1. A Perfect World IRP:
Vygostky and Duckworth Unite
Alaina Smith and Lindsay Willms (EPSE 505)

2. Voices From the Ones
Who Know…
PLAY INTERVIEW

3. Listening to Students:
“I believe it was simply dragged out too long.”
“The information got into small irrelevant details to fill time.”
“Socials 10 is completely irrelevant to Socials 11…nothing that
carries over besides the name „Canada‟.”
-Grade 11 Student (IEP)

4. How can teachers plan lessons to
maximize potential development when
the curriculum IRPs are working
against them?

5. Rationale Curriculum
Rationale

6. IRP GoalsOur Goals
Learning
• Encourage Experiential Learning
Requires Active • User-Friendly Curriculum
Participation
People Learn at • Encourage the Use of a Breadth
of Strategies
Different Rates • Encourage Opportunities for
and Styles Cross-Curricular Learning
Learning is Both • Encourage peer-to-peer
Individual and interactions
Group Based • Encourage teacher-student
interaction

7. Combining Perspectives
Vygotsky Duckworth

8. Duckworth and Our Goals
Goal Goal
1 2
Experiential Learning Breadth of Strategies
& User Friendly & Cross-Curricular
Curriculum Learning
DUCKWORTH: DUCKWORTH:
“You have to put “Engaging students
[students] in a
situation where they minds and hearing
develop that what they have to
understanding.” say.”

9. Vygostky and Our Goals
Goal Goal
2 3
Breadth of Encourage Peer-Peer
Strategies & Cross- and Student-Teacher
Curricular Learning Interactions
VYGOSTKY:
“Learning awakens a VYGOSTSKY:
variety of internal “not by what the child
developmental knows how to do by
processes that are able
to operate only when the himself, but by what he
child is interacting with knows how to do under
people in his guidance……..with help
environment and in according to instruction,
cooperation with his or in collaboration.”

10. Time for a Re-Vamp

11. Our Approach
In order to align the IRP with developmental
theory, we will re-vamp both the Prescribed
Learning Outcomes (PLO) and the format of a
section of the current IRP for Social Studies 10!

12. Our Focus
Without
curriculum that is
relevant to
students, it makes
it very difficult to
engage learners.

13. The Re-Vamped PLOs!
1. Immigration Then and Now
2. Canadian Identity
3. First Nations Perspective
4. Gender and the Arts

14. The Re-Vamped PLOs!
1. Immigration Then and Now
 Examine current immigration trends in Canada and compare to trends from
1815-1914
 How did immigration trends help shape Canadian Society in this time period?
2. Canadian Identity
 Compare national identity 1815-1914 to modern day Canadian identity
 To what extent is and isn‟t Canada a cultural mosaic?
3. First Nations Perspective
 Evaluate the perspectives of First Nations to new European immigrants
 Examine the response and action of new European immigrants directed towards
First Nations
4. Gender and the Arts
 Examine how Canadian society is reflected through the arts (from 1815 – 1914)
 Compare traditional gender roles from this time period to current day gender
roles

15. 1. Immigration Then and Now
Rationale:
Have students make connections to their own
world and understand why the Canadian
multicultural landscape looks the way it does
Vygotsky argues that, “education leads
development, which is the result of social
learning through the internalization of culture
and social relationships.”

16. Lesson Example
Part One: Duckworthian Part Two: Vygostkian
Share family examples of Working in groups, choose a strategy
to represent the origins of each
immigration to Canada – why did family in the class (pie graph, bar
these people, families immigrate? graph, chart, timeline with dates
and locations, etc)
Can you suggest why people 150 Join with another group and share
years ago may have immigrated to how you each represented the
Canada? immigration of class members.
In partners, research important
Do world events influence world events from 1815-1914 – each
immigration? Make connections to group will contribute their
what is going on in the world now information to a class-constructed
timeline of world history from this
and how/why people are time period (large, visual
immigrating. representation).

