Littlest Learners: Here’s how Ontario is boosting kindergarten curriculum

The province is boosting the curriculum for kindergarten students. CTV Windsor’s Michelle Maluske explains what this means.

The province is rolling out a more rigorous curriculum in September for kindergarten students.

“It is a major change in terms of what the focus is going to be,” Mario Spagnuolo, President of the Greater Essex Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) told CTV News.

“It’s more explicit instruction for literacy and mathematics.”

In layman’s terms, kindergarten teachers will now have to grade each student on certain parameters.

“Our kindergartens will be exploring, counting, estimating up to 20,” said Raquel Roberts, superintendent with the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB).

“And they’ll be doing addition and subtraction up to 10.”

What won’t change, Roberts and Spagnuolo both say, is the play-based setup of kindergarten classrooms.

“We want them to play,” Roberts said.

“We want them to still have that curiosity and learning to extend their thinking and discovery through kindergarten.”

It was supposed to be rolled out this school year, but it was pushed back, according to Spagnuolo.

“We actually are thankful that the ministry listened to the feedback and gave one year to try to get our mind around it,” he said, noting there is a 30-minute webinar available online.

“It is a new curriculum that they’re going to have to learn.”

How parents can help

If you have a child entering kindergarten, Spagnuolo and Roberts have lots of tips for parents.

Both say reading a book with your child can go a long way, long before the children step foot in a classroom.

“We need kids to have books in hand, because the research is coming out and it’s very clear that having a book in your hand is much more effective than reading a story on an iPad,” Spagnuolo said.

Roberts recommends pointing out numbers wherever you go with your little one.

“Asking them about what they see, what they hear, what colors do you see? Where do you see numbers?”

Both the Greater Essex as well as the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board are hosting their annual Kindergarten Open Houses on Feb. 19.