Emergent Curriculum

At both Enlightened Play Preschools locations, teachers will plan their lessons based on a weekly theme (link to thematic learning) but we also employ an ideology of Emergent Curriculum. One way we do this is through the use Floor Books to help teachers add children’s ideas and input into the possibilities already planned by the teacher.

Emergent Curriculum | FLOORBOOK MOUTH PAINTING

What is Emergent Curriculum?

Emergent Curriculum is a term that can mean many things to many people. To us, it means that our teachers encourage and include children’s ideas and responses to the days’ activities. Our teachers have always tried to do this while reading, speaking with, and listening to children but to add Floorbooks as a form of documentation, is a new addition to our curriculum. It also promotes our role as listeners, not just speakers.

The Floor Book

Emergent Curriculum | Caring Connection One way we do this is by utilizing the Floor Book to document in print, pictures, or photos the children’s voice, ideas, opinions, hypotheses, or creative perspective.

The happy result for parents is that the Floor Books allows a chronicled glimpse back into the daily activities and two-way conversations between children and teachers, to see how their ideas and spontaneity were included and added to the teacher’s plan.

An Adventurous Example

Here is one example. The theme was dinosaurs. But while the children were on the playground a plastic bag happened its way into the yard on the breeze. One of the children thought it was worth talking about. “It looks like a parachute!” says a child. Now, a new adventure has begun. The children and teacher begin attaching toy cars, people, dinosaurs onto the bag and take turns throwing it into the air see the toy parachute into the yard.

This unplanned activity lasted for more than a few minutes and then, the idea of parachute art extended into the afternoon. Coffee filters were painted, paper people were cut, strings were tied and finally, everyone had their own parachute person. Why? Because a child had a creative idea. And the teachers listened, acted upon it allowed the children’s idea to become the plan. Just think, we might have dismissed it as garbage and thrown the idea in the trash…and with it a child’s inspiration.

Want to find out more about our Emergent Curriculum? Contact us or stop by for a visit.

Enlightened Play Preschool Midtown and West Sac Campus offers full time and part time care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

Questions about Caring Connection’s programs? Contact us or stop by for a visit.

Learn more about Enlightened Discipline

Author Julie Jenkins insists that we say goodbye to the naughty mat and call “time out” on timeouts. Leave all those old-school techniques behind. This is the manual for teaching the foundations on self-discipline, common sense and self-respect to young children. Written for every teacher in the early childhood field and every parent with young children.

GET THE BOOK

QUICKLINKS

Holiday Schedule

West Sac Tuition Rates
West Sac Enrollment Forms

Sign up for our Newlsletter

Click below to read more…

Meet Julie

Julie Jenkins devoted 30+ years to up leveling the way adults teach children about behavior. She put her philosophy into print in 2004 in Enlightened Discipline.

Purchase Julie's book Enlightened Discipline

West Sac Campus

703 West Acre Rd,
West Sacramento, CA 95691
916-371-3301

Tuition Rates
Enrollment Forms

Schedule a Visit!