17. The Survey
Design a survey about immigration and go out into the
community and gather data about current day
immigration, include things like where from, reasons
why? Ensure to poll a good cross section of the
population – for example, some groups to visit a
retirement home to poll the aged.

18. 2. Canadian Identity
Rationale:
The Socials 10 curriculum does not
encourage an introspection on our current
definitions of Canadian Identity
In order to learn, students must be able to
connect with the material because as
Duckworth says “knowing enough about
things is one prerequisite for wonderful
ideas.”

19. Lesson Example:
Part One: Duckworthian Part Two: Vygostkian
Get up and listen to my Write a two-three generational
history of your family
question.
In class share your story with
Find a place somewhere four others
along the horseshoe – Mark on the map the paths of
between STONGLY AGREE / your ancestors
NEUTRAL / STRONGLY
As a group, define Canadian
DISAGREE identity
What does this say about Make a MUSIC VIDEO for the song
Canadian Identity? “Oh Canada”

20. 3. First NationsPerspective
Rationale:
The Socials 10 textbook looks at the First Nations
perspective from an Eurocentric view – how do
students get past the stereotype and truly LEARN
about Native Canadians.
They must experience their perspective and as
Duckworth says, draw on their own “repertoire of
thoughts, actions, connections, predictions and
feelings.”

21. Lesson Example:
The Duckworth EXPERIENCE:
Students will make First Nations
drums
They will research a symbol from a
First Nations culture they identify
with
The Vygostkian LEARN and INTERACT:
A local chief is then invited in to
discuss drumming and the topic of
assimilation
Student will be armed with questions
for the chief and encouraged to ask

22. 4. Gender and the Arts
Rationale:
How society has evolved can be seen by examining many of its‟
different elements. Examining the changing role of women or
the development of the arts can be key indicators of societal
change.
Students need to do comparisons, engage in discussion,
examine authentic works of art, listen to, interact and question
people who are experienced in the field.
Duckworth states that “having wonderful ideas doesn‟t come
out of passive acceptance of textbook material.”

23. Lesson Example
View artwork Have Art 10/11 Examine the
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
from this time make art that roles of women
period that reflects Canada in Canadian
depicts daily life 1814-1914. Have society. Students
– what can we SS10 students make up
discern about life vignettes and
examine
and the role of rotate through
women based on collection,
interview artists scenes in order
the picture alone? to question and
and create a
magazine about compare
the collection different roles.

24. Works Cited
BC Ministry of Education, Social Studies, Integrated Resource Package
(2006). http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/irp_ss.htm (retrieved
November 15, 2009).
BC Ministry of Education, Visual Arts, Integrated Resource Package
(1996). http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/irp_fa.htm (retrieved
November 15, 2009).
Duckworth, Eleanor (2005). Critical education in the classroom. The
New Educator, 1 (4), 257–272.
Duckworth, Eleanor (1974). Language and thought. In M.
Schwebel&J.Raph (Eds.). Piaget in the classroom. (132-173). New
York: Basic Books.

25. Works Cited Cont‟d
Duckworth, Eleanor. (1974). The having of wonderful ideas. In M. Schwebel& J. Raph
(Eds.). Piaget in the classroom. (258-277). New York: Basic Books.
Gindis, B. (1999). Introduction of Dr. Gita L. Vygodskaya. Remedial and Special
Education, 20, 329.
Gindis, B. (1999). Vygotsky‟s vision: Reshaping the practice of special education for the
21st century. Remedial and Special Education, 20, 333-340.
Meek, A. (1991). On thinking about teaching: A conversation with Eleanor Duckworth.
Educational Leadership, 48 (6), 30-34.
Vygodskaya, G. L. (1999). Vygotsky and problems of special education. Remedial and
Special Education, 20, 330-332.
Vygotsky analyzes Piaget‟s theory. Retrieved September 20, 2009, from
http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/302/302vygpiaget.PDF.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1938). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.