Education, VII

Suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the rabbit say to itself, 'Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!' (when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural).

- Lewis Carrol, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

The hidden curriculum is taught by the school, not by any teacher... something is coming across to the pupils which may never be spoken in the English lesson or prayed about in assembly. They are picking-up an approach to living and an attitude to learning.

- Roland Meighan, A Sociology of Education

I've been busy with some writing projects. One of them is a little study I am doing about a hidden curriculum. My special focus deals with an analysis of 9th graders books on religion. The subject is interesting but my schedule is tight. Because of the limited time available, I guess I will not be fully satisfied with the final version of the study, but I am sure it is going to be an interesting little project in any case. I hope I will open some new angles to the hidden curriculum I have been influenced with in my past.

The more far away one goes into the past the easier it often is to expose the touch of a hidden curriculum in one's life. In this regard I remember especially well a teacher I had from the 1st till the 6th grade. It wasn't that obvious back then, but looking at those years later I have noticed some obvious dimensions of a hidden curriculum. They deal with roles of men and women, approach towards military service, religion, and so forth. Realizing these things later has at times been hilarious, at times shocking.

Have you noticed how a hidden curriculum has touched your personal history?