The Hidden Curriculum

It's been a minute since I have had the passion, the time, or the mental capacity to write something, but, with the current state of the world I feel as though this thought keeps coming into my mind: what are we teaching our students without actually teaching them?

Anything else I have thoughts about is already within an over-saturated market of "teaching during a pandemic," and, like, what a waste of time it would be to add more to that train wreck.

Anyway.

Teachers speak a lot about curriculum: the skills they teach, the materials they used, the handouts they create, the questions they craft.

But, there is another side to that: the pieces of education that are not the skills, the materials, the handouts, but the class schedule, the length of class, the structure of a class day, the rules and expectations.

What messages are those aspects of education sending to students?

What are those aspects of education teaching students?

This year, while so many things are different, the subject I teach is massively different: a class about how to, well, be okay and feel okay with being a middle school student.

Arguably, it's an impossible task; middle is hard.

I have been told by parents and teachers and students that this is a class that they need and is essential for student success. Many are so excited that it exists in the first place.

But, here's a systematic thing we are teaching students: I only teach them once a week, for a total of forty-five minutes. And, even in a regular year, that would be twice a week for a total of 90 minutes.

I am now seeing the world through the view of a course that is not one that is systematically supported.

Going from teaching Reading and Writing - the literal backbone of all education - to teaching a brand new elective class has really shown me the cultural shock of the system.

My class has a solid goal: teaching students the skills they need to be successful. Yet, when students only sit in my class once a week, it sends a message that this class is not as important as math, science, social studies, language arts - classes in which students spend double or four-times as much time throughout the week.

Math class: 45 minute class periods every day.

Language Arts: 90 minute class periods every day.

Leadership/Art/Technology: 45 minute class period every other day.

That is the hidden curriculum.

Of course, this issue isn't new: art, music, technology classes have been facing this burden for years.

And what message does that send to students?

It's more important to read and write than to be able to understand something that you need and act on it.

Learning about the stars is more essential than learning how to set your own goals.

Learning why the Industrial Revolution made an impact on the world is more important than finding what matters and what makes an impact on you.

Learning how to add and subtract and divide and multiply complex fractions is more important than finding what you are curious about and want to learn more about in your life.

I'm not asking for a change - just for a noticing.

We often think so much of things that we are actively teaching, but we don't think about the things we are inactively teaching: the hidden curriculum.

Here are some more examples:

Teaching students to get from class-to-class within three minutes teaches them to drop a task and quickly move on to the next one without giving it much thought.

Handing students a list of missing assignments as a way to show them where they are failing and what they need to do better teaches them to focus on their mistakes. (Side note: I had a student this week, when I handed out these reports as a learning tool, that said: "Mr. Kascak, just looking at that is filling me with stress. Do I have to take it?" I proceeded to rip it up and throw it away.)

Forcing students to use a planner when it doesn't work for them is teaching them that you are forced to adhere to someone else's standards.

Sitting students in rows, facing forward, with the teacher at the head of class, lecturing teaches students that they are not in charge of what they learn nor can they learn without someone telling them what to learn.

Handing them a worksheet to complete and notes to take teaches them that knowledge comes from following orders.

Cancelling a fundraiser that allowed students to express a desire, set a goal, and follow through with it teaches them...

You see where I am going with all this.

While these are intense, polarizing examples, the issue stands.

Teachers are much more than givers of knowledge; they are models of knowledge.

Kids watch us and learn from us. I would argue they learn more from what we do and how we interact with them than from what we actually say, than from the notes they are forced to take, than from what worksheets they do, than from what lessons we teach.

That's the hidden curriculum.

And maybe it shouldn't be hidden anymore.

Teachers, what are you actually teaching your students when you hand them a worksheet?

When you ask them to stop fidgeting?

When you tell them you are going to force them to sit with you until their missing assignments are done?

When you punish them for dress code?

When you ...

Next week, when we are fully teaching online for a week, I will be sharing my class time with Art class. I don't have any problem with that.

My question is why?

Because it's easier for the other teachers to not be online all day?

Because it's better to take attendance?

Because, in every educational world, these two classes matter less?