K-12 education in Canada
When my family moved to Canada, I was in grade 6. The thought of moving to a new school never intimidated me. I had moved around all my life after all. But what got me on the edge was that I had no idea what to expect. Is it going to be similar to what I was used to in India? What are the teachers going to be like? What are the subjects going to be like?
An Overview
Canada has consistently ranked amongst the 10 best globally in terms of student performance. The 2010 world education ranking from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a major study of 65 countries, placed Canada third in reading and fifth in both math and science.
Full-time education is compulsory in all provinces and includes the children of foreign nationals permanently or temporarily resident in Canada. However, admission to a public school for foreign children is dependent on the type and duration of the visa granted to their parents, and free schooling may not be available.
Choosing a School (Public School)
Canada has both public as well as private schools. In some areas/cities/provinces, parents can choose which public school to send their children to. But in most areas "it's necessary to send your child to the public school that serves the area where you live and it's difficult to get your child accepted at a public school in another area." But be assured that the quality of public schools is good in terms of infrastructure and resources. The proximity to the school allows for students to spend less time commuting and more time to get involved with extracurricular. For me, it was hardly a 15-minute walk to get to school each day.
Parents should enquire at a school district's central office or Board of Education to find out which public school their child will be assigned to and the documents required for registration. Usually proof of residence, an immigration record of landing, a passport, a birth certificate (or a certified copy) and details of child's medical history, including immunisations and tuberculin screening, past scholastic records are required. This is used to assign students to the correct grade/class. Parents should be careful about the time of the year they choose to immigrate and providing detailed student records as at times a child can be backtracked at the discretion of the school.
Private Schools
Only 5% of students in Canada attend for fee-paying private schools. The private schools may cater to a more specific requirement such as single-sex schools, schools sponsored by a religious group, or schools for students with learning disabilities or gifted children. Private schools are considered to be a costly affair. It is believed that private schools are "rigorous and demanding". Most Canadian private schools "prepare students for entry to a Canadian college or university, some international schools prepare students for the International Baccalaureate (IB) examination." Directories of private schools are available in most reference libraries in Canada, from the provincial Ministry of Education or from the Canadian Association of Independent Schools.
Cost
Education in public primary and secondary schools is free, but parents might have to pay 'student fees' of between $5 and $100 per term for extra-curricular classes such as music and art. Most schools do not have school uniforms and hence there is no additional cost attached to uniforms. Private schools and parochial schools do have uniforms and their cost varies. The major cost associated with a child's education is expenditure on basic stationery. Schools provide textbooks at no additional cost which must be returned at the end of the semester or school year for use by the next set of students.
Costs associated with private school education may vary from school to school based on factors like the reputation of school and facilities. Most private schools provide scholarships to talented and gifted students.
Organization
According to Age
Compulsory education starts at the age of five in most provinces when children enter kindergarten. Parents can choose to send their kids to pre-school and nursery but this is not covered under the public school system and are private institutions. This is highly recommended for students whose parents don't speak English or French as their mother tongue.
Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 to 18 depending on provincial regulations. Individuals between ages 19 and 21 can continue to attend school if they have not fulfilled their diploma requirements and wish to continue. There are special classes within public schools and teachers to cater to the needs to special needs students.
In the province of Quebec, students attend high school for grades 7 to 11 and then transfer to a general and vocational college for a further two or three years.
School Year
Most schools start in the first week of September and runs until the last week on June. July and August constitute summer vacation. There are some year rounds schools and some start in mid-August and end in mid-May. Students have a five day work week.
Language of Instruction
Canada is a bilingual country with both English and French as official languages. The language of instruction in most schools is English with the exception of the province of Quebec where the primary language of instruction is French. Schools have provisions for students who do not speak either English or French.
Parents can enquire about English as Second Language (ESL) and French as Second Language (FSL) classes. The ESL/FSL class are taught an easier curriculum and some students may not benefit from this. Parents must do a thorough enquiry to ensure the interest of their children is not harmed.
