EMERGENT

CURRICULUM
 What is Emergent Curriculum?
Is a way of planning curriculum in response to children’s interests to
create meaningful learning experiences. It can be practiced at any
grade level. This philosophy prioritizes active participation,
relationship building, flexible and adaptable methods, inquiry, and
play-based learning. Curriculum is child-initiated, collaborative and
responsive to the children's needs.
 Understanding Emergent Curriculum: What do we mean by the Image of
a Child?
 Children are capable, competent, curious and creative.
 Children are natural researchers – they question what they see, hypothesize solutions,
predict outcomes, experiment, reflect on and represent their discoveries.
 Children are active, self – motivated learners seeking to understand the world in which
they live, and learn when supported through adult interactions.
 Children learn by sharing their thinking with peers and adults.
 The child is viewed as one being as a whole with infinite languages to communicate
meaning and understanding.
 Understanding Emergent Curriculum: The Environment
 Because emergent curriculum programs emphasize independence and persistence in
their programs, learning centres are typically set up in very particular ways. Items and
materials that are stored are easily accessible to the children visually and physically.
Things are usually labeled with words and pictures to assist children, and clear storage
containers are preferred (Crowther, 2005; Jones & Reynolds, 2011; Stacey, 2011).
 Students can be seen working in a variety of social environments. The learning
environment should offer opportunities to work in groups of all different sizes, as well as
individually (Crowther, 2005). Students are also given opportunities to experience
materials in different ways, such as quiet reading corners and dramatic play areas (Stacey,
2011)
The Emergent Curriculum: Projects
 The Emergent Curriculum: Documentations
Documentation is a very important and very time consuming aspect of this type of
programming (Stacey, 2011). Because teachers are held accountable to parents, licensing
boards and colleagues, it is necessary that thorough documentation is kept (Crowther, 2005;
Stacey, 2009).
 The Emergent Curriculum: Documentations
Documentation for Planning
Use of webs and other graphic organizers can be a good way to demonstrate how the
students are being exposed to curriculum expectations and brainstorm related ideas
(MachLachlan et al., 2013; Stacey, 2009). Keeping track of interest paths that develop in the
classroom can help teachers demonstrate the process of learning, revise and reflect on it
and develop future directions (Stacey, 2009).
Each learning or interest centre in the classroom usually has its own plan, as well as
activities facilitated by the teacher (Stacey, 2011).
 The Emergent Curriculum: Documentations
Documentation for Observation and Assessment
Because of the reliance on observational methods to inform planning and assessment, it is
crucial for teachers to have strategies in place to expedite the process. Some examples of
tools use by teachers are sticky notes, observation baskets around the room to collect small
anecdotal notes, file folder systems for each student or area of the classroom, clipboards,
digital recorders, photography, and video and audiotaping. These methods allow learning to
become visually represented and are good for reflection and validation of methods (Stacey,
2009).
 The Emergent Curriculum: Documentations
Documentation for Students
Emergent curriculum involved students being collaborative partners in their learning (Stacey,
2009), therefore it is important to incorporate children in displaying and documenting their
learning (; Stacey, 2009; Wright, 1997). Some strategies teachers can use for this are audio
and visual recordings, samples of children's work, photos, learning logs, and display boards
(Stacey, 2009). These approaches can help students develop pride in their work, show off
skills to parents/guardians, and display their interests (Crowther, 2005). These processes are
not static, rather these projects grow as learning develops (Crowther, 2005).
 Final Thoughts on Emergent Curriculum
The Benefits of Emergent Curriculum
Emergent-inspired curriculum is currently embedded in each of the infant, toddler, and
preschool programs offered at the ELC. As such, numerous advantages to this approach have
been noted for children of all ages. Specifically, emergent curriculum has been especially
useful in ensuring that:
Children’s interests serve as the basis for program development;
Expression of individual strengths is ensured;
Unique learning needs are supported;
Curriculum content is an extension of home/family life;
Increased parental involvement is encouraged and;
Diversity is celebrated in its fullest form.