Battle – emergent curriculum

Emergent curriculum is curriculum that arises from a variety of different areas. It arises from the interests that you’ve seen that children have been participating in, in their play. It arises from the developmental themes you see erupting or even some of the developmental needs they may have, that you see through their play. And I think most importantly it comes out of our passions and what are we passionate about and sharing that with children. Tied to emergent curriculum of course is the value of having a wonderful environment that will stimulate children, provocate some interesting things, that you have a really clear image of the child and your image of the child is one that we look at kids as being competent, capable of constructing their knowledge.  And, I think the most important thing is you have a real relationship with children; different than the teacher-child relationship – something strong, something you know, something about each child and they know about you and you can base your curriculum on that.  

To be equal with children, I think, is the other big foundation. You collaborate with kids in building these projects, in building your curriculum. And again it goes back to your image of the child. If you really look at them as capable you really look at them as good partners in our collaboration instead of something just sort of, just something not so deep, so surface. If you have that image of the child it becomes very deep and a real collaboration.