The Hidden Curriculum

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the effects of the hidden curriculum are often unnoticed, though its influence on educational institutions can be profound, impacting the behavior, both students and the instructor, often resulting in a less then optimal learning environment. The author points out that, in the United States, the hidden curriculum imparts respect for authority, good conduct and discipline by the organization of the classroom itself with the teacher seated at the front, which implies a hierarchy. The paper suggests that teachers and students can develop a critical awareness of the hidden curriculum by recognizing the many factors, which become part of the hidden curriculum, such as the media, and by being aware of the effects the hidden curriculum can have on topics such as race, class and gender.

Table of Contents
Hidden Curriculum
Effects of the Hidden Curriculum
Awareness

From the Paper:

"As a tool for socialization, the hidden curriculum is an important means for preparing students to take on social roles. Jackson (1968), for example, believed that the values taught in the hidden curriculum provided students with a strong foundation to take on the working world. In most American schools, for example, students are expected to concentrate on their own work and to excel, rather than take time to tutor slower students. These practices prepare students for the competition inherent in the American business world and American society in general."

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