The formal basis for a contextually sensitive classroom agenda

This paper 1] collects syllabuses, teacher intentions, curricula and lesson plans under a general term agenda. First it explores the ways in which agenda do and do not relate to those classroom settings for which they claim to be agenda. It is suggested that curriculum innovators legislate for the classroom on the basis of idealized schemes and systems, and that such a basis contributes to the troubles schemes encounter during implementation in the classroom. Classrooms have systems of their own—systems of interaction—and if schemes for them do not have an empirical basis in those classroom systems, the systems will distort those schemes. The main part of the paper is given over to describing some gross features of the classroom system particularly: its a-topical, formal, collaborative, unfolding, orderly, busy, instantaneous, judgemental, identity related and questioning characteristics. The last section argues for and gives examples of educational issues such as evaluation, indoctrination, and teacher competence being discussed in terms of the classroom system in which they occur.I acknowledge the helpful comments of project colleagues, collaborating teachers and W. W. Sharrock.