The Hidden Curriculum: Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations for All Ages!: 5

Shred through Social Confusion!

The world around us is a complicated place filled with expectations, rules, assumptions, guidelines, regulations, and policies. This “hidden curriculum” exists across environments, places, people, and cultures. Although rules and mandates can be complex, most of us take comfort in them—often unconsciously—because they help us to know what to do in everyday situations.

We like rules if they are consistent. It is when they are unclear, or are unstated that we can become upset, indignant, or confused. Some people learn the hidden curriculum and its impact automatically. Others learn the hidden curriculum only by direct instruction, which is the purpose of this book.

In this third edition, the essential features of the original book have been maintained and information on evidence-based practices has been added. In addition, it provides a series of instructional strategies that can be used to teach the hidden curriculum. Instructional aids include charts, forms, and templates designed to make the job of teaching and learning the hidden curriculum more effective.

Finally, The Hidden Curriculum offers extensive lists of hidden curriculum items or unstated guidelines. Due to the elusive nature of the hidden curriculum, the lists—while broad—offer examples rather than a definite set of lessons to be learned. Parents, educators, support persons, and others are encouraged to consider the lists as springboards to make their own lists geared specifically toward the unique needs of the individuals with whom they work or live.

Twelve-year-old Tom and his mom went to the movie theater to see a new movie based on comic book characters—one of Mark’s special interests. As soon as they got there, Mark went into the bathroom—his “pre-show urination ritual.” His mom waited outside.

Tom’s mom was surprised when, after a while, a man came out of the bathroom and asked, “Is that your son in the bathroom? Around ten or so years old, brown hair, Ramones t-shirt?” “Yes,” Tom’s mother replied. “Is there something wrong?” The gentleman continued, “I’m a PE teacher, and I thought you should know that your son went into a stall and apparently there was no toilet paper. He came out of the stall with his pants and underwear down and was asking people in the other stalls if they had toilet paper. His junk was just hanging out there. I told him to take another stall and check it first for toilet paper, but I think that he could have easily gotten in trouble in the bathroom. You might want to talk to him.” Tom’s mom sighed heavily, thanked the man, and made a note to find out the hidden curriculum for a man’s bathroom to share with Tom.

Peter Gerhardt (personal communication, April 2004) talks about the hidden curriculum of urinals. For example, if there is only one man at a urinal, the hidden curriculum dictates that a newcomer should not go to the urinal next to that person. Rather, he should go to a urinal that is at least two stalls away. Also, boys and young men should know that they are not to talk to someone while they are at the urinal and that they should never go to the bathroom in groups. Further, boys and young men should merely unzip to urinate rather than pulling down their pants at the urinal.