Your secret curriculum

Wow, I never really thought of that, but it's so true! As I teach, there are certain things that I hope and pray the students will get from my class (and I'm not just talking about the subject matter). Now I feel like I should be more aware of this "secret curriculum" as you call it. I think I know what I want mine to be, but now the interesting part is how to sneak it in there so it's effective!

Wow!  After thinking about it for a while I wonder if mine isn't good behavior.  Native Americans and Hispanics, who have been most of my students, always ask if their child is well behaved.  That is what is most important to them.  I don't know if it is mine really though.  Actually, my favorite students are the stinkers with a sense of humor.  I just love them.  I guess I will have to think about it some more.  I know I don't care if the class is silent unless we are testing. Hmmm.  Now you really have gotten my brain working.

That is so true. You have me thinking and wondering what it is that i want my secret curriculum to be. There are so many things that I want for my students that it is hard to say. I guess I want my students to realize how special they are and to realize they are worth so much more than they think. Some kids that I have run across think they are going to amount nothing because parents and adults have drilled this thought into their heads.  Every child is good at something and when you praise them for their talents, their faces light up and this is the most wondreful look a child can give you, it's the look that says "I'm special".

I've thought about this and I think my secret curriculum is mixed.  I want students to develop convictions about life by questioning their world and fighting injustice. I want them to be creative and independent.  As a teacher, I can be a nightmare for certain students who want to use the textbook and focus on grades.  

WOW!! I had honestly never thought of having a "secret curriculum". I know I do want my students to take certain things away from my lessons. I know that I want my students to realize that the stars truly are the limits and they can accomplish anything they want to do, even though it may take a lot of tough work. Thanks for giving me something to think about :)

My inner curriculum is for students to treat themselves with dignity and respect.  I've found that once those values are instilled, then kids are more likely to also treat others with dignity and respect.  Those two core values are in almost everything that I do in the classroom and in my interactions with all the students on my campus.

Ooh! Very interesting idea! I'm not yet a full-time teacher, but I'd love to say (in my pre-graduation idealism) that creativity should be mine. I'm definitely going to bring up the "secret curriculum" to my ed friends this year.

When we think about teachers, we don't realize how much of an impact they really have on our lives. Many times we only focus on the reading, writing, and arithmetic that we were taught. But, as I think back to the life lessons that even though I have probably forgotten some of the planned lessons, I still live by the "secret curriculum of my teachers. Maybe mine will be to always do your best. Even if you don't succeed, you won't regret not trying at all.

I feel that sometimes when we think about education we forget the things that can't be taught from a book. I've never heard the phrase "secret curriculum" until now but I definitely remember how so many of my teachers instilled in me values that I still hold dear to my heart. As educators, it is our duty to not only teach a formal curriculum but also to teach our students the importance of being your own person. Having your own unique identity is what sets you aside from everyone else around you. So that's my secret curriculum, to always be yourself.