Hidden Curriculum

Factors Affecting Hidden Curriculum

The concept of hidden curriculum stems from the ideas of John Dewey (1859-1952 , notably his concept of collateral learning (Combleth 1984 . The hidden curriculum comprises values , modes of behavior beliefs , and skills that students learn at school but which are not taught through official channels (Combleth , 1984 Myles , 2001 Researchers and theorists have identified both positive and negative effects of hidden curriculum , ranging from more success in the working world due to competitive environments at school (Wren , 1999 , to reinforcing the socioeconomic status into which the students were

born (Anyon , 1980 , to undermining intellectual development (Combleth , 1984 Because these effects are so pronounced , attention must be paid to recognizing those elements of the learning environment which impact hidden curriculum . This examines eight of these factors : teacher expectations , definitions of acceptable classroom behavior , teacher questioning techniques , school culture , segmentation of the school day tracking , curricular inconsistencies , and gender bias

Teachers ' expectations of their students , in terms of critical thinking skills , undoubtedly play a role in hidden curriculum . Anyon (1980 examined five fifth grade classes in schools of varying demographics She found that , in schools comprised of students from working-class families , teachers expected nothing more than rote memorization of facts . In schools serving students from middle-class families , teachers expected students to be able to re-explain concepts in their own words Teachers working with students from upper-class families , however emphasized critical thinking . Anyon (1984 ) concluded her study by remarking that the different expectations in these schools reinforce the...