What is worth learning?
In the classroom, there are three different types of curriculum we come across. The first type of learning is explicit curriculum, which is the information that is formally taught and is the planned course of study that teachers present to their students. The second type of curriculum is null curriculum: the information omitted from the explicit curriculum. This can look like topics that are not commonly covered in our history, such as Native American rights. Null curriculum excludes perspectives of minorities in our cultural history and can even be as extreme as banning the learning of certain histories or events. Lastly, there is the hidden curriculum. Hidden curriculum is the underlying idealogical message that students' absorb from the explicit curriculum. It is the learning of "conventions and assumptions imbedded in language and culture" (from our hidden curriculum powerpoint).
The problem with these types of curriculum is that they manipulate the narrative our students receive in cultural history and "compromise the intellectual and psychological well-being of learners". This is what Stephanie P. Jones labels "curriculum violence". We often see Black history excluded in the classroom or being distorted to situate slavery as a past event with no connection to the present. This repeated curriculum violence leads to racial trauma and "emotional destruction legitimized as teaching" (Jones, Ending Curriculum Violence). When we are excluding Black history or promoting a sanitized version of it we are teaching our students of color that their history is not worth learning. When we leave out accurate historical narratives, we are harming how students see themselves as part of their history.
Hi Willow! I really enjoyed your post, you did a good job at including information that we learned in the module. I was a little lost on where you talked about what is worth learning, Is it the history you tased about? I saw you said teaching students about discrimination is not worth teaching, but what is worth teaching then? I think there are defiantly a lot of things that are and aren't worth teaching and I'd wish you would've elaborated on those a little more. Overall, great work though, that the narratives we give students can be negative and could be categorized by hidden curriculum, for we need to limit the lessons we are teaching that could have underlying narratives. Also, love your blog theme, great work!
ReplyDeleteHi Willow, I really enjoyed reading your blog this week, I love how you summarized what we learned in this weeks module too and included references ! It was really interesting learning about the different ways teachers teach new lesson to their students. As Katie shared, I also was a little confused finding where you talked about what is worth teaching, I’m guessing your answer to the question was Black history or slavery? Because you talked about that a little towards the end of your blog about how black history is often excluded in the classroom. If that is the case then I totally agree with you! Black history/Slavery is a big part of American history and is too important for teachers not to teach their students about. I liked how you included that not teaching students about this also harms them as seeing themselves as part of their history.
ReplyDeleteHello Willow,
ReplyDeletegreat blog as you have mentioned things from the module like the three curriculums we have discussed like explicit, null, and hidden. Now knowing this information, will there be things that you teach or do not teach in your classroom when it comes to real world issues, social injustices, and hard topics. From the article, " Ending Curriculum Violence" , I saw that. you mentioned a quote from it. Did you experience any of your teachers reliving this history or racial trauma like the author did? What words spoke out to you in this article. A few words that spoke out to me where fail, normalized, non physical injury, traumatic, false discord, and etc. These signify the article as it portrays that the school system fails to teach both perspectives on history, and how the curriculum is taught and perceived to children is traumatic and damaging as it causes non physical injury. Where teachers believe reaanactment and simulations to see or hear what the past was about helps the children understand certain topics which is not the case. How would you have approached and conveyed the curriculum to the students about slavery or any history topic in general. In school, slavery and things similar to that were often avoided or kept to a minimum.
Hi Willow! I really enjoyed how your blog started off with a brief description of the three types of curriculums. I feel like the majority of people are only aware of one type of curriculum being taught in schools (the explicit curriculum). However, those of us who have studied education and are looking to pursue it as a career or those who are currently working as educators know that this is could not be further from the truth. Although we may have not known the specific terminology for these concepts, we certainly knew of their existence. The fact that this topic is not talked about enough is extremely disheartening to think about because, in my opinion, anyone who has been a student, is currently a student, or will be a student in the future should be aware of all of the concepts they are learning while at school. Of course, in a perfect world this would ,mean that everyone would know about the explicit, null, and hidden curriculums and their lasting implications.
ReplyDeleteHi Willow! Reading your blog was very interesting and definitely kept me engaged! I really enjoyed how you mentioned the 3 curriculums and gave a brief explanation. Breaking it down made me realize the true importance and how much of it is currently overlooked in today's society. I don't think teachers realize how much of an impact they truly do have on their students. As you mentioned " We often see Black history excluded in the classroom or being distorted to situate slavery as a past event with no connection to the present. This repeated curriculum violence leads to racial trauma and "emotional destruction legitimized as teaching." This opened up my eyes tremendously. Us being future educators, need to take all of this into consideration, especially for our students. School is more than just the explicit curriculum, and that's something that should never be overlooked. Having our students have an open mindset will most definitely change this.
ReplyDeleteHi Willow! I found you blog very interesting and informative. I think it is very important that you pointed out that hidden curriculum manipulates the narrative students receive in cultural history . Often hidden curriculum sways a students belief system or behavior. This can be very harmful as students do not even realize it is occurring. However through the curriculum they are being taught and for example only being taught about certain perspectives, their way of thinking and feeling about certain people, situations or topics is being swayed. Like we learned in the module also hidden curriculum benefits usually rich white people more than anyone else. I also like that you discussed curriculum violence and its very real effects. Curriculum violence can cause trauma to our students that has long lasting affects. I think that it is very important teachers keep this in mind. The way certain situations are discussed and taught about is very important.
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