is the highest responsible person?
Can you refuse any students/families for any particular reason?
Can the school board insist on a student’s change of program from Traditional to Aligned or reverse? (No.)
Does the school board have a Parent (School) Advisory Council that parents can provide input on important topics of funding and policy? Are parents appointed, or elected to be on the PAT?
Does any of your funding come from gambling sources such as bingos, lotteries, or casinos?
What is your board’s policy on grade retainment if my child covers less than half the Alberta Program of Studies outcomes on a blended, fully aligned or on-line program?
Does the board have a code of conduct policy? What is the enforcement procedure?
How do you accommodate parents that refuse school board and Provincial Achievement Tests? (Any parent can refuse PATs) What alternate methods of evaluation will you accept?
Can I get refunds for classes that I cancel with minimum notice?
Does your board have a Special Needs facilitator and resources available to help parents with special needs? Is there extra cost for those resources? Can the facilitator do a special-needs Individual Program Plan?
By Judy Arnall, Copyright jarnall@shaw.ca March 2005, Updated June 2010, www.attachmentparenting.ca Judy is author of the Canadian bestseller, “Discipline Without Distress: 135 tools for raising caring, responsible children without time-out, spanking, punishment or bribery.”
May be reproduced without permission if entire byline is included as credit.
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