How is a compelling, exemplary curriculum created in schools in spite of the pressures to implement a standardized one? In this book, teachers and principals share their experiences with emergent curriculum, and with the creative practices they’ve developed in urban classrooms kindergarten to 3rd grade. We learn what they were trying to do, how they began the process, the challenges they faced, the decisions they made, and what happened to the children. All chapters are written by teachers who have found ways of interpreting the Reggio approach to enrich their teaching within the confines of traditional schools. This book is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand emergent curriculum and for all who hope to nurture an enlivening, energizing way to learn in classrooms. The inspiring stories presented here illustrate: Ways that early childhood values and practices have been sustained and promoted in elementary schools. Exemplary teaching practice, where children want to learn and teachers want to teach. How the influence of the Reggio Emilia approach is reaching into urban public school environments with diverse populations. Democratic participatory teaching that offers visions of responsible citizenship for children. “This book is a treasure trove of useful frameworks, wonderful teacher stories, and memorable insights. It demonstrates the remarkable potential of children and teachers, and it clarifies how North American elementary school educators can take hold of ideas from Reggio Emilia and integrate them with their own ideals and standards.” —Carolyn Pope Edwards, University of Nebraska–Lincoln “Carol Anne Wien demonstrates again that she can illustrate complex ideas—this time the theories underlying the Reggio Emilia approach—in innovative ways for a broad audience.” —Celia Genishi, Teachers College, Columbia University “A must read for educators seeking an antidote to prescriptive curricular practice that respects neither children nor teachers.” —Curt Dudley-Marling, Lynch School of Education, Boston College “This book provides long overdue and compelling pathways for extending Reggio Emilia principles into the primary grades. It will encourage readers to feel their way into the spirit and substance of emergent curricula and come away rejuvenated.” —Daniel Scheinfeld, Erikson Institute, Chicago, Illinois

Vignettes focusing on emergent curriculum

Inspires early childhood educators to use innovative practices through stories from real teachers who use emergent curriculum in their classrooms.

Helps providers implement proven child-centered curricular practices while meeting early learning standards.

Learn how to connect your curriculum planning to children's interests and thinking. With this book, educators will discover a systematic way for using documentation to design curriculum that emerges from children's inquiries, what they wonder, and what they want to understand. Get strategies for designing a classroom environment at the start of the year to facilitate emergent inquiry curriculum. Each chapter guides teachers to document and reflect on their thinking through each of the five phases of a cycle of inquiry process, including observing, interpreting the meaning of the play they see, and developing questions to engage children.

Emergent Curriculum with Toddlers addresses and defines the practice of emergent curriculum and its specialization and integration into toddler programs. Toddlers are at a unique and important stage of development, so educators require resources that are specifically written for this crucial time of life. An emergent curriculum for a toddler class can look quite different from a preschool class in terms of the children’s developing themes, the teacher’s observational skills, and the emotional and social climate in the program.

Emergent curriculum in early childhood education refers to the process of using the spontaneity generated in the daily life of the children and adults in the program, along with teacher planning, to develop the curriculum. This book presents a story about a year in the life of a fictional child care center as a context for the discussion of emergent curriculum in 22 chapters arranged to cover events sequentially throughout the school year. Chapter 1 introduces the fictional child care setting. Chapters 2 through 21 alternately provide staff meeting topics, ideas, and examples of guided discussions; and ideas and discussions of class activities, field trips, and visits to various sites. Chapter 22, "Epilogue: Talking It Over," contains reflections on the activities and learning during the year by staff and students. Contains a section of notes for each chapter and 23 suggestions for further reading. (DR)