26 January 2010

Values are often nullified in lieu of content in curriculums, but current projects to revitalize Manitoba's curriculum have injected values outcomes in our Social Studies documents. It is great to see that once nullified items have now been recognized. It seems empowering to validify nullified material, but at the same time, there was obviously a reason, conscious or unconscious, why it was nullified to begin with.

If values are to be presented in an outcome-based curriculum, it is assumed that the must be taught and assessed, as that is the point of a curriculum. Considering curriculum as a reflection of a society, it must be asked whose values have been represented and whose have been left out and why. By including new content, you once again risk leaving someone else out, which may be considered important by others.

The values presented in the Social Studies curriculums are general enough to apply to most situations and people, so as not to offend anyone or appear to controversial. But what if the values did offend someone? How would the province respond? Is it acceptable to have a document that promotes a certain set of values amongst its population? If so, how does not assess one's attainment of those values? Why do we need to have a prescribed set of values to be taught in school to begin with? Hasn't this always been a latent function of education? This makes me think that our social structures have broken down to such a point that students need to be explicitly taught at school why it is important to value their citizenship and pluralistic sense of community. As church attendance decreases, divorce rates sky-rocket, community clubs close, and social networking goes on-line rather than outside, it is not surprising to see that we need a forum to show students what is important in life and in being part of a country.

Maybe the explicit values in the Social Studies curriculum are a way of promoting a sense of national pride in a country without a definite identify. Since we are a country that prides itself more on abstract concepts like democracy and multiculturalism, rather than concrete symbols like baseball and apple pie, it is challenging to bring people together to understand their "purpose" within a nation. The cultural melting pot of the United States makes it easier to promote a sense of civic responsibility, although not necessarily a deep understanding of it, while our pluralistic society challenges our concept of nationalism.

Our "nullification" of values in our curriculums up to this point might be a sign of our Canadian sensibilities to offending others. Maybe it is now time to assert what it means to be Canadian to newcomers, but also to reaffirm this concept to people who have lived here for generations. Many long-time Canadians have become complacent with civic pride and need to have it restored!

To assess values-based outcomes, we need to see our students engaged in their communities. They need to take learning outside the classroom walls and apply it to real-life situations. They need to understand what it means to "appreciate pluralism" or "value democratic ideals." These are concepts that you understand through experience and interaction, rather than simplifying reading and writing. An increased emphasis on service-learning, where students use curriculum outcomes to identify and address authentic community needs, in our schools will help students get involved in their community, change perspectives of youth, build compassion and give context to curriculum content. But... this takes time and how do we fit that into our already busy school days? Any time we try to validify and realize something that was once null, we need to accept the challenges that come with it.