Duration: 3 hours

Emergent curriculum is based on the premise that children are most successful at learning when curriculum experiences take into account their interests, strengths, needs, and life realities. Educators committed to this philosophy use observations of children throughout their day as a tool for constructing curriculum content. Meaningful learning opportunities are then provided in support of key developmental skills. When ongoing opportunities for practice lead to skill mastery, educators respond by enriching the learning experience through the planning and implementation of increasingly difficult tasks or scaffolding learning experiences.

Part one of this series identifies the core foundational principles of an Emergent Curriculum approach to active participatory learning. Participants will gain an understanding of the basics of positive adult-child interactions and how forming authentic relationships with children creates a support climate for learning.