B.C.'s education system is facing a "reset" that will transform the way teachers and students interact with each other, says Tom Grant, who's retiring as superintendent of School District 43.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Tri-City News prior to his anticipated final day on Jan. 16, Grant identified several trends in education as well as the contributing factors, such as demographics and funding, that he thinks will completely revamp the current model of teaching, learning and school organization.
This isn't the first time Grant has spoken out on the changes facing education. In May, 2014, as the district was preparing to cut 150 jobs to balance the budget, the long-time educator spoke out about a regression back to the mean and challenges the district will face given current funding limits.
A credible commentator given his experience and his vantage point over the last seven years as head of B.C.'s third largest school district [Grant worked for 32 years in Vancouver school district, including 11 as associate superintendent before moving to SD43], Grant admits he's leaving at a time when most of those changes lie ahead for teachers, students, administrators and even parents.
"It seems like it has gone in a flash," Grant said of his career in education as he described his transition from a social studies teacher at Lord Byng secondary in Vancouver in 1976 to superintendent for SD43, where he oversaw 2,760 FTE staff, 31,000 students and a $270-million operating budget.
In his early days of teaching, his job was to hone his presentation so most kids would learn the curriculum, and "If the learner didn't get it," Grant said, "The learner didn't get it."
That is just not an option in today's heavily scrutinized education system, he said, acknowledging that competition for jobs and post-secondary education spots is cutthroat and student achievement closely monitored.
At the same time, however, advances in brain science, together with new technologies, are giving teachers a better understanding of their students' learning abilities and challenges, and new ways to reach them. With these developments, educators have a responsibility to learn and apply new teaching strategies, he said.
In SD43, the trend towards more personalized learning opportunities has been roundly supported by the board of education, which recently adopted a Learning Without Boundaries framework and approved several new programs and specialized academies, even some that charge fees.
"The biggest change is the reset on education and we're seeing a multi-faceted approach. What it is and what it is going to look like is that there are increasing expectations on the profession to focus on each learner," Grant explained.
Below: an SD43 student uses an iPad to help him hone his writing and presentation skills. - FILE PHOTO
Grant said he is proud of the district's new programs of choice, which include the Emilia Reggio-influenced elementary program, Inquiry Hub for project-based learning for high school students, and the popular bilingual Mandarin program.
But he worries that this trend toward specialization could lead to a kind of "privatization" of the school system and, although he didn't dwell on the topic, there is the spectre that "have" students will get their own programs while those without additional resources will not.
In the last several years, SD43 has provided schools with wireless technologies, laptops and even IPads or encouraged students to bring their own. But Grant cautioned that while learning "anywhere at anytime, any way you want it" has become more feasible, it doesn't mean "parking a child in front of a computer."
Instead, teachers must constantly refine their practice and learn new ways to use the tech tools to inspire learning rather than force it.
STUDENTS TAKE THE LEAD
This model, where teachers support learning rather than "teach" in a traditional way is changing achievement - "Why do we need grades?" Grant asks - and parents, as well as teachers, will need to relinquish some control over their child's learning.
It also means teachers must continuously upgrade their skills, "If you are willing to take the job, be prepared to relearn it on an annual basis," he said.
With more individualized learning opportunities, what will schools look like in the future? Grant predicts more mini schools, perhaps even increased "privatization" of public schools with fees for specialized academies, such as Riverside's secondary HIgh Performance Sport Conditioning Academy, for elite athletes who pay $599 to work with professional trainers.
At left, smartboards connected to the internet are increasingly being used in schools. - FILE PHOTO
A student might attend more than one school depending on their interests and skill level, such as already is the case with some high school students, and this fluidity will create challenges. Who is responsible for the student, who gets the funding and how do kids get from one school to another are all issues, and the push towards more individualized learning will have other impacts: "How do you evaluate a teacher who has 30 kids on individual programs?" he asked. What will be the impact on the teachers' collective agreement and how do taxpayers fund such a highly-individualized education system when government finances are stretched to pay for the increasing burden of health care.
"Economics and funding is going to have a huge influence on our willingness to fund education. More and more of our provincial dollars are going to health care and we are facing a huge demographic shift," Grant said, suggesting that as the population ages, health needs will trump education concerns.
ACHIEVEMENT, GRAD RATES HIGH
Grant likes to point out that SD43 students are doing well; their achievement and graduation rates are among the highest in the province. "It's an indication that we've done a good job" and he credits educators, administrators and support staff for creating a supportive and safe environment for learning.
He wishes others would trumpet the news more often as well, and while last year's $13.4-million deficit-cutting exercise is his biggest regret for all the "pain" it caused, he believes the school district is in a much better position now, with a balanced budget, to focus on creating new education innovations to prepare students for the unknown future.
"We do put good work in this district, and that I think is a bit of a legacy."
