More Indigenous content among changes to Alberta's draft K-6 social studies curriculum

The latest draft of Alberta's elementary school social studies curriculum is out, with revisions that integrate more Indigenous perspectives and what the government describes as a greater focus on critical thinking.

The third iteration of kindergarten to Grade 6 social studies content comes after the province took the curriculum back to the drawing board in the wake of backlash over a 2021 draft, with critics saying it was age-inappropriate and culturally exclusive.

The government subsequently did a new round of consultations with the public, teachers, community leaders and curriculum experts to come up with a new plan.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said Friday that the government listened to feedback that there was too much focus on memorization, and some content was being introduced too early. The new draft curriculum now introduces taxes in Grade 5 instead of Grade 2, and the amount of content in Grade 4 social studies has been reduced.

"I think our approach has been to take politics out of the classroom and give students a deep understanding of history, to understand an evolving and complex world, and give students the skills that they need to be successful," Nicolaides said.

An overview of the new draft says citizenship is an ongoing theme, with more exploration of diverse communities. First Nations, Métis and Inuit histories and contributions are addressed more consistently, according to the government, and additional content about discrimination and racism has been added for grades 3 and 6.

University of Alberta adjunct faculty member and education instructor Jean-Claude Couture is among the education academics consulted on the latest draft.

WATCH | The latest on changes to Alberta's draft K-6 social studies curriculum:

He said from his perspective, it looks like there are some attempts to integrate ideas the group brought to the minister.

"Unfortunately, it's a case of lifting key words and phrases and inserting them into what the government was planning to do anyway, which is still a very knowledge-based curriculum," he said.

He points to the long list of information that's part of the knowledge expected for Grade 6.

"How can you claim that you're going to have time to do critical thinking and inquiry ... when I am, as a Grade 6 student, being trotted through 100 knowledge items on the history of democracy, going back to ancient Greece and Rome and the evolution of the Magna Carta?" Couture said.

"All of that is important, but the question becomes: what is the purpose?"

He said that kind of approach poses a problem for teachers to find the time for students to meaningfully engage with the concepts behind the content.