Student Transitions: grade 9-10

Parents as Coaches: What to Expect for your Child
Transition from grade 9-10
High school Introduction 

            The Alberta Social Studies curriculum’s main focus is to promote responsible citizenship at all and any age group. In grade nine, students are asked to broaden their horizons on identity, the role of democracy, and engaged citizenship. Moreover, the students will be asked to explore the role of federal and provincial governments, as well as the economic realities of our present day societies. The purpose of this is to broaden the horizons of the learner, as well as create an understanding of everyday society for every grade nine student. According to the Alberta government, grade nine studentswill analyze the relationship between Canada’s political and legislative processes and their impact on issues pertaining to governance, rights, citizenship and identity. Students will also explore issues of economics and their impact on quality of life, citizenship and identity in Canada and the United States” (pg. 21. http://education.alberta.ca/media/445775/pub9.pdf). By exploring both Canadian and United States economies, as well as doing a comprehensive study on the Canadian federal and provincial governments, the students are asked to gain a deeper understanding of government order and how past and present societies influence one another in a Canadian context. However, the transition from grade nine to ten can be a difficult move for any type of student. As parents, there are many things you should be aware of to help your child benefit from the learning process, as well as become successful and responsible citizens.
           
            Much like grade nine, the students in grade ten are asked to become responsible and active citizens in a Canadian context. By exploring the past and the present, the students will be asked to critically assess and analyze the society we live in today. Grade ten is a more analytical and challenging level of learning than grade nine. Because of this, it is important that parents are actively engaged in their children’s learning and education. First off, it is immensely important to be positive and encouraging towards the learner. The main point of this is to not only encourage a positive self-image and self-esteem, but also encourage the growth of the student’s self-efficacy. Next, make sure you discuss with your child, every day, about their schoolwork and what they had learned. Furthermore, it is proven that students learn more and the knowledge is engrained more thoroughly when the information learned in school is connected with everyday life. If parents tell stories and become actively engaged in the student’s education, the child will prosper academically. However, probably one of the most important things a parent can do for their child is to keep in touch with your child’s teacher about everything. Not just the bad behaviors or missed class time, but about the students accomplishment as and positive transitions.
           
            In grade ten, the overview of the curriculum for students to explore the multiple perspectives on the origins of globalization and the local, national, and international impacts of globalization on lands, cultures, economies, human rights, and quality of life. Furthermore, students are asked to analyze the relationships between globalization on the people of Canada, and throughout the world, including the Aboriginal and Francophone communities. The students of social studies 10-1 will be asked to analyze and assess the extent to which Canada’s economy should embrace globalization, and asses and respond to the complexities of globalization as a whole. In 10-2, the students will be arguing and debating whether or not societies should be integrated within globalization and the positive and negative impacts of both decisions. One of the main differences between grade nine and ten (all levels) is that students are asked to critically assess and analyze, compare and contrast, societies, economies, and social structures of the modern economies of Canada and around the world. The grade ten program of studies has distinct expectations for the students to reach under the category of “Dimensions of Thinking”. These four categories include critical and creative thinking to determine the validity and reliability of information based on context, bias, source, objectivity, and evidence to broaden understanding. Furthermore, there are expected outcomes in historical thinking, geographic thinking, and problem solving; to be able to become social participants in the democratic process. Grade ten focuses on modern and contemporary society in the acceptance or withholding of globalization practices. Moreover, through studying this, the students will be looking at current events, current global issues that deal with economic cooperation, how globalization was formed, and how this connects to the democratic and responsible society we live in today. As future grade ten, and high school students, it is important to keep an open mind, embrace the learning and connect everyday knowledge with the academic process of the classroom.

Some resources that may be of help to Parents of Students include:




Good luck to both the parents and the future students!


Alberta Education Coordinator for FACTSnet

Lindsay Spence

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