By Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, OECD
We developed PISA to equip nations with the rigorous, comparative data they need to enact systems reform and improve educational outcomes. But it is important to recognise that testing, and curricular geared towards it, is only one part of a complex equation. A vital part, but not the entire picture. We must recognise that perhaps the next great frontier in transforming global education lies in what is known as the Hidden Curriculum.
These are the implicit values, often unspoken, that make up the fabric of a school’s culture. The norms imparted to student by teachers, whether intentionally or not, that influence their attitudes and beliefs, from their work ethic to their capacity for critical thinking and their views on inclusivity and equity, as well as their wellbeing. And the culture in which teachers must thrive in order for them to inspire the next generation and for education to flourish.
Student and teacher wellbeing
To succeed in education, it is essential that we nurture not only cognitive abilities, but also social and emotional capabilities. As such, the wellbeing of students is of central importance in education today and a key part of the Hidden Curriculum.
And if we want to foster the wellbeing of students, teachers need to feel well in their jobs. You cannot give what you do not have, so we need ensure that teachers feel confident in their working environment, that they see a healthy work balance, and that there is clarity and direction in leadership, that they feel supported in their work. We need to ensure schools have a collaborative culture and that they encourage teachers’ ongoing professional development.
OECD data shows that in many countries, a high proportion of teachers’ working days are often devoted to administration and keeping order, rather than doing what teachers do best, engaging students creatively and supporting them emotionally. And stress and burnout can lead to low teacher retention rates, which is a huge challenge to achieving universal quality education. Schools and education systems have to be cognisant of this and seek to lift the burden on teachers to create healthy teaching and learning environments.
We also know from OECD data that teacher job satisfaction has a lot to do with working environment, with a collaborative school culture and the wellbeing of teachers of vital importance. By prioritising teacher wellbeing, schools and education systems are able to tackle the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, ensuring the most talented people want to go into teaching and stay there. But more than that, they can enable teachers to provide the very best learning environments for their students.
School culture
Learning is never a transactional business. It’s always a social-relational experience, and school culture is what shapes the relationships that we observe in the classroom. It shapes the behaviour of students and teachers and the relationships between them. And it governs the school’s relationship with parents and the wider school community.
At the end of the day, learning is not just what’s written in the textbook. You have to read between the lines and that’s where the Hidden Curriculum can be found.
Unlocking the Hidden Curriculum at the World Schools Summit
The importance of the Hidden Curriculum in transforming education is why I am joining leading figures in global education and leaders of the world’s best schools at the inaugural World Schools Summit in Dubai on November 23-24.
This unique new summit, established by T4 Education in partnership with Al-Futtaim Education Foundation, Scholastic, DP World, Power Club, Prometric, and Inicio Partners, is focussed on Unlocking the Hidden Curriculum, skilling principals up in building leadership initiatives, supporting teacher growth, and professional wellness, while debating whether existing curricula are fit for purpose and the extent to which schools should prioritise students’ mental wellbeing.
I hope you will join me there so that we can explore together the best ways to approach the next great frontier in global education.
