Teaching the Hidden Curriculum

Who decides what the hidden curriculum is?

The hidden curriculum is a complex subject to teach. It’s flexible nature requires more than simply understanding a concrete set of rules. To the individual with an ASD, the expectations of a particular environment or set of circumstances are of critical importance. It is vital to understand the motive of the person(s) who set(s) a hidden curriculum. As it helps to define the rationale behind the expectations. The motive of a classroom teacher, for example, is to maintain order within the classroom while teaching an academic subject. However, most teachers are unaware that they also have their own individual hidden curriculum that is based on their particular personality. If you asked four teachers in the same school teaching the same grade to make an explicit list of their classroom expectations, you would end up with four very different lists.

As we can see, the hidden curriculum itself changes, depending on the motive or purpose of the curriculum "architect" (a person who sets the hidden curriculum in a given setting). In other words, understanding that the teacher’s "motive" is to maintain order and attention, but gramdma’s "motive" is to ensure a clean house while keeping her grandchildren happy, is one element to understanding the variability. If we know this, curricula in settings that are recurring, such as individual classrooms, church, or gramdma’s house, can be specifically taught.

However, the architect is, not always the person in charge of an environment. There can be several architects in one setting, and all of the hidden curricula have a place in determining behavior. For example, the group of teenagers in the library have a curriculum in addition to the librarian’s, and the various parties do not always concur on the expectations!

Example:

Mrs. Kay’s classroom is set up in small groups of desks so kids can interact with the projects they are working on. She has some strict rules expectations about those interactions: they must be as quiet as possible, respectful of all students’ input, and must be dedicated to the project at hand. Above all, they are not to interfere with the work of other groups. However, the only rules that were reviewed with the class in September were: (a) if students need help, they must raise their hand and Mrs. Kay will offer her assistance to the group; (b) she expects all students to arrive fully prepared, and (c) anyone not having his or her supplies automatically gets points taken off daily grade.

Joey, who has Asperger Syndrome, is in a group of four other students. He knows that he is to arrive with all supplies (actually, he arrives with everything he has–he leaves nothing in his locker to avoid the possibility of a slip-up), and that he is to follow the teacher’s rules and not make any mistakes. He usually understands and follows the curriculum of the person in charge. His curriculum usually follows the curriculum of the person in charge, and he takes it upon himself to notify anyone who is not following the rules that they are "in error."

The other students in Joey’s group are not as studious as he is. Their hidden curriculum, loosely, is to have some fun and share with each other what happened at lunch before starting work their assignment. They know that Joey is smart and will come up with most of the information they need anyway, so they intend to let him do the majority of the project. They talk excitedly but in hushed tones, so as not to arouse the suspicions of Ms. Kay. When she looks their way, they expect everyone to look as if they are working, and they all succeed (Joey succeeds at this because he is working). Steven, one of the members of Joeys group, does not have a pen and borrows one from Sam. Joey chastises him for not following the rules.

The actions of the others naturally irritate Joey, especially the conversation that about lunch that has no relevance to the project they are supposed to be working on. The others talk until the last minute, and then rush through the work in a disorganized manner, which adds to Joey’s frustration because he has been working the entire time. He reminds everyone at each opportunity that they are breaking the rules, hoping that they will return to the task. He also notifies the teacher. The others in his group vow to get even with him in the hallway after class. Joey is unaware that he has done anything wrong, and is actually quite proud of his performance in Ms. Kay’s class.

Clearly, not every hidden curriculum is appropriate. In this situation, Joey was not aware that the other students and Ms. Kay had conflicting hidden curricula, and that, appropriate or not, he needed to consider both before planning his actions. He will suffer the consequences for this error after class. He also will not see the relationship between the harassment he receives from the other members of his group and his actions in class. Moreover, because he will not see his actions as inappropriate, he will repeat them again the next day in Mr. Greene’s classroom when Debbie whispers a secret to her girlfriend and is not working on her paper. He needs to learn the hidden curriculum rules:

• You do not report other children to the teacher unless someone is in danger of getting hurt.
• You do not insist that other children follow the rules – that is the teacher’s job.
• You do not point out people’s mistakes in a group.