Hidden curriculum: the extra expectations that we place on students while they are in school blanketing handing in assignments on time, completing all the work expected of students, being involved with social groups, behaviour expectations in class, and normal social interactions. I’m sure there are many more subtle hidden rules that we are slowly teaching students but I will not list them all.
But what I would like to discuss are the implications of the hidden curriculum on my classroom. Although I might have certain expectations of what students should do and how they should behave, I think their behaviour should not be reflected in the grades that they receive. What is so great about the classroom is the chance that they have to complete the learning objectives provided by Alberta Education without learning things my way! I tried to explain this to a friend once.
The situation was this: Assume I had a student who did not show up or was late to every class, who never handed in assignments, who never participated in class discussions, and was not the friendliest of people. If this student came in on the last day of class and could demonstrate through means his or her own or means that I provide that they had mastered all of the learning outcomes given by Alberta Education, then I would be obliged to give that student 100% in the course.
However, I wouldn't consider myself obliged to provide this student with any sort of reference letters, extra credit, or bonuses that I might provide a student who has been a regular part of my class.
Perhaps the hidden curriculum should have its own system, one that's ‘hidden’ from the regular classroom, with it's own learning objectives and its own feedback that would otherwise not be provided.
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