N.L. math curriculum goes back to basics

The provincial government announced plans Wednesday to bring in a new mathcurriculum for students in the Kindergarten to Grade 12 system next yearin response toyears of complaints from parents and teachers.

The new curriculum is the main recommendation from an independent review conductedlastfalland claims to be a back-to-basics approach to math education. There will be new textbooks, more math specialists, as well as more support for teachers, students and parents.

Parents and teachers had complained there was too much crammed into the oldcurriculum, the textbooks weren't user friendly and there was too much homework.

"We took those ... issues seriously. We've invested money. We've had an independent review done and we're going to follow the recommendations of the review. So what I can say to parents is: Yes, we're listening. And not only are we listening but we're prepared to respond," Education Minister Joan Burke said Wednesday.

Education professor Bob Crocker, who headedthe review, said the emphasis would be on teaching basic math skills in the earlier grades.

"Parents and teachers and students, should under the new curriculum, notice fairly quickly a substantial shift in the earlier grades. The intent is that by the end of the whole process everybody will be better off, not worse off," he said.

Thechanges will be phased inover the next three years, starting in September with Grades Kindergarten,1, 4and 7.

The new curriculum is adopted from the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol, and has been used in the western provinces and territories since 2007.