Education is a vital part of human growth and an even more integral part of our society. Because of this, we put momentous efforts into trying to optimize our education systems. We've been trying to learn the best way to learn. Or at very least, create the best possible system for teachers and students to flourish in.
The school divisions here in Winnipeg make use of three such systems.
The first, the one I am most acquainted with, is the provincial curriculum. This is the basis for all education in Manitoba and is offered at all schools. I can't comment on the process involved in building the curriculum but I can say that it's less comprehensive and distinguished than the other two systems we will discuss. This is not to say it's a bad system. It just offers less.
Surely there is something to be said for offering less though? Having the option to work in a lax environment, not being forced to do strenuous amounts of work--this seems like a good thing. There is nothing wrong with investing your time outside of school in other activities. Perhaps this is the strength of the provincial curriculum?
Then we have international baccalaureate, or IB for short. IB is a rigorous curriculum that is geared towards developing global citizens and bringing students up to international education standards. It is generally regarded as the most comprehensive system used in Winnipeg high schools.
Students, in some cases, are taught the equivalent of second year university courses. Once graduated, they are able to transfer these course credits for equivalent university credits. This is all payed for through public education taxes.
High schools in Winnipeg that offer IB
Balmoral High School (note that Balmoral offers both IB and AP programs)
College Louis-Riel
College Sturgeon Heights Collegiate
Kelvin High School
Miles MacDonald Collegiate
Neelin High School
Westwood collegiate
That's seven schools (in all of our fair city) that give their students the opportunity at more comprehensive learning and essentially free university classes.
Last we have the Advanced Placement or AP curriculum. Like IB, AP offers students the opportunity to study college level material and turn their high school credits into university ones. Policies regarding transfer credits differ at each university. U of W, for example, looks more favorably on IB credits than U of M.
High schools in Winnipeg that offer advanced placement (AP)
Balmoral Hall School for Girls
College Jean Sauve
Dakota Collegiate
Daniel McIntyre Collegiate
Elmwood High School
Fort Richmond Collegiate
Gordan Bell High School
Grant Park High School
Gray Academy of Jewish Education
John Taylor Collegiate
Kildonan Collegiate
Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute
Murdoch Mackay Collegiate Institute
Oak Park High School
River East Collegiate
Saint Johns High School
Shaftesbury High School
Sisler High School
St-Johns-Ravenscourt School
St-Marry's Academy
St Maurice School Inc
St Paul's High School
Technical Vocational High School (better known as Tec Voc)
Vincent Massey Collegiate
West Gate Mennonite College
So what about all the other schools that aren't on either of these lists? Are they simply inferior? Well, in a way, yes.
Students that don't attend the institutions I listed are not given the option to take more advanced curriculums. Essentially, they are being deprived of opportunities. They don't have the option to study at a higher academic level and they don't have the option to receive university credits.
My point is that although things like funding, administration, and teachers all influence the quality of education a student receives, the main determiner is the curriculum--the material that they study.
There is something profoundly wrong when our public education system does not supply all students in the same city with the same opportunities.
Citations:
List of AP schools: http://www.ap.ca/cgi-bin/schools.cgi?state=MB
IB schools: http://www.ibo.org/school/search/index.cfm?programmes=&country=CA®ion=MB&find_schools=Find
Mallard: http://animal.discovery.com/guides/wild-birds/gallery/mallard_duck.jpg
3 comments:
I'm pretty sure West Kildonan Collegiate has a AP program.
First - very well done on the citations!
Second - thank you for this! I'm across the border in MN looking at a PhD program at UW, and this is really helpful in considering schools for my son. I am an IB diploma recipient and, though it's definitely not easy, it's so worth it!
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