Classes and Subjects (for public schools)
The upper limit of students in each class is set at 40 students. Up until grade 6, all subjects are taught by one teacher. Unlike in India, the students move from one class to the next at the end of each period. Subjects taught up until grade 8 are pre-decided by the school board and divided into approximately 40-45 minute periods. When a student enters high school (grades 9 to 12) they follow what is known as the "semester high school" system where instead of eight subjects throughout the year, subjects are divided in two semesters with four subjects in each semester. The lesson duration is usually 70-80 minutes per subject.
In high school, students also move to the 'credit' system. Each student must acquire a particular number of credits in order to earn a diploma. Mandatory/ core curriculum subjects must be studies for a prescribed number of credits. This includes subjects like English, math, health, science, world history, geography.
In addition to these mandatory subject, students can choose optional subjects of their liking. For both mandatory and optional subjects, students can select the level at which they wish to study those subjects at. Many schools also offer vocational training programs in four fields: agricultural education, business education, home economics, and trade and industry education.
To illustrate, during my high school years in Ontario, I was required to complete a total of 30 credits in order to earn my diploma. Of these 30, 18 were mandatory/core subjects. For all the 30 subjects, I could choose between academic level or applied level courses. High schools divide their curriculum into 'advanced' or 'academic', which prepares students to go to university, or 'general' or 'applied', which prepares students to go to a community college or trade school. I choose courses like photography, law, academic biology and academic calculus as my elective subjects.
Evaluation
Students are assessed based on continuous evaluation over the school year. Students are exempt from exams up until grade 8 and grades are based on the in-class evaluation, tests, assignments, homework, and class participation. Students must appear for a final exam for each subject from grade 9 onwards. The final score is a weighted average of the final exams, continuous class evaluations, tests and quizzes, practices etc.
Extracurricular
Proximity to school allows for students to engage in after school extracurricular activity of their interest. School sports, school bands, after school clubs, are some of the things students dedicate time to. Most schools have various school-sponsored activities. There are drama groups, language clubs, animation clubs, newsletter teams, photography clubs and what not. If a club of interest does not exist, students can set one up one. Colleges and universities place considerable weight on the achievements of students in high school extracurricular activities, as do Canadian employers.
My time immersing myself in the new school system made me realize that the Canadian K-12 education system is a very accepting one. It is well prepared to welcome students from diverse cultures and adapt them into the system.
An Overview
Canada has consistently ranked amongst the 10 best globally in terms of student performance. The 2010 world education ranking from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a major study of 65 countries, placed Canada third in reading and fifth in both math and science.
Formal education in Canada comprises of three levels: elementary/primary, secondary and higher education. The provincial and local governments are mainly responsible for funding and providing universal free education up until grade 12. Educational practices and policies vary depending on the province. Control of public school system to a large extent is decentralized and overseen by local school authorities.
Full-time education is compulsory in all provinces and includes the children of foreign nationals permanently or temporarily resident in Canada. However, admission to a public school for foreign children is dependent on the type and duration of the visa granted to their parents, and free schooling may not be available.
Choosing a School (Public School)
Canada has both public as well as private schools. In some areas/cities/provinces, parents can choose which public school to send their children to. But in most areas "it's necessary to send your child to the public school that serves the area where you live and it's difficult to get your child accepted at a public school in another area." But be assured that the quality of public schools is good in terms of infrastructure and resources. The proximity to the school allows for students to spend less time commuting and more time to get involved with extracurricular. For me, it was hardly a 15-minute walk to get to school each day.
Parents should enquire at a school district's central office or Board of Education to find out which public school their child will be assigned to and the documents required for registration. Usually proof of residence, an immigration record of landing, a passport, a birth certificate (or a certified copy) and details of child's medical history, including immunisations and tuberculin screening, past scholastic records are required. This is used to assign students to the correct grade/class. Parents should be careful about the time of the year they choose to immigrate and providing detailed student records as at times a child can be backtracked at the discretion of the school.
Private Schools
Only 5% of students in Canada attend for fee-paying private schools. The private schools may cater to a more specific requirement such as single-sex schools, schools sponsored by a religious group, or schools for students with learning disabilities or gifted children. Private schools are considered to be a costly affair. It is believed that private schools are "rigorous and demanding". Most Canadian private schools "prepare students for entry to a Canadian college or university, some international schools prepare students for the International Baccalaureate (IB) examination." Directories of private schools are available in most reference libraries in Canada, from the provincial Ministry of Education or from the Canadian Association of Independent Schools.
