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INTRODUCTION
The term curriculum derives from the Latin word ‘currere’ which means a kind of route
which the learner travels. All the activities going on the school or out side of the school is called
curriculum. It is basic to the intellectual, physical, moral and emotional development of the child.
CURRICULUM
•Curriculum compr ises all the learning which is planned and guided by the
school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually inside or outside of the school.
- Kerr
•Curriculum is the totality of experiences that pupils receive through the manifold activities
that go in the school, in the classroom, library, laboratory, workshop, playground and
in the numerous informal contacts between the teachers and pupils.
-The Secondary Education Commission (1952-1953)
•Curriculum is a tool in the hands of the Artist (Teacher), to mould
hi s / he r materials (Students), according to his/her ideals (objectives) in his/her studio
(College/School).
-Cunningham.

2. PRINCIPLES OF CURRICULUM CONSTRUCTION
Curriculum organization is a scientific process which involves basic principles on which
its credibility exists. It is not just collection of topics, because it reflects ethos (philosophy /
culture)of the society: themes of the subject and learning variability.
1. Principle of Child-Centeredness
Curriculum is mainly for the students. So, the age, interest, capability, capacity, aspiration,
needs and psychology of the learner should be taken in to an account.
2. Principle of Community-Centeredness
The social needs and the local needs of the learner should be taken in
to account while we construct the curriculum. It should be reflect the values of
democracy, ethos and main concerns of the country.
3. Principle of Balance / Integration
(Child = Community)It is also called principle of Integration. The curriculum should
integrate:1. Cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives and abilities2. Knowledge and
experience3. Objectives and content4. Child’s activity and needs with the society needs and
activity.It should be related to the social environment of the students. Here the equal/balance
importance should be given to the need of the Child and need of the Community.
4. Principle of Need
Curriculum helps in fulfilling the various needs of the learner. Each learner has his needs
which are generally related to physical, emotional and social development. A well planned
curriculum provides all such opportunities through many fold activities which
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3. satisfies the need of the learner. It should not be merely the academic but it should include all
other equally important activities too.
5. Principle of Utility
One of the purposes of education is to prepare the child for living and learning. This is the
most important consideration, so that the child can live a fruitful and self-fulfilling life.
Curriculum should provide rich experiences, both academic and social to the students. The
content, activities and experience of the curriculum at a particular stage / grade are
useful to the learner for the further/higher studies.
6. Principle of Creativity
It should place the pupil in the place of the discoverer and provision should be made the
creative type of activities.
7. Principle of Preservation/Conservation
It should help in the preservation /conservation and transmitting the knowledge, traditions,
standards of conduct on which the culture and civilization depend.
8. Principle of Variety
I n a c l a s s r o o m t h e r e a r e d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f t h e s t u d e n t s o n t h e
b a s i s o f intelligence, ability, aptitude and attitude.The curriculum should satisfy the variety
of knowledge, varying interest, needs of the students.
9. Principle of Elasticity / Flexibility
Flexibility is an important parting curriculum development. It should
given enough time and sufficient chance to the students, to search their own
examples and experience from the surroundings.
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4. 10. Principle of Contemporary Knowledge
Curriculum should give the modern or current knowledge and theories to the
students. That will give the knowledge of utilization of local resources (salt, plants, soil) to the
students. While organizing the curriculum the following principles also should be followed:
11. Principle of Sequencing
12. Principle of Continuity
13. Principle of Accuracy
14. Principle of Adequacy
15. Principle of Interest
16. Principle of Readiness
17. Principle of Meaningfulness
18. Principle of Continuous Evaluation
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5. MAJOR DEFECTS IN THE PRESENT CURRICULUM
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Examination oriented
Text Book based examinations
Emphasis on theory not practical
Heavy syllabus
Rote learning is encouraged
Not to life oriented
Not helpful to vocation
Not developing the whole personality

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HIDDEN CURRICULUM
Hidden Curriculum is a side effect an education, “lessons which are learned but not
openly intended such as the transmission of norms, and believes conveyed in the classroom and
the social environment.
Any learning experience may teach unintended lessons. Hidden curriculum often refers to
knowledge gained in primary and secondary school settings. Usually with a negative connotation
where the school strives for equal intellectual development. In this sense, a hidden curriculum
reinforces existing social inequalities by educating students according to their class and social
status. The unequal distribution of cultural capital in a society mirrors a corresponding
distribution of knowledge among its students.

7. ASPECTS OF THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM
Various aspects of learning contribute to the success of the hidden curriculum, including
practices, procedures, rules, relationships and structures. Many school specific sources, some of
which may be included in these aspects of learning, give rise to important elements of the hidden
curriculum. These sources may include, but are not limited to, the social structures of the
classroom, the teacher’s exercise of authority. Rules governing the relationship between teachers
and students. Slandered learning activities, the teacher’s use of language, text books, audio-visual
aids, furnishings, architecture, disciplinary measures, timetables, tracking systems, and
curricular priorities. Variations among these sources promote the disparities found when
comparing the hidden curricular corresponding to various class and social statuses.”Every school
is both an expression of a political situation and teachers of politics.
While the actual material that students absorb through the hidden curriculum is of utmost
importance, the personnel who convey it dicit special investigation .This particularly applies to
the social and moral lessons conveyed by the hidden curriculum, for the moral characteristics
and ideologies of teachers and other authority figures are translated into their lessons, albert not
necessarily with intention. Yet there unintended learning experiences can result from interactions
with not only instructors, but also with peers. Like interactions with authority figures,
interactions promote moral and social ideals but also footes the exchange of informations and are
thus important sources of knowledge contributing to the success of the hidden curriculum.
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FUNCTION
Although the hidden curriculum conveys a great deal of knowledge to its students, the
inequality promoted through its disparities among classes and social statuses often involves a
negative connotation.For example, pierre bordies assets that education related capital must be
accessible to promote academic achievement. The effectiveness of schools becomes limited
when these forms of capital are unequally distributed. Since the hidden curriculum is considered
to be a form of education related capital, it promotes this ineffectiveness of schools as a result of
its unequal distribution. As a means of social control the hidden curriculum promotes the
acceptance of a social destiny without promoting rational and reflective consideration.

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CONCLUSION
The curriculum is the totality of experiences that the child gains through the
multifarious activities in the school. The review of the present curriculum is reveal
that it is subject oriented, examination ridden, not in conformity with the aims and objective
of the teaching science, rigid and outfits the different age group. So, it is imperative that the
present curriculum should be reorganized in the light of the principles mentioned above.
A hidden curriculum is, by nature, “hidden,” which means that many of its lessons and
messages are difficult to perceive or acknowledge for any number of reasons. For example, long-standing
policies may become so deeply embedded in a school culture that people simply forget
to question them, or a school faculty that prides itself on celebrating multicultural diversity may
find it emotionally difficult to acknowledge and openly discuss behaviors that seem to contradict
that identity. For this reason, every school will always have some form of hidden curriculum.

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REFERENCES
http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculam/
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Science Education- Mathew and Molikutty