Is this Education's Hidden Curriculum?

"hide and see" (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by  demandaj 

No one enters the field of education to cause harm and if any of us thought our methodology had such a capacity we would stop it, right?

John Taylor Gatto, one of New York’s most highly regarded teachers of the modern era had a lot to say on this subject and once gave a speech entitled, “the seven lesson school teacher.” In it he highlighted seven ways that current educational methodology was impacting on our children.

The following is a snapshot of these ‘lessons’:

He says the first lesson we teach in schools is confusion.

He says it is confusing because everything we teach is out of context, a series of disconnected facts. Where natural curiosity is undermined in favour of a “toolkit of superficial jargon.” We fail to show how life is full of interwoven connections and instead, in the name of education “expect students to accept confusion as their destiny.”

The second lesson we teach is class position.

This lesson implies that students have their place and it is firmly rooted in the classroom. Each student has a number but the reasons for this evade us. It teaches them to recognise their place and how the system has graded them, not to envy or look upon those in “higher” classes. It tells them that test scores matter and that this will get them a good job and they will be successful if they conform.

The third lesson is indifference.

He suggests this lesson teaches them not to care too much about anything. The teacher encourages them to show great excitement within the planned lesson and to compete for their favour. Each lesson is incomplete but “part of an installment plan”. Hence the indifference - why care deeply about anything you learn in class?

The fourth lesson is emotional dependency.

This lesson teaches them to rely on a teacher's every whim - stars, merits, smiles et etc. Children are taught to “surrender their will.” You may only speak if the teacher says so and there is no right of appeal. Individuality is frowned upon unless permission is given. They become “hostages to good behaviour.”

The fifth lesson is intellectual dependency.

A student is considered clever when they wait for a teacher to tell them what to do. In fact, it is the teacher, “better trained than ourselves” who make meaning out of our lives. Success in this environment is determined by a student’s ability to conform to a teacher's view of intelligence - they set the bar. Don’t be curious! Instead conform.

The sixth lesson is provisional self-esteem

Ever tried to get kids whose parents have told them that effort and hard work matters and not my way (the teachers) into line! Confident and free thinking individuals would surely cause anarchy. We have to tell you how to feel good.

The final lesson is one can’t hide.

We are always watching you and there is nowhere to hide! No private space, no private time. We watch you at home too as you do your homework. All children must be closely watched.

This is little doubt that Gatto's words are a challenge. But what do we do about it?

“You either learn your way towards writing your own script in life, or you unwittingly become an actor in someone else’s script.” JPG

John Hassall
Founder and Creative Director

PS Probably worth reading the full speech to get a real sense of the impact of his words.