Schools will remain closed until at least May 4^th and phase 2 of Learn at Home  will begin on Monday, April 6.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the Minister of Education said that the second phase of the province’s Learn at Home strategy is being developed collaboratively with educators, school board chairs and directors, and other professionals. It will be implemented by boards across the province and include teacher-led programs for all grades.

Phase 2 will include a range of resources and tools to be accessed in a range of ways – online, by mail, on the phone, or even, if necessary, delivered by school bus drivers direct to families. Boards will distribute laptops and/or devices from schools as needed. School boards across the province are contacting families to ensure they have what they need.

The Minister also announced a set of expectations for students:

• Kindergarten-Grade 3: five hours of work per student/week (with a focus on literacy and math)
• Grades 4-6: five hours of work per student/week (focus on literacy, math, science and social studies)
• Grades 7-8: 10 hours of work per student/week (focus on math, literacy, science and social studies)
• Grades 9-12: three hours of work per course per week for semestered students; 1.5 hours of work per course per week for non-semestered students (focus on achieving credits/completion/graduation)
• There will be final report cards and assignments will be graded by teachers.

Many questions remain:

• How will this new strategy recognize families’ differing capacities to support their kids’ learning?
• Kindergarten is based on play-based learning, how will that be recognized?
• How will these programs support vital learning beyond the 3 R’s?
• Many universities have shifted to a simple pass/fail outcome measure for students. What is the value of mandating grades? And what is the downside?
• Is Learn at Home mandatory for all students?
• How will teachers and others be supported to provide distance learning?

Read more about the new strategy.
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