Instruction

In a school-directed program, the teacher provides the 4 components (diagnostic, prescriptive, instructive and evaluative) of an education program per the Guide to Education.

In a home education program, the parent designs the program, provides all the resources and instruction, supervises the student and evaluates success with the school providing administrative supervision and reporting in accordance to the Home Education regulations.

Definition of Instruction:

Instruction is the process in which Alberta certificated teachers take responsibility for ensuring that learning activities for students are directed toward achieving the outcomes of approved programs of study and/or individualized program plans/instructional support plans for 950 – 1000 hours over the year through:

  • interaction with students, either face-to-face or using information and communication technology, for the purpose of teaching and assessing student achievement of outcomes, and/or
  • interaction with students who are engaged in classroom learning, self-directed instructional resources, independent study, online education and/or distributed learning, and/or
  • supervision of student workplace learning.

Access to Instruction means:

  • certificated teachers are assigned to deliver or supervise the instruction
  • the instruction and evaluation of performance are based on the outcomes in an approved program of studies
  • there are designated times when teachers are available to students
  • students know, prior to enrolling in courses, how and when they will be able to access the instructional expertise of teachers.

Instructional Time:

Instructional time includes time scheduled for purposes of instruction, examinations/testing and other student activities where direct student–teacher interaction and supervision are maintained.

Instructional time does not include:

  • teacher convention days • professional development days
  • parent–teacher interview days • teacher planning days
  • staff meetings • statutory and school authority–declared holidays
  • lunch breaks • breaks between classes
  • supervised study halls • time taken for the registration of students
  • extracurricular activities • graduation/commencement rehearsals and ceremonies.

HOW TO ACCESS YOUR TEACHER

Your teacher is available a minimum of 950 – 1000 hours a year through a variety of different modes. If your teacher is unavailable for some reason, another teacher will help you.

Your teacher (sometimes called Learning Coach) can be contacted through schoology (M-F), by phone, email, fax, in person or hangout (T-F 9AM-4 PM).

Your day will be a combination of learning modes which follow the educational plan created by your teacher (SDP) or you (HE) for your student and could include:
  • face-to-face (i.e. PSI, MEETING, TESTING, CLASSES, CAMPS) and /or
  • using information and communication technology (i.e. SCHOOLOGY, EMAIL, PHONE, FAX, SKYPE, HANGOUT, TEXT) and /or
  • self-directed instructional resources (i.e. BACKPACK, JUNIOR HIGH IN A BOX, SOCIAL & SCIENCE PACKS) and /or
  • independent study (i.e. ALL SUBJECTS, USING LOS CHECKLISTS AS A GUIDE) and/or
  • online education (i.e. ADLC) and/or
  • distributed learning (i.e. T4T COURSES)

* See the Guide to Education for percentages of time recommended by Alberta Education for each subject area.