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“Is it good for our children?” asked Minister of Education Peter Fassbender on Friday morning, as he addressed a large room filled with educators and students alike.
Representatives from the Central Okanagan School Board, the Okanagan Indian Band, the Westbank First Nation, and several community leaders and local businesses gathered in the Mount Boucherie Secondary gymnasium for an Innovation Forum, discussing the future of education in B.C.
Photo credit: KelownaNow.
The intent of the forum is to focus on the direction of education in B.C., allowing educators and Okanagan community members to discuss how they can support innovative student learning.
“The number one thing that we’re all here for is the future of our young people and their journey through the educational system,” said Fassbender. “Today is not an attempt to come up with solutions or clear directions, other than that we know we need to move forward. Today is the beginning of community engagement that we hope will be the ongoing dialogue in this community.”
Photo credit: KelownaNow.
Praising our education system, Fassbender was happy to refer to our province as a leader in education. However, we can’t sit still, added Fassbender. Education must move forward with the tides of change.
“How do we deal with the reality of change in the world?” asked Fassbender to an intrigued audience.
New provincial curriculum will give teachers more flexibility to personalize their students’ learning experiences while emphasizing deeper understanding of subject matter and the importance of core skills and competencies.
“We’re now ready for the next step on this journey, which is to support and encourage more teachers and more schools to develop approaches that work better for students,” added Fassbender.
Caption: Minister of Education Peter Fassbender chatting with students at Mount Boucherie. Photo credit: KelownaNow.
Saige Werstuik, a grade 12 student and Westbank First Nation's youth ambassador, was happy to show Fassbender around the school. Moving from classroom to classroom, Werstuik and fellow students discussed different vocations and programs offered at Mount Boucherie that will prepare students for the future.
“For me, taking some of these college programs will better me for the future. I’m planning on going into psychology, so having the chance to actually see what a psychology class is like and getting to do some of the things that I will do in university will prepare me for the future,” said Werstuik.
The Ministry of Education has been travelling throughout the province in order to facilitate a series of these forums.
Later this afternoon, educators and the Ministry will discuss the progression of education in B.C. and work towards ensuring that all of our children are prepared for the future. Aspects of the forum will include communication, integration of more hands-on learning, and building on relationships within B.C.'s communities.
"We're talking to communities about our vision of education for the future," said Fassbender. "The objective today is not to come up with solutions but to encourage community organizations to be involved in the educational journey of all of our students."
On Wednesday, KelownaNow delved into Aboriginal education and how the province is taking steps to integrate authentic material into our education system. For that article, click here.
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