problems “the hidden curriculum” because they are the hidden lessons
taught by schools.
The Hidden Curriculum
Most schools, everywhere in the world, share a similar hidden curriculum.
One element of this curriculum is student passivity. In schools, students are
trained to be passive, not active. They sit in chairs, in rows. When they are
young, they are told to be quiet and obey the teacher. As the teacher
lectures, the students take notes. Later, they are told to memorize these
notes in preparation for a test. The message is clear — learning is a passive
activity. You listen to the teacher, you take notes, you memorize the notes.
The problem is that speaking English is not a passive activity. You must
connect with other people. You must constantly ask and answer questions.
You must communicate ideas, emotions, and descriptions. You must be
ready for the unexpected. You must be spontaneous. You must actively
interact. English is not something you passively study, it’s something you
do.
Related to the problem of passivity is the issue of energy. Sitting for a
long time is a low-energy activity. The longer you sit, the more your energy
drops. And as your energy drops, so does your concentration. What’s worse,
we know that some learners need physical movement in order to learn
effectively. These people are called “kinesthetic learners.” The truth is we
are all “kinesthetic learners” to some degree, because we all benefit from
physical movement. Schools stick us in chairs and drain our energy.
Eventually, an inactive body leads to an inactive mind.
The One Right Answer Mentality
One of the greatest flaws of school education is the idea of “one right
answer.” One right answer is a powerful part of the hidden curriculum. It is
a result of using textbooks and tests.
