The term “hidden curriculum” refers to information that is conveyed to students without being explicitly taught. The majority of the time, it is about educational concepts such as ideologies and approaches to specific problems. It can also include more complex social and cultural norms. Teachers and others in positions of authority do not formally agree to the terms of a hidden curriculum, but rather model different behaviors and passively elevate certain ideas over others in order to communicate its central messages.
What Makes This Curriculum Different From Others?
Set lesson plans and learning objectives are used in schools all over the world to guide teaching and ensure that all students leave with the same basic knowledge. These rigid goals are usually written down and widely disseminated; they are collectively referred to as the school’s curriculum. A hidden curriculum differs from a public curriculum in that it is never discussed or agreed upon. It isn’t always the same from one school to the next, or even from one classroom to the next.
Social Indicators
The hidden curriculum is frequently discussed in terms of social cues and specific mannerisms, especially with younger children. For example, the fact that children understand classroom order, know when to wait their turn, and know the difference between playground-appropriate and classroom-appropriate language are all factors of authority figures’ passively communicated cues. The hidden curriculum in this case is made up of things that kids pick up on but were never actually taught.
Messages Endorsed Schools
More overt messages about political views, the definition of success, and citizenship may also be included in a hidden curriculum. These messages are frequently communicated through a teacher’s tone or reading selection, but they can also be conveyed through artwork displayed in school hallways, music played over the intercom, and school events and guest speakers.
Student achievement messages are frequently among the most powerful. A school that places a strong emphasis on academics, for example, may overlook students who are less academically inclined, resulting in a layered social and academic structure that devalues some students. This emphasis may inadvertently teach academically successful students to discriminate against those who demonstrate less intelligence. Similarly, some departments may receive more funding than others, sending the message that some activities are more important than others; this can lead to caste or clique structures within schools.
Surroundings as a Source of Insight
Environmental signals are also taken into account. If the school’s official curriculum emphasizes each student’s value, a student attending a poorly funded school in a decaying building without access to proper materials may get a mixed message. Being told that a person is valuable through instructional methods and faculty support when all evidence of how that person is cared for within the school is to the contrary can have an impact on a student’s ability to be optimistic, trust authorities, or build self-esteem.
Tests that are standardized
Standardized testing, which is based on the assumption that all students have the same core knowledge, is another example of hidden curriculum. Standardized tests have been accused of being discriminatory against certain racial or ethnic groups because they include questions that assume knowledge that some students simply do not have due to their background. Schools that require these tests are sometimes accused of having a hidden curriculum that favors students in more privileged classes.
Tracking Your Career
Career “tracking” and subtle signals about a student’s aptitude for specific professions can be classified as hidden curriculum to some extent. This includes gender biases in fields such as science and math, as well as assumptions that students with certain skills or interests — such as the arts or literature — are somehow “unsuited” for careers in more intellectually demanding fields. The majority of this bias is communicated through subtle remarks, cultural preconceptions, and the ways in which teachers assist or encourage students in specific directions.