The hidden curriculum (Jurjo Torres) These days I am reading the book
The hidden curriculum (Torres, Jurjo. Madrid: Ediciones Morata, 1991. ISBN 84-7112-351-7). I guess no one is alien to the concept of "
hidden curriculum," which has been talked about for some years. Using this expression refers to the set of lessons, voluntarily or not, are taught in school, not that it be reflected in any document or part of any plan, and would serve to perpetuate the unequal relations between people . For example, the assignment of gender roles that takes place when it comes to differentially children and girls, even to expect more or less of a particular student based on whether a boy or a girl.
Concepts like "hidden curriculum", "
reproduction theory, etc., Are ideologically linked to more and less left-wing views, even Marxist (neo
Marxism, critical theory
, etc.) But not feed exclusively provinientes materials of that field (it is common to use materials from sociology, especially with regard to the tests, the statistical databases, etc., which can be quite revealing about how they reproduce certain types of relationships between social classes over time.) Obviously, no sensible medium to pretend that were taken literally, but are the kind of theorizing that if one is intellectually honest minimally, should take the trouble to read. The book I'm writing also has the advantage of working very well as a history textbook for teaching on these points, giving an overview very accurate, very efficient.
On the topic at hand, which is the Music Education, author, professor of Curriculum and School Organization at the University of La Coruna, devotes pages 107 to 109. Starting from his view, begins holding that:
Even an area like music, who used to enjoy prestige or to be considered an important subject, plays a decisive role in creating the player in each student habitus.
Since in the area:
is a defense of a conception of the music matched only by the interests of certain social groups.
In this regard, "the opera and classical music called" while matching styles with the likes of "the upper classes and upper middle" would be the only really taken seriously, silenced or any other languages other music which coincide with the dominated classes (before the jazz, then rock, etc..). In addition, there
groups of higher social class and upper middle who want to defend and improve their status and importance in the social and cultural hierarchy, and one way to achieve this is by regulating the access of different social classes and groups to arts education, providing opportunities for some and others
negándoselas
With what the teaching of music would, too, to reinforce the stratification of society (as a good player element) and legitimacy of the upper classes, and that:
La selección que realiza la escuela de lo que es la cultura musical viene, por tanto, a reforzar y a legitimar los gustos y sensibilidades de los grupos sociales privilegiados.
Además, y como método para reforzar lo que se explicaba antes (aquello de que se buscaba regular el acceso a la educación musical, "facilitando oportunidades a unos y negándoselas a otros"), en relación al tipo de formación musical que se impartía en las aulas:
Desde hace ya bastantes años, existe una coincidencia entre todas las personas especialistas en educación musical en que esta enseñanza debe tener entre sus metas algunas como las siguientes: aprendizaje musical skills (reading, writing and musical), to facilitate an understanding and appreciation of the qualities of musical works, encouraging creativity, enabling knowledge of our musical heritage, etc. However, "the prevailing definition of 'what counts as music' in school, with its emphasis on the ability to read and write music, provision of information about music and teaching music theory (...) ago the 'discipline' of music other discipline 'academic' with its emphasis on reading and writing music, the abstract theory, etc. "(Vulliamy G., 1976, p. 25). This reductionism in practice daily what are the contents of music education also contributes to disclose the false assumption that most people lack the power to the music.
*** Anyway. We must take into account that this book was written in 1991, using a large extent, literature of the decades of 1960 and 1970. I think a lot of water has passed under the bridge since those years. I do not seem quite fair to accuse the music teacher "legitimize" the "taste" of "ruling class" when it tries to make classical music accessible to their students. Rather, the contrary, I understand that, well run, enter the music classic in the classroom is a way to democratize culture.
Anyway, again, I think this book is an essential consideration. It costs a little over 15 € in any bookstore, and requires the educator to think about what you would normally in their daily practice never think about.