[Opinion] How will we judge the excellence of the Quebec school?

The National Institute for Excellence in Education (INEE) announced by Minister Bernard Drainville would be responsible for promoting excellence in educational services in preschool, primary and secondary education. Promoting excellence in Quebec schools is commendable. It is important to define the criteria for evaluating it, to clarify the expected manifestations in the very particular context of the shortage of teachers. It is above all necessary to be honest about the ways of judging this excellence.

Does excellence in services address the conditions to be put in place in the milieus to promote consultation between the partners and joint reflection on teaching practices, taking into account the specificities of the disciplines whose research progress themselves as our society changes?

The whole of what constitutes the school seems to be taken together, whereas there is a major difference between looking for ways to better manage human and material resources and interfering in the pedagogical and didactic choices of the teaching staff. .

What will INEE’s mission really be with regard to these pedagogical and didactic dimensions? Bill 23 mentions that the INEE will be responsible for drawing up and updating a synthesis of the scientific knowledge available on the educational success and well-being of students. This is an ambitious goal, because educational success encompasses both academic success and the overall development of the student.

It is essential to take into consideration the scientific knowledge resulting from various research on success in primary, secondary and adult education, taking into account the different training paths. The organizational models of educational services can be documented, but they must be fed by the results of quantitative and also qualitative research. Each perspective contributes to educational success.

However, there is a risk of favoring certain types of research whose results seem to apply to a wider audience and give the impression of a consensus within the diversity of research in education. When it is mentioned that INEE will establish “best practices”, we question the scope of this work. Are we talking about teaching practices? If so, how will the specificity of the learning and teaching of each discipline be taken into account?

It is all the more important to answer these questions since the following sections of the bill seem to stem from the determination of these “best practices”. Under the lens of mathematics education, the choice of pedagogical formulas and tools (digital, manipulatives, etc.) that mediate class activities should depend on the aims of learning.

Bill 23 deals with the formatting of recommendations, support for the implementation of these recommendations, staff training, the definition of teachers’ professional skills and recognition of the content of the formation continues. These dimensions greatly contribute to the very definition of the school, hence the major impacts of the INEE’s positions on students, teachers, teacher trainers, etc.

We are concerned, not for the didactics of mathematics as a field of research, since the relevance and richness of our work are internationally recognized, but for the Quebec school, which, through this INEE project, runs a strong risk of not not benefit from this wealth.

We perceive the pitfalls of this project, which could become a way of standardizing practices by harming the creative and innovative initiatives of our community of researchers, trainers and teachers of mathematics. Considering the strong impact that the INEE would have on education in Quebec, we ask that in-depth work be carried out first in order to review its mandate in depth, starting, as a matter of urgency, by defining the aims of “excellence” and its operating methods.

* Also signed this text:

Geneviève Barabé, professor, University of Montreal

Mathieu Thibault, professor, UQO

Laurie Bergeron, professor, UQAM

Marie Luquette, lecturer, University of Montreal

Fabienne Venant, professor, UQAM

Sabrina Héroux, lecturer, UQTR and University of Montreal

Izabella Oliveira, professor, Laval University

David Benoit, professor, UQO

Hassane Squalli, Professor, University of Sherbrooke

Jean-François Maheux, professor, UQAM

Laurent Theis, Professor, University of Sherbrooke

Jean-François Gagné, visiting professor, UQAM

Annie Savard, Professor, McGill University

Lacina Dofini, master’s student, UQAC

Mireille Saboya, professor, UQAM

Souleymane Barry, UQAC

Frédéric Prud’homme, secondary education advisor, CSS Marguerite-Bourgeoys

Caroline Lajoie, professor, UQAM

Virginie Robert, Professor, Laval University

Marianne Homier, doctoral student, University of Sherbrooke

Marie-Frédérick St-Cyr, doctoral student, UQAM

Analia Bergé, professor, UQAR

Patricia Marchand, University of Sherbrooke

Anik Ste-Marie, professor, UQAM

Martin Roy, Educational Advisor, CSS des Samares

Marilyn Dupuis Brouillette, professor, UQAR

Caroline Damboise, professor, UQAR

Fernando Hitt, professor, UQAM

Patricia Falappa, lecturer, University of Sherbrooke

Elena Polotskaia, professor, UQO

Jeanne Koudogbo, professor, University of Sherbrooke

Marie-Pier Morin, Professor, University of Sherbrooke

Stéfanie Neyron, secondary education advisor, CSS Marguerite-Bourgeoys

Anne Roy, professor, UQTR

Sandrine Michot, doctoral student, UQAM

Helena Boublil, professor, Laval University

Nathalie Anwandter Cuellar, professor, UQO

Eva Knoll, professor, UQAM

Jeanne Bilodeau, professor, UQTR

Virginie Houle, professor, UQAM

Caroline Bisson, lecturer, University of Sherbrooke

Miranda Rioux, professor, UQAR

Cynthia Potvin, master’s student, UQAR

Josianne Trudel, lecturer, UQAR

Sophie René de Cotret, honorary professor, University of Montreal

Vincent Martin, Professor, University of Sherbrooke

Virginie Filion, Master’s graduate, UQAR

Thomas Rajotte, professor, UQAR, Lévis campus

Philippe R. Richard, Professor, University of Montreal

Jessica Tremblay-Pelletier, teacher and master’s student, UQAR

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