Okay let's explore the new Ontario Grade 9 Destreamed math curriculum (MTH1W), shall we?
Quick facts:
- the new curriculum has 3 more overall expectations but the same number of specific expectations compared to 2005
- the strands align with the 2020 Grades 1-8 curriculum
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Strand A and AA
Glad that social-emotional learning won't be assessed because that would be hella biased. Good that the 7 mathematical processes and culturally responsive mathematics is explicitly an expectation.
Strand B - Number
First off, love the "tell a story" expectation. Let's see math through non-Western (AND EQUALLY VALID AND AWESOME) perspectives. Patterning to get exponent rules and more emphasis on proportional reasoning is welcomed. Fractions better say practical.
Strand C - Algebra
More stories! Not a whole lot of changes to algebra. Coding to learn math is included (and not onerous). Linear/non-linear relations is slimmed down, but the main ideas of linking multiple representations and solving problems remain.
Strand D - Data
Love that an expectation is to identify a question of interest and go deep using data (i.e. mathematical modelling - too bad this is nested only here). Also, identifying assumptions and biases will help students be more data literate.
Strand E - Geometry and Measurement
Cool to have students potentially learn about measurement systems from various cultures or communities. Notice that the term "Pythagorean Theorem" has been replaced with "side-length relationship for right triangles."
Strand F - Financial Literacy
Please note that nowhere here does it say to calculate anything! This is about BIG-IDEA CONCEPTS. Using digital tools to illustrate the effective of changing borrowing time or increasing down payments will be key.
Some snippets of the Introduction to the MTH1W course that simply cannot be emphasized enough.
Do not skip out of reading the front matter!!! Every teacher needs to *feel* how inclusive this destreamed math course is supposed to be. This is not your grandparents' Grade 9 math.
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1. I’m noticing a lack of the word “investigate” anywhere in the document. Can’t say I’m surprised...
2. Having an explicit emphasis on mental math strategies is going to shift how teachers instruct, and they will need to be able to name and notice these mental strategies and move students along from less efficient to more efficient. That’s huge.
3. I really like that promoting a positive identity as a math learner and the 7 math processes are explicit in expectations rather than being front-matter that no one pays attention to.