Cost
Education in public primary and secondary schools is free, but parents might have to pay 'student fees' of between $5 and $100 per term for extra-curricular classes such as music and art. Most schools do not have school uniforms and hence there is no additional cost attached to uniforms. Private schools and parochial schools do have uniforms and their cost varies. The major cost associated with a child's education is expenditure on basic stationery. Schools provide textbooks at no additional cost which must be returned at the end of the semester or school year for use by the next set of students.
Costs associated with private school education may vary from school to school based on factors like the reputation of school and facilities. Most private schools provide scholarships to talented and gifted students.
Organization
According to Age
Compulsory education starts at the age of five in most provinces when children enter kindergarten. Parents can choose to send their kids to pre-school and nursery but this is not covered under the public school system and are private institutions. This is highly recommended for students whose parents don't speak English or French as their mother tongue.
Education is compulsory up to the age of 16 to 18 depending on provincial regulations. Individuals between ages 19 and 21 can continue to attend school if they have not fulfilled their diploma requirements and wish to continue. There are special classes within public schools and teachers to cater to the needs to special needs students.
In the province of Quebec, students attend high school for grades 7 to 11 and then transfer to a general and vocational college for a further two or three years.
School Year
Most schools start in the first week of September and runs until the last week on June. July and August constitute summer vacation. There are some year rounds schools and some start in mid-August and end in mid-May. Students have a five day work week.
Language of Instruction
Canada is a bilingual country with both English and French as official languages. The language of instruction in most schools is English with the exception of the province of Quebec where the primary language of instruction is French. Schools have provisions for students who do not speak either English or French.
Parents can enquire about English as Second Language (ESL) and French as Second Language (FSL) classes. The ESL/FSL class are taught an easier curriculum and some students may not benefit from this. Parents must do a thorough enquiry to ensure the interest of their children is not harmed.
Classes and Subjects (for public schools)
The upper limit of students in each class is set at 40 students. Up until grade 6, all subjects are taught by one teacher. Unlike in India, the students move from one class to the next at the end of each period. Subjects taught up until grade 8 are pre-decided by the school board and divided into approximately 40-45 minute periods. When a student enters high school (grades 9 to 12) they follow what is known as the "semester high school" system where instead of eight subjects throughout the year, subjects are divided in two semesters with four subjects in each semester. The lesson duration is usually 70-80 minutes per subject.
In high school, students also move to the 'credit' system. Each student must acquire a particular number of credits in order to earn a diploma. Mandatory/ core curriculum subjects must be studies for a prescribed number of credits. This includes subjects like English, math, health, science, world history, geography.
In addition to these mandatory subject, students can choose optional subjects of their liking. For both mandatory and optional subjects, students can select the level at which they wish to study those subjects at. Many schools also offer vocational training programs in four fields: agricultural education, business education, home economics, and trade and industry education.
To illustrate, during my high school years in Ontario, I was required to complete a total of 30 credits in order to earn my diploma. Of these 30, 18 were mandatory/core subjects. For all the 30 subjects, I could choose between academic level or applied level courses. High schools divide their curriculum into 'advanced' or 'academic', which prepares students to go to university, or 'general' or 'applied', which prepares students to go to a community college or trade school. I choose courses like photography, law, academic biology and academic calculus as my elective subjects.
Evaluation
Students are assessed based on continuous evaluation over the school year. Students are exempt from exams up until grade 8 and grades are based on the in-class evaluation, tests, assignments, homework, and class participation. Students must appear for a final exam for each subject from grade 9 onwards. The final score is a weighted average of the final exams, continuous class evaluations, tests and quizzes, practices etc.
Extracurricular
Proximity to school allows for students to engage in after school extracurricular activity of their interest. School sports, school bands, after school clubs, are some of the things students dedicate time to. Most schools have various school-sponsored activities. There are drama groups, language clubs, animation clubs, newsletter teams, photography clubs and what not. If a club of interest does not exist, students can set one up one. Colleges and universities place considerable weight on the achievements of students in high school extracurricular activities, as do Canadian employers.
My time immersing myself in the new school system made me realize that the Canadian K-12 education system is a very accepting one. It is well prepared to welcome students from diverse cultures and adapt them into the system.