The Hidden Curriculum

Over the past few years, I've been exploring and learning more about inclusion, diversity, equity, and justice. Recently I attended a Zoom on exploring these topics and we watched this video:


This video focuses on the "hidden curriculum," or the unspoken principles and expectations in a space. They are usually not obvious. Some examples used in the video include whether you should smile at strangers on the street if you're in NYC vs the midwest, or why all of the summer camp counselors are so goofy. The hidden curriculum is found in pretty much every space, but we may not think about it.

When we're in a new space, we may not know the hidden curriculum. Someone may have told you not to smile and greet New Yorkers on the street, or your parents may have read about what camp is like to you before you went, but chances are you didn't learn it all ahead of time. Not knowing the hidden curriculum can make us feel like outsiders, a feeling we usually don't want in our space.

Recently I wrote a guide booklet for families at work. I tried to think, "What is the hidden curriculum of Girl Scouts? What do I take for granted knowing that a brand new family will think it strange or make them uncomfortable not being prepared for?" It's a little longer than I anticipated, because there's so much to say - where to put things on the uniform, where to look for events, what do all these acronyms mean? 

Take a moment to think about your hidden curriculum. What do you know, and assume that others know, but that an outsider might not know? What is your organization's, town's, family's hidden curriculum?

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