Technology Curriculum. Where is ours????

"Technological innovation influences all areas of life, from the daily lives of individuals to the work of business and government, to interactions on a global scale. It helps meet basic human needs and provides tools for improving people’s lives and exploring new frontiers. The policy outlined in this document is designed to ensure that technological education in Ontario enables students to meet the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century. "

                                         -  Techological Education Curriculum 

                                             Ontario, Grades 11 and 12,  Page 5

Lately I have began to explore the world outside the confines of my classroom and I find it amazing and strange at times.  I see so many amazing things happening in education at all levels and I also see things that do not make sense to me.  I commented on my last post about the differences between Secondary and Elementary schools, so I figure why not continue on that rant.

In searching for some other people's views on why we do not have a Technology Strand, I stumbled on the Secondary Technology Curriculum.  If I am being honest, I never really knew it existed.  So I decided to give it a read.  On page 5, I read the amazing excerpt above that was under the subtitle, "The Importance of Technology in Education".  I loved that it addresses how technology is weaved through our entire lives and that we need to make sure our 21st century learners are equipped with it.  

My question is simple, where is our Technology Curriculum in elementary?  Is it behind our dance curriculum? Nope, it's not there.  So where is it then?  How can the Ministry create a curriculum that states the above and not realize that it would be a good idea to do the same for the young sponges we teach from grades K-8?  Not to dismiss the massive importance of the dance strand that we report on each year, but is it not time to change our report cards to reflect the massive change in our society or should I say the century?

Wow, that felt better to get that off my chest.  I am aware that the Science and Technology are tied together very loosely in the Elementary Curriculum and I am aware that their are other strands in high school that we do not have in our Curriculum, but I guess I just don't agree with it.  I believe that it is time to make technology a reportable subject on the report card.  This will make it more of a focus in all classrooms and will "enable students to meet the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century", as stated above.