a history of curriculum services canada
a history of curriculum services canada
a history of curriculum services canada
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and written submissions were considered. The report would directly affect Ministry policy over<br />
the next several years and would have long-term implications for education in Ontario and for<br />
OCC. The Clearinghouse was mentioned under "Success Stories" (Vol. 4, p.116):<br />
The Ministry provided start-up funds for a co-operative venture <strong>of</strong> (list <strong>of</strong> partners), to<br />
establish the Ontario Curriculum Clearinghouse, an organization to help boards buy<br />
<strong>curriculum</strong> materials from each other, rather than develop all their own materials<br />
independently.<br />
and under "Efficiency" (Vol. 2, p.5):<br />
We recognize the validity <strong>of</strong> recent attempts by boards and the Ministry <strong>of</strong> Education and<br />
Training to share the work <strong>of</strong> each board among all boards (e.g., the Curriculum<br />
Clearinghouse), and encourage continuation <strong>of</strong> that effort, as a result <strong>of</strong> which many<br />
valuable resources have already been developed.<br />
The Commission also noted the following in its comments:<br />
… given the constant pressure they operate under, the seriousness <strong>of</strong> their<br />
responsibilities, the never-ending new obligations society foists on them and the neverending<br />
new changes that boards or the Ministry impose on them, the anxiety about<br />
keeping up with their subject and with good practices that result from the explosion <strong>of</strong><br />
knowledge both in their disciplines and in teaching methods - given all this, even the<br />
ordinary teacher seems heroic to us.<br />
This last statement made OCC’s service, directed specifically to teachers, all the more timely.<br />
On 7 February, the Minister announced a new centralized <strong>curriculum</strong> development initiative that,<br />
he said, would save Ontario taxpayers $30 million. OCC recognized that it would have to find a<br />
role in this new initiative if it were to survive. In a letter to the Minister on 8 February, OCC<br />
recalled the value <strong>of</strong> their "initial contribution to <strong>curriculum</strong> development on a provincial scale"<br />
as recognized by the Royal Commission and by the Minister himself at the recent catalogue<br />
launch. This was followed with a list <strong>of</strong> <strong>services</strong> OCC was poised to provide "to ensure that the<br />
'heroes in education,' our teachers, are properly equipped for the future." OCC was cited as a<br />
model for partnerships, with broad-based <strong>curriculum</strong> expertise deliverable through an<br />
expandable, interactive database capable <strong>of</strong> serving all Ontario teachers.<br />
Representatives <strong>of</strong> each <strong>of</strong> the stakeholder groups, together with the Business Planning Team,<br />
<strong>of</strong>fered to meet with the Minister "to outline the role that OCC might play in assisting (the<br />
Minister) in the enormity <strong>of</strong> the task <strong>of</strong> centralizing <strong>curriculum</strong> development in the province <strong>of</strong><br />
Ontario." 10 As a result, a meeting took place on 20 February. The Ministry outlined its<br />
commitment to help teachers meet the challenge <strong>of</strong> implementing <strong>curriculum</strong> derived from<br />
"outcomes." It would deliver "classroom-ready" support materials for teachers for 1996 and<br />
1995<br />
©2008 Curriculum Services Canada 18