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New math curriculum for elementary students

Focus on the fundamentals will better prepare students for Jobs of the Future says the province
BayToday Staff
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A new elementary math curriculum to reverse a decade of declining math scores has been introduced by the province.

It is said to better prepare students for work in a" rapidly changing world, strengthen math competence and improve grades."

The curriculum was developed over two years in consultation with parents, math educators, academics, and math education experts.

Details were released today by Premier Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.

"I made a promise to parents that we would fix the broken education system we inherited, get back to basics, and teach our children the math fundamentals they need for lifelong success," said Ford. "Today, our government is delivering on that promise with the first-ever math curriculum in Canada for Grades 1-8 that includes the teaching of coding and financial literacy, both critical skills that will help our students prepare for and succeed in the modern world and in the modern workforce."

The new math curriculum for Grades 1-8 will:

  • Build an understanding of the value and use of money through mandatory financial literacy concepts;
  • For the first time, teach coding or computer programming skills starting in Grade 1 to improve problem-solving and fluency with technology, to prepare students for jobs of the future;
  • Use relevant, current, and practical examples so students can connect math to everyday life;
  • Put a focus on fundamental math concepts and skills, such as learning and recalling number facts.

"For over a decade, too many students were lacking everyday math, financial literacy, and numeracy skills," said Minister Lecce. "The new curriculum will help students solve everyday math problems, enshrine financial literacy in the early grades, and better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow by ensuring every student learns how to code."

The new math curriculum will be the first uploaded to the new Curriculum and Resources website, a digital space where anyone can access curriculum and learning resources. This platform will help parents, students, and teachers see connections between learning in different grades and subjects.

The last update to Ontario’s elementary math curriculum was in 2005.

The elementary report card will be updated to align with the new curriculum and provide an overall mark in math, along with comments on the different strands of the curriculum to give parents a better overall assessment of how their child is doing.

See: Ontario Introduces New Math Curriculum for Elementary School Students

Meanwhile, a teacher's union says the rollout is rushed.

"The Ontario government is rushing the new math curriculum into public schools this September despite the learning gaps experienced by students resulting from this year’s school closures and emergency distance learning," says a news release from ETFO.

“ETFO is not opposed to improvements to the current math curriculum that better prepare students for their futures, however, implementation is going to take time if we’re to do it right,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond. “Educators, students, and parents have all grappled with the stressful learning conditions forced on us by the COVID-19 pandemic.”