In an introduction to sociology course, the following exercise could introduce how our ascribed statuses influence our achieved statuses. How does the intersection of multiple "identities" influence our experiences?
Student Tasks (before class):
1. Watch the five student videos. For each, identify the statuses/identities that were most impactful on their educational experiences and briefly discuss the impact.
2. Write a short essay discussing your own educational experience to date. This should include K-12 educational experiences.
Instructor Tasks (in-class):
Summarize the work of Jean Anyon's, "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work."
1. Explain the concept of the "hidden curriculum" within the education system. What does it entail, and how does it function alongside the official curriculum?
2. Compare and contrast the four different types of schools Anyon examines: working-class, middle-class, affluent professional, and elite executive. For each school type, describe the primary focus and goals of the curriculum, both explicit and hidden. What distinct skills, values, and knowledge are prioritized in each.
3. Discuss how the hidden curriculum contributes to social placement and the perpetuation of the existing social hierarchy. How does the education system, through these varying curricula, prepare students for different roles within society?
Student Task (in-class; group)
Reflect on your own educational experiences. Considering the schools you attended, identify elements of the hidden curriculum that you experienced and/or observed. Discuss how this hidden curriculum may have influenced your educational opportunities and future aspirations, either positively or negatively. How do we counteract the influences of our ascribed statuses/identities?
In an introduction to sociology course, the following exercise could introduce how our ascribed statuses influence our achieved statuses. How does the intersection of multiple "identities" influence our experiences?
Student Tasks (before class):
1. Watch the five student videos. For each, identify the statuses/identities that were most impactful on their educational experiences and briefly discuss the impact.
2. Write a short essay discussing your own educational experience to date. This should include K-12 educational experiences.
Instructor Tasks (in-class):
Summarize the work of Jean Anyon's, "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work."
1. Explain the concept of the "hidden curriculum" within the education system. What does it entail, and how does it function alongside the official curriculum?
2. Compare and contrast the four different types of schools Anyon examines: working-class, middle-class, affluent professional, and elite executive. For each school type, describe the primary focus and goals of the curriculum, both explicit and hidden. What distinct skills, values, and knowledge are prioritized in each.
3. Discuss how the hidden curriculum contributes to social placement and the perpetuation of the existing social hierarchy. How does the education system, through these varying curricula, prepare students for different roles within society?
Student Task (in-class; group)
Reflect on your own educational experiences. Considering the schools you attended, identify elements of the hidden curriculum that you experienced and/or observed. Discuss how this hidden curriculum may have influenced your educational opportunities and future aspirations, either positively or negatively. How do we counteract the influences of our ascribed statuses/identities?
