[[alternative]]The hidden curriculum in the aboriginal female students' school life experiences: The aboriginal class in Shan-Hei senior high school

[[abstract]]The objective of the research is to explore the hidden curriculum of gender and ethnicity in the aboriginal female students’ school life experiences in the aboriginal class of Shan-Hei senior high school in Taiwan. The study tries to see the influence of the hidden curriculum on these students, and the reaction of the students to the hidden curriculum. In order to understand students’ everyday life experiences, culture and value, the research approach was based on educational ethnography, and use participant observation, interview of the students and teachers, and document analysis to collect the information and data for eight months, from September, 2000 to April, 2001. The perspective of the research is basically based on multiculturalism and post colonial feminism, emphasizing the interlocking systems of gender, race and class. However, in order to meet the characteristics and situations of the aboriginal in Taiwan, the research only focused on the dimensions of gender and ethnicity. The literature review includes three parts. First, the root of hidden curriculum is not only in the school but also in the social institution and education system of the society, so the first part of the literature discusses the background of aboriginal education, including the political, economical, societal, cultural, and educational situation and development of the aboriginal in Taiwan. In the second part, the author discusses the policy development of aboriginal education and explores the influences of the institution on students. Finally, from the review of some previous studies about the aboriginal students, the third part is to see aboriginal students’ everyday interaction and experiences at school. According to the literature review and field study, the findings are as the followed: First, in the dimension of learning experiences, there are five kinds of hidden curriculum, including “Happy atmosphere in the class”, “The great performance in traditional art and dancing class”, “The responsible attitude and leading character in the class”, “The silence in the class”, and “The hiding of lazy and absent-minded behaviors”. Second, in school achievement, the hidden curriculum includes “The lazy and easy learning attitude”, and “The attitude of more diligent than boys”. Third, in peer group relationship, the hidden curriculum includes “The harmonious peer group relations”, “ The friendly ethnic relations but full of biases”, “The close sisterhood”, “The respect for females”, and “The close gender relations”. Fourth, In the dimension of teacher-student relationship, the hidden curriculum includes “The harmonious teacher-student relations”, “ The friendly ethnic relations but full of biases”, and “The obedient behavior”. Fifth, in the dimension of ethnic and cultural recognition, the hidden curriculum includes “ More positive ethnic recognition”, “The reluctance of the learning of aboriginal languages and cultures”, “The sex separation of the traditional art class”, “The positive interest in the traditional dancing class”, “The doubt to inherit traditional culture”, “The disappearance of the differences of the aboriginal tribes”, and “ the re-explanation of cultural recognition”. Finally, from the above findings, we find that the situation of reproduction and resistance both show in the hidden curriculum, and the phenomenon means the possibility of the transformation of the curriculum. When teachers understand the hidden curriculum more, they can find the more suitable ways to help students from different culture to develop the critical consciousness.