To identify the aspects of the hidden curriculum in a selection of books, online resources and other resources

Aim

To identify the aspects of the hidden curriculum in a selection of books, online resources and other resources for use in a primary school.

Evidence and Reflection

In evaluating your teaching you should also evaluate the resources that you use.

Select a number of books or online resources which you might use to support a series of planned lessons (or a number of texts in your own specialist subject).  Analyse the illustrations and then the text in terms of the values which are implicitly, and explicitly, conveyed.  You might wish to identify values which relate to gender, class, ethnicity, religion, sexuality or disability.

Extension

What conclusions can you draw about the hidden curriculum as evidenced in these resources?  How would you use such resources?  What could a reflective teacher do about any particular bias in resources?

More in this chapter

• To consider the connection between school philosophy and planning
• To investigate the approach to whole school curriculum planning in your school
• To investigate the coherence which a planned curriculum has for children
• To explore themes linked to Relationships Education, PSHE and Citizenship
• To consider the quality of activities in schemes of work
• To review medium-term planning for English, Mathematics and other subjects
• To structure teaching and learning in a curriculum area
• To consider the resource implications of a planned curriculum program
• To examine the extent to which weekly plans are significant in developing curriculum
• To review the use of technology in a series of lessons
• To review existing lesson planning
• To consider the extent to which pupils are clear about the learning objectives
• To evaluate a teaching session
• To examine tasks in terms of their learning demands
• To evaluate an individual child's curricular experiences over one day
• To evaluate the stimulus and variety of tasks and activities