Hidden curriculum

A hidden curriculum is a set of lessons "which are learned but not openly intended" to be taught in school such as the norms, values, and beliefs conveyed in both the classroom and social environment. In many cases, it occurs as a result of social interactions and expectations. 
Any type of learning experience may include unintended lessons. However, the concept of a hidden curriculum often refers to knowledge gained specifically in primary and secondary school settings. In these scenarios the school strives, as a positive goal, for equal intellectual development among its students, but the hidden curriculum reinforces existing social inequalities through the education of students according to their class and <a href="/facts/Social_status/X5j4NvxM">social status</a>. The distribution of knowledge among students is mirrored by the unequal distribution of <a href="/facts/Cultural_capital/qYkQKoUo">cultural capital</a>. 
The hidden curriculum can also be seen as a set of norms and behaviors that are not explicitly taught, and students with limited social awareness, such as students with <a href="/facts/Autism_spectrum_disorder/bzouRyMI">autism spectrum disorder</a>, may not pick up on these norms without having them be explained directly. This set of norms and behaviors also regards the culture of an environment that is unique to that environment, for example the norms and expectations of an office space would vary from those of a classroom. 
Breaktime is an important part of the hidden curriculum in schooling.

Hidden curriculum open-in-new

Hidden curriculum