Reflection: Elliot Eisner on three curricula all schools teach

I learn something new from every reading. From this reading I got to know the functions of three curriculums those are explicit curriculum, implicit curriculum and null curriculum. These are my three stops.

Explicit curriculum refers to the plan for learning that the school offers to the students. It includes subjects that are offered by school. It has goals and objectives for each subject. These goals include what topics are to be learned, which lesson plan is to be followed, curriculum guides and textbooks, what materials to be used, and what is taught by the teachers Not only this, the schools offer to the community an educational menu of shorts; students can choose subjects of their choice. 

Implicit curriculum is the hidden curriculum which consists of unspoken and unintended decision those are made according to the present situations of the classrooms; for example physical set up of the classrooms, expectations of teachers. After reading the article I came to know that there are both positive and negative results of implicit curriculum. The positive results are that "implicit curriculum of school can teach a host of intellectual and social virtues: punctuality, a willingness to work hard on tasks that are not immediately enjoyable, and the ability to defer immediate gratification in order to work for distant goals can legitimately be viewed as positive attributes of schooling." Although these are not part of formal curriculum, but they are taught in the schools. Some of the negatives of implicit curriculum are when students are given rewards for completing the tasks, they become dependent on rewards. As I studied in the Human development class it is called positive reinforcement, when students are given something as a reward to do something. But as a result of this students start looking for rewards for each activity. If the awards are not given, they are less likely to engage even in an inherently enjoyable activity. Students becomes too compliant. Additionally, Competitiveness through grading system and differentiation of classes into ability groups could have both positive and negative impacts on students. It might be good for some students, but it can also cause others feel less valuable  because students in difficult level classes are more valued by community.

In the end, the null curriculum consists of what is not taught in the schools because it simply has not been traditionally taught.  It has two major dimensions intellectual processes that school emphasis and neglect and the other one is subject areas and contents. The curriculum more emphases on math, English, science, history, and physical education, but other subjects like law, dance, psychology, music are frequently not offered or are not required parts of secondary school program. The null curriculum limits the mind of the students and their ability to achieve intellectual discovery.