A strong commitment and relentless efforts to promote and enhance literacy is the key theme that emerged from a meeting of the Council of Atlantic Ministers of Education and Training (CAMET) today in Dartmouth, N.S. The meeting was attended by Hon. Martine Coulombe, New Brunswick Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour; Hon. Marilyn More, Nova Scotia Minister of Labour and Advanced Education; Hon. Doug Currie, Prince Edward Island Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development; and Hon. Allan Campbell, Prince Edward Island Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning.

Ministers reviewed progress in the implementation of their 2009 plan, Literacy: Key to Learning and Path to Prosperity – An Action Plan for Atlantic Canada 2009-2014, and expressed great satisfaction relating to the accomplishments achieved since its launch. These accomplishments will be contained in a progress report to be released in February.

Ministers are also delighted to launch the following seven resources in schools across Atlantic Canada to further support their ongoing commitment to improve literacy in public education:

• Standards and Educational Leadership: The Road Not (Yet) Taken / Les normes et le leadership en éducation : Un concept à découvrir

• Standards of Practice for Educational Leaders: A Guide for Leadership Development, Growth and Professionalism / Normes de pratique pour cadres d’établissements d’enseignement: Guide de perfectionnement, de croissance et de professionnalisme

• Grade 3 and 4 Social Studies Curriculum

• The Multi-age Classroom Kits / La classe multiâge

• Effective Instructional Practice in the Mathematics Classroom: A Literature Review

• Séquences didactiques pour les programmes de français de la 9e à la 12e année

• English Language Arts Grades 7, 8 and 9 Curriculum Renewal

Atlantic ministers also highlighted the Atlantic Adult Literacy Campaign, Literacy: It means more than you think, launched on November 1, 2010 as a means of improving the quality of life and increasing literacy and essential skills. Ministers wish to emphasize that literacy encompasses more than reading, writing, and numeracy, as it impacts every aspect of an individual’s daily life, whether as a learner, employer, worker, or parent. The campaign exemplified the commitment of Atlantic ministers to work together to promote the social and economic benefits of literacy throughout Atlantic Canada. The campaign will continue in 2011.

The Council of Atlantic Ministers of Education and Training (CAMET) is an agency of the Council of Atlantic Premiers (CAP) and its purpose is to enhance cooperation in public (Entry-Grade 12) and post-secondary education in Atlantic Canada by working together to improve learning, optimize efficiencies and bring added value to provincial initiatives.

BACKGROUNDER -- New CAMET Resources

2009-2012 CAMET Strategic Direction

Standards and Educational Leadership: The Road Not (Yet) Taken

Les normes et le leadership en éducation : Un concept à découvrir

An environmental scan of educational leadership standards was prepared to inform the process of establishing leadership standards for principals and superintendants. This document highlights the context and purposes of educational leadership standards as they have been developed and used by other provinces, states and countries.

Standards of Practice for Educational Leaders: A Guide for Leadership Development, Growth and Professionalism

Normes de pratique pour cadres d’établissements d’enseignement: Guide de perfectionnement, de croissance et de professionnalisme

A set of standards of practice and competencies for educational leaders has now been developed that reflects the highest ideals for aspiring and practicing school principals and vice principals. These standards of practice describe the knowledge, skills, competencies and values that reflect a continuous growth towards excellence in leadership.

Grade 3 and 4 Social Studies Curriculum

Two resources were developed to outline the philosophy and scope of the grades 3 and 4 social studies programs for the English-language schools and immersion programs. Curriculum outcomes and delineations are paired with effective student learning activities and assessment strategies. These resources are available in print and online by visiting each of the provincial department of education websites.

The Multi-age Classroom Kits / La classe multiâge

A resource package designed to stimulate discussions and reflections on schools interested in establishing multi-age classes. The philosophies behind the multi-age approach are becoming more prominent and widely used, especially in those places where student enrolment numbers remain low. This resource is designed to support and guide teachers through the process of setting up multi-age classes. This resource is available in print only, with a complementary interactive cd rom.

Effective Instructional Practice in the Mathematics Classroom: A Literature Review

A report that examines the characteristics of effective teachers who promote maximum learning in today’s diverse mathematics classroom. The literature review focuses on instruction and best practices in the classroom, the use of successful assessment strategies and how to improve student engagement. The document also addresses best teaching practices for students considered “at-risk” or those who experience learning difficulties in mathematics.

CAMET 2009-2014 Literacy Action Plan

Séquences didactiques pour les programmes de français de la 9e à la 12e année

An interactive Web-based resource was developed for teachers. This tool promotes a differentiated instruction approach and guides teachers through various activities linked to the new grades 9 to 12 language arts curriculum. The site also features links to student exemplars which help to identify student performance.

English Language Arts Grades 7, 8 and 9 Curriculum Renewal

A research of current teaching practices was completed, which includes the up-to-date developments and pedagogical approaches (instructional and classroom assessment/evaluation) related to teaching language arts in grades 7 to 9. Revised components of the curriculum guide include updated information on the time teachers plan for instruction for reading and writing, viewing and representing, listening and speaking, as well as additional support for teachers to address the language arts outcomes. This resource is available online by visiting each of the provincial department of education websites.