As I was reading Eisner's article, I was struck by his discussion of the explicit, implicit, and null curriculum. The first thing that caught my attention was how described the explicit curriculum as an "educational menu." On the surface, schools seem to let students choose the subjects they like. But when he raised the question of the null curriculum, I started to think more carefully. I recognized that I had never asked myself during my own schooling why my school didn't offer courses like law or economics. Which now seem to me some of the most practical skills an adult need to survive in society.
The second point that stood out to me was his explanation of the implicit curriculum. He gave the example of students reading books to reach a smiling face and then getting a goldenrod ticket. Three tickets allowed them to leave for lunch five minutes early. This example really struck me because I also had similar experiences in school, and I can still see these practices in BC schools today. I used to think this was a good way to make students interested. But now I realize there is a big difference between being interested in learning itself and being interested only in the reward. This is a reminder for me as a future teacher. I want to help students build a true interest in math, not just work for small rewards or grades.
Finally, this article gave me new perspectives on things I used to see as normal and ordinary. Eisner also pointed out that schools often miss not only subject content like law or economics but also ways of thinking. This makes me ask myself how I can plan classroom activities, especially tests, to guide students to build creative thinking and to truly enjoy math.
You’ve written a thoughtful response that shows a clear grasp of Eisner’s three types of curriculum, and I really liked how you linked them to your own experiences. Your reflection on the “educational menu” metaphor was strong — noticing what schools leave out, like law and economics, shows you’re thinking critically about the bigger picture of what students need. Your point about rewards stood out too. Recognizing the difference between genuine interest in learning and doing work just for prizes shows you’re starting to rethink assumptions in ways that will shape your teaching.
ReplyDeleteI also liked that you finished with a forward-looking question about how to design activities that build creativity and enjoyment in math. That’s a great direction to be thinking in. To take your reflection even further, you could try sketching out a specific example of what one of those activities might look like — that would show how you’re beginning to turn these ideas into classroom practice.