Week #3

Read over the criteria for Assignment 1. Take a look at the possible scholars and/or concepts/topics.  Then, choose either a scholar or a topic/concept and begin to explore them/it. You might find a quote or an article that piques your interest. In your blog post, practice creating a short summary of what you have found. Then, finish up your blog post by outlining some next steps and possible directions for your first assignment. For reference: You should spend about two paragraphs summarizing what you’ve discovered and one short paragraph outlining your next steps.

This article I discovered about the hidden curriculum talks about how the “old hidden curriculum” was built off of these things, including respecting authority, respect for other pupils’ opinions, punctuality, aspiring to achieve, and creating a good “work ethic.” I found this article very interesting. The hidden curriculum is discussed further in the article, namely how it is implemented to train children from a young age to be exploited in the workplace in the future, regarding   Regarding the fact that in actuality, all of these antiquated methods of the concealed curriculum are still very much in use today. Then it talks about how it is debatable that it’s even considered ‘hidden’ anymore when so many people know about it.

Then this article goes on to talk about this concept called “School Ethos.” What does that mean well? It is just referring to the school’s characters, atmosphere, or clime. some examples it had in the article where

if there is more of a focus on academic success, artistic achievements, or athletic accomplishments.
Whether or not there is an emphasis placed on fair chances for all students; for instance, does the school emphasize supporting economically disadvantaged pupils?
Whether or whether there is a focus on respect for difference; in other words, does the school encourage multiculturalism as well as anti-racism and anti-sexism?
Whether or if the school encourages pupils to become involved in the lives of the community.
The degree to which the institution fosters an entrepreneurial culture and maintains close links with the firms in the surrounding area.
Whether or not parents are encouraged to take an active role in the school’s day-to-day operations.
The kind of instruction favoured at a particular school, such as the more conventional, lecture-based instruction known as “chalk and talk,” or alternative modes such as independent study.

The article then says it is the most relevant when trying to understand ethos to look at what’s different about elite education in the top public schools and other elite schools. It talks about how the philosophy in these schools is teaching these pupils that they are part of the ruling elite. Then they give an example: “Westminster School has pictures of Winston Churchill and other leaders hanging in their assembly rooms – as they are ex-pupils.” The goal here is to show that they are an elite school with a beautiful atmosphere and that their students are high achievers, so they can get parents to pay more for their kids to attend these elite schools.

As I continue to look into all these lovely articles, I think this one is alright. I want to find one that goes way deeper into the hidden curriculum and the effects of it today on the students.  And why it’s still referred to as a ‘hidden’ thing when in reality, I feel like educators know about it a lot; its just hidden by the people who get pushed through the schooling system and don’t think about how there is more to the curriculum that meets the eye.

Footnotes

Thompson, A. K. (2021, September 2). The hidden curriculum and school ethos. ReviseSociology. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from https://revisesociology.com/2017/11/09/the-hidden-curriculum-and-school-ethos/